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Take Me Out to the Ball Game

April 2, 2019 by Jim Potter Leave a Comment

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·  The St. Louis Browns and Eddie Gaedel ·

Eddie Gaedel pinch-hitting for St. Louis Browns on August 19, 1951. AP photo.

Herb Potter, my uncle who died last year, used to tell me about a major league baseball (MLB) game he attended in St. Louis when he was almost 14 years old.

It was a double-header home game for the St. Louis Browns vs the Detroit Tigers. I searched for the date. It was August 19, 1951.

Herb was in baseball heaven from the moment he entered Sportsman Park with my dad, his oldest brother. “They had a band playing inside,” recalled Herb, “and we got a free ice cream bar and cake at the gate.”

In speaking to Herb, he explained how franchise owner and promoter Bill Veeck was constantly staging publicity stunts since the ball team wasn’t very good. When Herb told me the Browns never won a game, I knew he was exaggerating so I checked the team record. Indeed, their 1951 season was a disaster. They finished last place in the American League, 46 games out of first!

What made the second game of the double-header so memorable was the stunt pulled by Veeck. Between games a person with dwarfism popped out of a papier-mache cake during a celebration of the American League’s 50th anniversary. The performer wore a Brown’s uniform borrowed from the team’s 9 year-old batboy.

The fans were amused but disappointed since Veeck had promised them a “festival of surprises”. Little did they know what was about to occur during the second game.

In the first inning the fans learned that the regular lead-off hitter was being replaced by pinch-hitter Eddie Gaedel. This unknown player was the same person who had popped out of the cake earlier. Gaedel was 26 years old, 3’ 7” tall, and weighed 65 pounds when he emerged from the dugout wearing Brown’s uniform number “1/8”.

The umpire immediately called for the manager. Veeck had expected a protest so he made sure the manager had a copy of the contract and the active roster. Once it was determined that the papers were in order, Gaedel was permitted to bat.

Veeck had carefully trained Gaedel how to crouch at the plate to make the strike zone even more impossible for the pitcher to locate. But Veeck was surprised and concerned when Gaedel, instead of crouching down as directed, assumed a batting stance comparable to Joe DiMaggio’s.

Detroit pitcher Bob Cain was on the mound laughing at the absurdity of pitching to Gaedel.  Catcher Bob Swift was on his knees. It only took four pitches, all balls, for Gaedel to be walked. As he trotted to first base, Gaedel stopped twice and bowed to the crowd. At first base he was replaced by a pinch-runner.

The Brown’s lost the game but Gaedel’s name lives on in major league baseball history. He remains the shortest player and his on-base percentage is a perfect 1,000%.

The American league president and most of the other team owners were upset with Veeck for making a mockery of the game. In today’s world the stunt wouldn’t be permitted because of fears of it being seen as exploitation of a marginalized group, in this case “little people” (LP). But there’s no doubt, if there was a job announcement tomorrow seeking an actor with dwarfism to give a baseball performance at home plate, the response would be overwhelming because the entertainment industry is the biggest employer of little people.

Gaedel, the actor, sure didn’t complain about his unusual day of work in 1951. He was paid $100 for his plate appearance, and because of his baseball fame he earned over $17,000 by appearing on several TV shows.

During World War II Gaedel had worked as a riveter due to his size. He was able to crawl inside the wings of airplanes. After the war he became a professional performer, joining the American Guild of Variety Artists.

Unfortunately, Eddie Gaedel died at age 36. In 1961 he was beaten up and suffered a heart attack near his home in Chicago, Illinois. Bob Cain, who had pitched to Gaedel, was the only major league player to attend the funeral.

Because of my Uncle Herb, I learned about a ball game and a ball player who would have remained buried in history.

But my last surprise was when I discovered that Gaedel’s autograph, due to its scarcity, sells today for more than Babe Ruth’s.

Until next time, happy writing and reading!

 

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Karleen Wilson-Moon

Terrific story relevant to today’s social issues . . . well written . . . likable characters . . . insightful perspective from an insider in law enforcement.

Larry Kruckman, anthropologist

Jim Potter displays ethnographic skills in Taking Back the Bullet: Trajectories of Self-Discovery, creating vivid scenes and fascinating characters. The Greeks had a word for subcultures and people’s behavior: ‘ethos,’ or ‘ways of being.’ In colorful, sometimes marvelous detail, this novel captures various people and settings . . . the ethos of rural Kansas: a… Read more “Larry Kruckman, anthropologist”

Steve Becker

I’m impressed. It was an excellent read. . . . I hope you continue with more projects in the future.

Morgan Penner

Taking Back the Bullet is a novel that provides the reader with a window into the world of law enforcement. As the novel unfolds, the reader is able to see how split-second decisions alter the lives of the main characters in the story. Taking Back the Bullet also explores how humanity is impacted by mental… Read more “Morgan Penner”

Sean McArdle, Winchester, England

Retired police officer Potter’s novel centers on very disparate characters and through the tried and tested means of gradually introducing each one, builds a sense of anticipation about what is going to happen to them. This often used methodology is not easy to do well but is superbly handled by Potter who knows how to… Read more “Sean McArdle, Winchester, England”

Jane Holzrichter

I finished it last night around midnight. What a great piece of work. It kept me intrigued all the way to the end.

Deb Theis, LSCSW, clinical therapist/hypnotherapist

Jim Potter has done it again! After his book, Cop in the Classroom: Lessons I’ve Learned, Tales I’ve Told, Jim has written another great work. In Taking Back the Bullet: Trajectories of Self-Discovery, Jim Potter takes us on an insightful journey into the lives and relationships of numerous characters. Jim is such a talented storyteller… Read more “Deb Theis, LSCSW, clinical therapist/hypnotherapist”

Diana Dester

Good story line, building the characters along the way. Great job!

Wynona Winn, PhD, retired school superintendent

Three main characters walk different paths but with the same destination – each coping with his or her self-discovery, self-identity, and self-realization. Much like their earlier counterparts – Huck Finn and Holden Caulfield – their journeys are often joyous, often tedious and often tragic.

Judy Hawk

. . . I was impressed with the Native American information as well as the depth of character development . . . .

John & Cindy Morrill, 20 years Air Force retired, 17 years law enforcement

I enjoyed your book. When I am looking for a new read, I always read the first page, last page and choose a random page somewhere in the middle before I decide to buy it. You had me on all three pages. I also like reading a book where you can relate to the characters… Read more “John & Cindy Morrill, 20 years Air Force retired, 17 years law enforcement”

Sheryl Remar

I enjoyed the different stories of this book because Tom, James, and Suanna, the three main characters, represent in their own way the different struggles with themselves and society’s idea of what is normal.

Rebecca Schillaci

As a former law enforcement officer, I found the story very relatable as it details the life of a law enforcement officer and the struggles some face throughout their careers. . . Taking Back the Bullet is a journey of understanding, respect, and forgiveness . . .

Dennis Perrin, educator

Masterful storytelling, exquisite character development, so real as to HURT and HOPE, a real page turner. Begs for stage, screenwriters, and visual episodic development a.k.a. TV series . . . Thanks Jim Potter for telling it like it is AND providing us visions of how it could be. Well done!

Rebecca from Proud Police Wife

Taking Back the Bullet is an emotional, yet captivating novel. Jim Potter does a superb job of intertwining each character and putting their individual identities on display. All law enforcement storylines are a true reflection of Potter’s years as a police officer because they are realistic and relatable. This is a book I highly recommend.

Denise Low, author of Jackalope (Red Mountain Press)

Jim Potter is a cop, retired, but he brings deep understanding of this job to his novel Taking Back the Bullet: Trajectories of Self-Discovery. This layered novel has literary dimensions as characters explore crisis situations. Congratulations to this fine writer for his debut novel.

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