| Still With Us
by David Fleitz |
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Mel Harder, who posted a 223-186 record for the Indians from 1928 to 1947.
P.S. The oldest ex-player still living (in March of 2001) appears to be Karl Swanson, who batted .136 as a second baseman for the White Sox in 1928 and 1929. Swanson celebrated his 100th birthday on December 17, 2000. P.P.S. Tot Pressnell was one of the ten oldest ex-players when he died in January 2001. For more on Pressnell, click here. P.P.P.S.
The oldest ex-player of all was Chester (Red) Hoff, who was born in
1891, pitched for the Yankees from 1911 to 1915, and died in 1998 at the
age of 107. He was the last living major leaguer who pitched to
Shoeless Joe Jackson, whose career ended in 1920.
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Have you ever seen someone on TV, or seen a name in the paper, and remarked to yourself, "Is he/she still living?" I do, every now and then. I saw Art Linkletter pitching something on the tube one day; his afternoon TV show went off the air in 1969, but Linkletter, at age 88, is still going strong. So is Fay Wray, who co-starred in the original King Kong movie in 1933. She will celebrate her 94th birthday in September. I'll bet you didn't know that former "What's My Line" panelist Arlene Francis is 92, bandleader Artie Shaw is 90, and "Beverly Hillbillies" star Buddy Ebsen will be 93 in a few weeks. Anyway, it got me thinking. How far back do living major-league baseball players go? Is there anyone left who played in the 1920s, or played against Babe Ruth? Is there anybody still living who pitched to Ty Cobb, who retired in 1928? What prominent players of long ago are still with us? I've compiled a list of players who - as of March 15, 2001 - are still alive. I didn't bother with someone who played one or two games. All of these guys are recognizable names, and I was surprised that some of them are still around. Willis Hudlin, 94 years old. He pitched from 1926 to 1940 for Cleveland, winning 158 games. He won 18 games for the Tribe in 1927, and is one of only two men still living who pitched to Ty Cobb. Hudlin gave up Babe Ruth's 500th homer on August 11, 1929. Mel Harder, 91. He was Hudlin's teammate in Cleveland for many years, pitching from 1928 to 1947 and winning 223 games. Harder was the winning pitcher in the 1934 All-Star Game, and he's the other living man who pitched to Ty Cobb. Billy Rogell, 96. The starting shortstop of the 1934-35 Detroit pennant winners, Rogell served several terms on Detroit's city council after his playing career ended. Al Lopez, 92. He was an outstanding catcher from 1928 to 1947, then managed Cleveland and Chicago to pennants in the 1950s. He's the oldest living member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Gus Suhr, 95. Suhr played for the Pirates in the 1930s, and drove in 118 runs for the team in 1936. At one time, he held the National League record for consecutive games played. Claude Passeau, 91. He pitched from 1935 to 1947 and won 20 games for the Cubs in 1940. He gave up Ted Williams' game-winning homer in the 1941 All-Star Game. Floyd Giebell, 91. Giebell won only three major league games, but he out-deuled Cleveland's Bob Feller in 1940 to clinch the pennant for Detroit. Jo-Jo Moore, 92. This hard-hitting outfielder batted .298 for the Giants from 1930 to 1941, and played in three World Series (1933, 1936, and 1937). Update - Moore died on April 1, 2001.Elon (Chief) Hogsett, 97. Hogsett pitched from 1929 to 1944, mostly with Detroit, and pitched in three games in the 1934 World Series. His Tiger teammates Billy Rogell, 96, and Elden Auker, 90, are still living. Update - Hogsett died on July 17, 2001.Ray Hayworth, 97. Another teammate of Rogell, Auker, and Hogsett on the 1934 Tigers, Hayworth was a backup catcher from 1926 to 1945.
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