In Memoriam – 2006
Olde-tyme baseball by C. Philip Francis – 11-15-06
JOHNNY CALLISON – Player and manager Gene Mauch said of the Oklahoma-born outfielder, “He can run, throw, field, and hit with power, there’s nothing he can’t do well on a ballfield.” As a three-time All-Star in his 16-major league career, he won the 1964 game with a dramatic bottom of the ninth inning home run with two on and two out. He was a member of the 1964 Philadelphia Phillies who lost a six and one-half lead with 12 games left after losing 10 straight games that handed the pennant to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Callison was born in Qualls, Oklahoma on March 12, 1939, and during his last years had a number of medical problems including a bleeding ulcer, heart attack, bypass surgery, and an aorta aneurysm. He died on October 12 in a Philadelphia hospital at the age of 67.
JIM DELSING – Jim played with five teams in his 10 years as a major leaguer over the 1950’s including the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Browns. Delsing is best known as the pinch-runner for midget Eddie Gaedel in one of baseball’s most unusual and surprising incidents. Browns owner Bill Veeck had quietly signed Gaedel as an official player, and was sent in to pinch-hit during the second game of a doubleheader with Detroit on August 19, 1951. This author once wrote to Delsing asking if the little Gaedel had said anything when the two passed on the infield. He responded, “No words were ever said, he just patted me on my rump, and ran off the field.”
Delsing was a .255 career hitter in the big leagues although he did hit over .300 in the minors with the Northern, Pacific Coast, and American Association Leagues. His son, Jay, was a professional golfer in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s, and a grandson who become a soccer star. Delsing was born in Rudolph, Wisconsin on November 13, 1925, and died on May 5 in Chesterfield, Missouri of cancer at age 80.
PAUL LINDBLAD – The left-hander pitched for five teams including the OaklandA’s and New York Yankees in his 14 major league years. He was primarily used in middle relief, finished his career with 68 wins and 64 saves, and never won more than nine games in one year. Lindblad was in four World Series games winning one, and was an excellent fielder having no errors from 1966 to 1974 in 385 appearances.
He was born in Chanute, Kansas on August 9, 1941, and died in January after a long fight with Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 64.
JOHN JORDAN “BUCK” O’NEILL – became the spokesman for the Negro League and founder of the Negro League Museum located in Kansas City, Missouri. He had been a fine first baseman, coach, scout, and manager, and led the Kansas City Monarchs to five pennants and two World Series in the Negro League. Buck became the first black coach in the major leagues when hired by the Chicago Cubs in 1962, and urged the Cubs to sign future Hall of Famers slugging Ernie Banks and the fleet Lou Brock.
Buck was born in Carrabelle, Florida on November 13, 1911, and died on February 28th several weeks short of his 95th birthday. Over 10,000 people filed past the open casket at his beloved museum. Unfortunately, Buck never made it into the Hall of Fame where he belonged, but fell one vote short last February.
KIRBY PUCKETT – Born in Chicago, Illinois on March 14, 1961 the fun-loving 5’8” outfielder was built like a fireplug, and had 12 solid years with the Minnesota Twins from 1984 to 1995. As the team leader he helped to Twins to World Series titles in 1987 and 1991, was named to 10 consecutive All-Star teams, was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2001 on his first try, and became an icon throughout the country. Puckett had a career batting average of .318.
His baseball career was prematurely finished after the 1995 season due to irreversible damage to the right retina, and died on March 6 in Phoenix, Arizona at the age of 45. Puckett had a stroke the day before, and was in intensive care when he died. He was given the last rights, and as death came family, friends, and former teammates were gathered together to say goodbye to the affable ballplayer.
Amidst many tears and cheers baseball and Minnesota Twin fans came together the following Sunday evening in the Metrodome to celebrate Kirby Puckett for the final time. The team’s radio announcer, John Gordon, said “Make sure you smile and laugh tonight because that’s what Kirby would want, and that’s why we loved him.” A gospel choir performed “I’ll Fly Away” as many people waved so long with their Homer Hankies.
ELDEN AUKER – When he died on August 4th at the age of 95 the submarine-style pitcher may have been the oldest major league player at the time, and certainly the oldest Detroit Tiger. Born on September 21, 1910 in Norcatur, Kansas he attended Kansas State University where he starred in baseball, basketball, and football. Elden was offered a $6,000 contract by the Chicago Bears although he chose the Detroit Tigers. Auker developed his submarine type pitching after receiving a shoulder injury when playing football for KSU.
The right-hander began his 10-year major league career in 1933 at the age of 22, and appeared in the 1934 and 1935 World Series. In the ’34 Series with the St. Louis Cardinals he was the winner of Game 4 10-4, but lost the decisive Game 7 to Dizzy Dean. Auker also pitched for the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Browns. He was traded to the Red Sox in 1939 the same year Ted Williams came up, and the two players had a lifelong friendship. When pitching for the Browns from 1940 to 1942, Elden hurled the first night game in St. Louis on May 24, 1940 losing to Bob Feller and the Cleveland Indians 3-2, and gave up two hits in Joe DiMaggio’s 56 consecutive hitting streak in 1941.
He retired from baseball after the 1942 season and became a successful businessman. Elden lived for years in Vero Beach, Florida where he died.
(Note: Readers may want to check out Auker’s autobiography called Sleeper Cars and Flannel Uniforms.)
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