So glad to see this thread. Yes it was a war year, but still a great story. Here is the scorecard from Pete Gray's major league debut on 4/17/45. Tough assignment against Hal Newhouser, the AL MVP in both 1944 and 1945. The defending AL champion Browns, in front of only 4,000 fans, beat up on Newhouser and the Tigers 7-1. Gray was hitless in three AB's against Hall of Famer Prince Hal, but managed a single late in the game and scored a run.
Gray played only one season, and his '45 Browns won 81 games. He ended the year with more RBI's and walks than strikeouts . . . swinging with one arm!
The photo montage shows Gray's fielding process.
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