I asked a player about the jersey he wore 70 years ago

[Mark17]

Frank Saucier was the best hitter in 3 different minor leagues, but due to war service commitments, injuries, and a preference to get into the oil business, his ML career lasted just 14 games in 1951, and he achieved just one major league hit.

At Wichita Falls in 1949, he won the league batting title with a .446 average, then the highest-ever mark in the history of Organized Baseball. He had 141 hits in 316-at bats, earning him the Hillerich & Bradsby Silver Slugger Award as the minor leagues’ top hitter.

But, of course, he's best remembered as the guy who was pulled for pinch-hitter Eddie Gaedel.

Anyway, his 1951 road uniform (St. Louis Browns) was at auction with REA last year and again at Grey Flannel this year, where I was the winning bidder. While reading about the man who had worn that very shirt 70 years ago, I was stunned to learn he is still alive! So I wrote him a brief note and included a color image of the jersey, with close-up of his name stitched into the tail. Today I received his response.

Interestingly, he kept the original letter I sent, with the color images, and returned his reply on a black & white copy of my letter. I like to think he wanted to keep that color picture of his old shirt, and got a kick out of seeing it again, 70 years later.

Below are pics of the jersey and his response. His locker was next to Satchel Paige's, and while he didn't mention it, since his lone hit, a double, was in Cleveland on August 7, 1951, he was wearing this shirt at the time.

[ooo-ribay]

Cool story but I can’t decipher what he wrote after the line he drew from the word “shared.”

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by ooo-ribay

Cool story but I can’t decipher what he wrote after the line he drew from the word “shared.”

"Adjacent or side by side"

[bgar3]

Nicely done. Live the add on stuff.

[Chris Counts]

I love the jersey and the story. Frank Saucier has one baseball's strangest stories — he roomed with Satchel Paige and had a midget pinch hit for him. I wonder how his career would have went if he had stayed healthy and wanted to keep playing baseball, which it appeared he didn't.

[Jay Wolt]

Mark very cool pickup & I like the back stories as well

[ooo-ribay]

Originally Posted by Mark17

"Adjacent or side by side"

Thanks!

[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by Mark17

Frank Saucier was the best hitter in 3 different minor leagues, but due to war service commitments, injuries, and a preference to get into the oil business, his ML career lasted just 14 games in 1951, and he achieved just one major league hit.

At Wichita Falls in 1949, he won the league batting title with a .446 average, then the highest-ever mark in the history of Organized Baseball. He had 141 hits in 316-at bats, earning him the Hillerich & Bradsby Silver Slugger Award as the minor leagues’ top hitter.

But, of course, he's best remembered as the guy who was pulled for pinch-hitter Eddie Gaedel.

Anyway, his 1951 road uniform (St. Louis Browns) was at auction with REA last year and again at Grey Flannel this year, where I was the winning bidder. While reading about the man who had worn that very shirt 70 years ago, I was stunned to learn he is still alive! So I wrote him a brief note and included a color image of the jersey, with close-up of his name stitched into the tail. Today I received his response.

Interestingly, he kept the original letter I sent, with the color images, and returned his reply on a black & white copy of my letter. I like to think he wanted to keep that color picture of his old shirt, and got a kick out of seeing it again, 70 years later.

Below are pics of the jersey and his response. His locker was next to Satchel Paige's, and while he didn't mention it, since his lone hit, a double, was in Cleveland on August 7, 1951, he was wearing this shirt at the time.

Thanks
Love the Story, the pictures and learning some interesting history.

[thetahat]

Originally Posted by Mark17

Frank Saucier was the best hitter in 3 different minor leagues, but due to war service commitments, injuries, and a preference to get into the oil business, his ML career lasted just 14 games in 1951, and he achieved just one major league hit.

At Wichita Falls in 1949, he won the league batting title with a .446 average, then the highest-ever mark in the history of Organized Baseball. He had 141 hits in 316-at bats, earning him the Hillerich & Bradsby Silver Slugger Award as the minor leagues’ top hitter.

But, of course, he's best remembered as the guy who was pulled for pinch-hitter Eddie Gaedel.

Anyway, his 1951 road uniform (St. Louis Browns) was at auction with REA last year and again at Grey Flannel this year, where I was the winning bidder. While reading about the man who had worn that very shirt 70 years ago, I was stunned to learn he is still alive! So I wrote him a brief note and included a color image of the jersey, with close-up of his name stitched into the tail. Today I received his response.

Interestingly, he kept the original letter I sent, with the color images, and returned his reply on a black & white copy of my letter. I like to think he wanted to keep that color picture of his old shirt, and got a kick out of seeing it again, 70 years later.

Below are pics of the jersey and his response. His locker was next to Satchel Paige's, and while he didn't mention it, since his lone hit, a double, was in Cleveland on August 7, 1951, he was wearing this shirt at the time.

Great story. That Browns jersey with the Apotheosis sleeve logo is an all-time beauty!

[maniac_73]

What a cool story and piece to accompany the Jersey!

[Tay1038]

Nice uniform Mark and great research! I did the same a few years back now with George Spencer's 1951 NYG uniform. George was will living at that time, and I found out from him that he wore the uniform in the 51 WS. We had several phone calls after we connected and his favorite memory was grounding out DiMaggio, Berra and Woodling consecutively as a 18 year old.