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Veeck, Bill
William Louis Veeck Jr.
Born:
February 9, 1914, Chicago, Illinois
Died:
January 2, 1986, Chicago, Illinois
Elected to the Hall of Fame by Veterans Committee:
1991
Biography:
As owner of the Indians, Browns and White Sox, Bill Veeck consistently broke attendance records with pennant-winning teams, outrageous door prizes, enthusiastic fan participation and ingenious promotional schemes. An inveterate hustler and energetic maverick, he introduced the concept of honoring fans, a midget player (Eddie Gaedel), Bat Day, fireworks, exploding scoreboards and player names on backs of uniforms. He signed the American League's first black player - Larry Doby in 1947 - and its oldest rookie - 42-year-old Satchel Paige in 1948.
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Did You Know:
that while employed in various capacities by the Chicago Cubs, Bill Veeck Jr. was responsible for the planting of ivy on Wrigley Field's outfield wall in September 1937?
Baseball is a game to be savored rather than in big gulps.
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This Day in Baseball History
On May 22, 1968, Pirates' slugger Willie Stargell hit three home runs in a 13-6 victory over the Cubs. The future Hall of Famer just missed a fourth home run when he hit a long double that bounced off the railing of the left field bleachers at Wrigley Field.