Kenneth Albert "Whitey" Miller (March 2, 1915 – April 3, 1991) was a Major League Baseball pitcher who appeared in four games, all in relief, for the New York Giants in 1944. The 29-year-old rookie stood 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) and weighed 195 lbs.
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization, the oldest of the four major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada. A total of 30 teams play in the National League (NL) and American League (AL), with 15 teams in each league. The NL and AL were formed as separate legal entities in 1876 and 1901 respectively. After cooperating but remaining legally separate entities beginning in 1903, the leagues merged into a single organization led by the Commissioner of Baseball in 2000. The organization also oversees Minor League Baseball, which comprises 256 teams affiliated with the Major League clubs. With the World Baseball Softball Confederation, MLB manages the international World Baseball Classic tournament.
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the pitcher is assigned the number 1. The pitcher is often considered the most important player on the defensive side of the game, and as such is situated at the right end of the defensive spectrum. There are many different types of pitchers, such as the starting pitcher, relief pitcher, middle reliever, lefty specialist, setup man, and the closer.
A rookie is a person in the first year of activity in a sport, or someone new to a profession, training, or activity such as a rookie police officer, rookie pilot, or a recruit.
Miller is one of many ballplayers who only appeared in the major leagues during World War II. He made his major league debut on September 15, 1944 in a road game against the Philadelphia Blue Jays at Shibe Park. His last appearance was on September 29 in a home game against the St. Louis Cardinals at the Polo Grounds. Miller was very effective in his limited big league action. In a total of 5 innings pitched he gave up 5 baserunners and 2 runs, both unearned. His brief career ended with a 0–1 record, 3 games finished, and an ERA of 0.00.
Shibe Park, known later as Connie Mack Stadium, was a baseball park located in Philadelphia. It was the home of the Philadelphia Athletics of the American League (AL) and the Philadelphia Phillies of the National League (NL). When it opened April 12, 1909, it became baseball's first steel-and-concrete stadium. In different eras it was home to "The $100,000 Infield", "The Whiz Kids", and "The 1964 Phold". The venue's two home teams won both the first and last games at the stadium: the Athletics beat the Boston Red Sox 8–1 on opening day 1909, while the Phillies beat the Montreal Expos 2–1 on October 1, 1970, in the park's final contest.
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Busch Stadium has been their home ballpark since 2006. One of the most successful franchises in baseball history, the Cardinals have won 11 World Series championships, the second-most in Major League Baseball and the most in the National League. Their 19 National League pennants rank third in NL history. In addition, St. Louis has won 13 division titles in the East and Central divisions.
The Polo Grounds was the name of three stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used mainly for professional baseball and American football from 1880 through 1963. As the name suggests, the original Polo Grounds, opened in 1876 and demolished in 1889, was built for the sport of polo. Bound on the south and north by 110th and 112th Streets and on the east and west by Fifth and Sixth (Lenox) Avenues, just north of Central Park, it was converted to a baseball stadium when leased by the New York Metropolitans in 1880. The third Polo Grounds, built in 1890 and renovated after a fire in 1911, is the one generally indicated when the Polo Grounds is referenced. It was located in Coogan's Hollow and was noted for its distinctive bathtub shape, very short distances to the left and right field walls, and an unusually deep center field.
Edward Charles "Whitey" Ford, nicknamed "The Chairman of the Board", is an American former professional baseball pitcher who had his entire 16-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the New York Yankees. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
Don James Larsen is an American retired Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher. During a 15-year MLB career, he pitched from 1953 to 1967 for seven different teams. Larsen pitched for the St. Louis Browns / Baltimore Orioles, New York Yankees (1955–59), Kansas City Athletics (1960–1961), Chicago White Sox (1961), San Francisco Giants (1962–64), Houston Colt .45's / Houston Astros (1964–65), and Chicago Cubs (1967).
James Blair Bibby was an American Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. During a 12-year baseball career, he pitched from 1972 to 1984 with the St. Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers, Cleveland Indians, and Pittsburgh Pirates, with whom he was a member of its 1979 World Series Champions. He pitched a no-hitter against a team in the midst of a three-year dynasty. Also, in 1981, as a member of the Pirates, he missed out on a perfect game by just one hit, allowing a lead off single, before retiring the next 27 batters he faced.
Donald Frederick Mueller was a professional baseball player who played mainly as a right fielder in Major League Baseball for 12 seasons from 1948 until 1959. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed, and played for the New York Giants and the Chicago White Sox. He earned the nickname "Mandrake the Magician" for being adept at consistently putting the ball in play and delivering hits through the infield.
Jacob Matthew Miller is a former right-handed Major League Baseball relief pitcher who played for the Colorado Rockies and Cleveland Indians. He was noted for his distinct sidearm delivery.
Roger Hornsby McKee was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1943 through 1944 for the Philadelphia Phillies. As a 16-year-old rookie in 1943, he was the youngest player to appear in a National League game that season.
Harry Shuman was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates (1942–43) and the Philadelphia Phillies (1944). The right-hander stood 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) and weighed 195 lb (88 kg).
John Ralph Fick was a Major League Baseball pitcher. The left-hander appeared in four games for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1944. The 23-year-old rookie was a native of Baltimore, Maryland.
Louis Joseph Lucier was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Boston Red Sox (1943–44) and Philadelphia Phillies (1944–45). The right-hander stood 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 m) and weighed 160 pounds (73 kg). He was born in Northbridge, Massachusetts. From 2012 until his death, Lucier was the oldest living former Red Sox player.
Bernard James Mussill was a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1944. The rookie left-hander stood 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) and weighed 200 lb (91 kg). He was born in Bower Hill, Pennsylvania.
Charles Benjamin Osgood was a Major League Baseball pitcher who appeared in one game for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1944. At 17 years of age, the 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m), 180 lb (82 kg) rookie was the fifth-youngest player to appear in a National League game that season.
Walter Andrew "Footie" Ockey was a Major League Baseball pitcher who appeared in two games, both in relief, for the New York Giants in 1944. The 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m), 175 lb (79 kg) right-hander was a native of New York City.
Robert Edward Barthelson was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the New York Giants in 1944. The 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m), 185 lb (84 kg) right-hander graduated from Hillhouse High School.
William Sherman Rodgers was a Major League Baseball right fielder who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1944 and 1945. A native of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, he stood 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) and weighed 162 lbs.
Arnold Lee Carter was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Cincinnati Reds in 1944 and 1945. The 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m), 170 lb (77 kg) left-hander was a native of Rainelle, West Virginia.
Elmer Ray Riddle was an American professional baseball player. A right-handed pitcher, he appeared in all or parts of ten Major League seasons for the Cincinnati Reds and Pittsburgh Pirates. As a member of the 1941 Reds, he led the National League in winning percentage and ERA (2.24). Two years later, he tied for the NL and MLB lead in games won, with 21.
James Albert Ripple was an American professional baseball player who played as an outfielder in Major League Baseball for seven seasons from 1936 to 1943. He played for the New York Giants (1936–1939), the Brooklyn Dodgers (1939–1940), the Cincinnati Reds (1940–1941), and the Philadelphia Athletics (1943). He had a .282 career batting average, with 28 home runs and 251 RBIs in 554 games played. He played in three World Series, two with the Giants (1936–1937), and one with the Reds in 1940, which won the championship.
Robert Gerald Miller is a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for three different teams during his major league career. During the 1953 season, he was the youngest player in the major leagues that season, one of only three players that year who were 17 years old.
Walter Albert Holborow was an American semiprofessional baseball player who had a brief career in professional baseball — one year and only three games pitched in the minor leagues in 1937 with the Class C Akron Yankees of the Middle Atlantic League, followed by three stints and 21 games pitched in Major League Baseball for the Washington Senators and Philadelphia Athletics. A native of New York City, the right-handed Holborow stood 5 feet 11 inches (1.80 m) and weighed 187 pounds (85 kg).
Alexander James Konikowski was an American professional baseball player, a right-handed pitcher who appeared in 35 games played for the New York Giants of Major League Baseball over three seasons. Born in Throop, Pennsylvania, Konikowski stood 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and weighed 187 pounds (85 kg).
