Necrology

Joseph Astroth was born on Sept. 1, 1922, in East Alton, Ill. He was signed by the Philadelphia Athletics as an amateur free agent in 1945. He made his debut on Aug. 13, 1945, as a center fielder, and remained with the Athletics for the span of his career. Over his 10-year career, he had 15 RBIs as well as .254 batting average. Astroth passed away on May 3, 2013, in Boca Raton, Fla.

Matthew Batts was born on Oct. 16, 1921, in San Antonio. He was signed by the Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent in 1942. He made his debut on Sept. 10, 1947, with the Red Sox. Throughout his career Batts played with Red Sox, St. Louis Browns, Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Redlegs. He ended his 10-year career having hit 26 home runs with a .269 batting average. Batts passed away on July 14, 2013, in Baton Rouge, La. 

John "Zeke" Bella was born on Aug. 23, 1930, in Greenwich, Conn. He was signed by the New York Yankees in 1951 as an amateur free agent. He made his debut with the Yankees on Sept. 11, 1957, as a pinch hitter. During his career he played for both the Yankees and Kansas City Athletics. Bella passed away on Nov. 17, 2013, in Greenwich.

Charles Bicknell was born on July 27, 1928, in Plainfield, NJ. He was signed as an amateur free agent by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1947. He made his career debut on April 22, 1948, as a pitcher with the Phillies. Bicknell passed away on Nov. 23, 2013, in Livingston, Mont.

Werner "Babe" Birrer was born on July 4, 1929, in Buffalo, N.Y. He was signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent in 1947. He made his career debut with the Tigers on June 5, 1955, as a pitcher. He also played for the Baltimore Orioles and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Birrer passed away on Nov. 19, 2013, in Clarence, N.Y.

Paul Blair was born on Feb. 1, 1944, in Cushing, Okla. He was signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent in 1961. He made his career debut on Sept. 9, 1964, with the Baltimore Orioles as a center fielder. Throughout his career he played for the Orioles, New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds. Blair was the starting center fielder for the Orioles when they won two World Series championships, then won two more titles while playing for the Yankees. During his 17-year career he made two All-Star Game appearances and was also an eight-time AL Gold Glove winner. Blair passed away on Dec. 26, 2013, in Baltimore, Md.

Milton Bolling was born on Aug. 9, 1930, in Mississippi City, Miss. He signed with the Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent in 1948. He made his debut on Sept. 10, 1952, as a shortstop but played a variety of infield positions over his career. He played for the Red Sox, Senators and Tigers throughout his career. He ended his career having hit 49 home runs with a .238 batting average. Bolling passed away on Jan. 19, 2013, in Mobile, Ala.

Thomas Borland was born on Feb. 14,1933, in El Dorado, Kan. He signed as a free agent with the Boston Red Sox in 1958. He made his debut on May 15, 1960, with the Red Sox as a pitcher. Borland was well-known for leading his team at Oklahoma A&M to the College World Series in 1955. He went 11-0 with a 2.13 ERA and 143 strikeouts. He was named All-American that year and MVP of the CWS. Borland passed away on March 2, 2013, in Stillwater, Okla.

Edward Bouchee was born on March 7, 1933, in Livingston, Mont. He made his debut on Sept. 19, 1956, with the Philadelphia Phillies as a pinch hitter. In the 1957 season, Bouchee was the Phillies' Opening Day first baseman and went on to hit .293 with 17 home runs and 76 RBIs and appeared in all 154 games. He also earned the top National League rookie honor from The Sporting News that season. During his career Bouchee also played with the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets. Bouchee passed away on Jan. 23, 2013, in Phoenix.

Leland "Lou" Brissie was born on June 5, 1924, in Anderson, S.C. He was signed by the Philadelphia Athletics as an amateur free agent in 1946. He made his career debut on Sept. 28, 1947, as a pitcher with the Athletics. During his career he played for the Athletics and Cleveland Indians. In 1949 he made an appearance in the All-Star Game and finished his career with a 4.07 ERA and .227 batting average. Brissie passed away on Nov. 25, 2013, in Augusta, Ga. 

William "Gates" Brown was born on May 2, 1939, in Crestline, Ohio. He was signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent in 1960. He made his career debut on June 19, 1963, for the Tigers as a pinch hitter. In 1968 he won a World Series with the Detroit Tigers. He finished his career with 84 home runs, 322 RBIs and a .257 batting average. Brown passed away on Sept. 27, 2013, in Detroit.

Ellis Burton was born on Aug. 12, 1936, in Los Angeles. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent in 1955. He made his career debut on Sept. 18, 1958, with the St. Louis Cardinals as an outfielder. During his career Burton also played for the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians. He finished his career with 17 home runs and a .216 batting average. Burton passed away on Oct. 1, 2013, in Fontana, Calif. 

Rick Camp was born on June 10, 1953, in Trion, Ga. He was drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the seventh round of the 1974 amateur draft. He made his debut on Sept. 15, 1976, as a pitcher for the Braves. He had a career ERA of 3.37 and hit 72 home runs. Camp passed away on April 25, 2013, in Rydal, Ga.

Frank Castillo was born on April 1, 1969, in El Paso, Texas. He was drafted in the sixth round of the 1987 amateur draft by the Chicago Cubs. He made his career debut on June 27, 1991, with the Cubs as a pitcher. He played with the Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Detroit Tigers, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and Florida Marlins during his career. Castillo passed away on July 28, 2013, in Bartlett Lake, Ariz.

Robert Chance was born on Sept. 10, 1940, in Statesboro, Ga. He was signed by the San Francisco Giants as an amateur free agent in 1961. He made his career debut on Sept. 4, 1963, with the Cleveland Indians as a pinch hitter, but he was also a right fielder and first baseman. During his career he played for the Indians, Washington Senators and California Angels. He finished his career with 24 home runs, 112 RBIs and a .261 batting average. Chance passed away on Oct. 3, 2013, in Charleston, W. Va. 

Barbra "Neil" Chrisley was born on Dec. 16, 1931, in Calhoun Falls, S.C. He was signed by the Boston Red Sox in 1950 as an amateur free agent. He had his career debut with the Washington Senators on April 15, 1957, as a pinch hitter. He played for the Washington Senators, Detroit Tigers and Milwaukee Braves. He passed away on May 18, 2013, in Conway, S.C.

James Cosman was born on Feb. 19, 1943, in Brockport, N.Y. He was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent in 1962. He made his debut on Oct. 2, 1966, as a pitcher for the Cardinals. During his career he also played for the New York Mets, Chicago Cubs and spent his final season with the Indianapolis Indians. He had a career ERA of 3.05. Cosman passed away on Jan. 7, 2013, in Roswell, Ga.

Rodney Craig was born on Jan. 12, 1958, in Los Angeles. He was signed by the Seattle Mariners as an amateur free agent in 1977. He made his career debut on Sept. 11, 1979, with the Seattle Mariners as the starting right fielder. For the rest of his first season with the Mariners he remained as their starter in right field and posted a batting average of .385 and eight doubles in 16 games. He played for the Mariners, Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox. Craig passed away on Aug. 17, 2013, in Los Angeles. 

William "Bill" Currie was born on Nov. 29, 1926, in Leary, Ga. He made his career debut on April 13, 1955, with the Washington Senators as a pitcher. Before and after Currie's Major League career he also spent 10 years in the Minor Leagues and finished with a winning record of 92-72 and a 4.04 ERA. Currie passed away on Oct. 30, 2013, in Arlington, Ga.

Harold "Jack" Daniels was born on Dec. 21, 1927, in Chester, Pa. He made his debut on April 18, 1952, with the Boston Braves as a pinch hitter. He appeared in 106 games with the Braves and had 219 at-bats and a .187 batting average. Daniels passed away on April 16, 2013, in Shreveport, La.

Pompeyo "Yo-Yo" Davalillo was born on June 30,1928, in Cabimas, Zuila, Venezuela. He was signed by the Washington Senators as an amateur free agent in 1953. He made his debut on Aug. 1, 1953, as pinch runner for the Senators. He spent one month with the Senators and had a .293 batting average that season, then voulntarily retired in 1954 due to broken bones in his leg suffered during a Venezuelan Winter League game. Davalillo passed away on Feb. 28, 2013, in Ocumare del Tuy, Miranda, Venezuela.

Michael Davison was born on Aug. 4, 1945, in Galesburg, Ill. He was signed by the Baltimore Orioles as an amateur free agent in 1964. He made his debut on Oct. 1, 1969, as pitcher for the San Fransisco Giants. He went 3-5 with the Giants that year and pitched in 31 relief outings. He continued to pitch in the Minor Leagues the year following his career. He once struck out 18 consecutive batters while pitching in an amateur game. Daviso passed away on May 11, 2013, in Glencoe, Minn.

Ellis "Cot" Deal was born on Jan. 23, 1923, in Arapaho, Okla. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent in 1940. He made his debut as a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox on Sept. 11, 1947. Deal played four seasons in the Majors with the Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals. He also enjoyed a lengthly Major League coaching career with the New York Yankees, Kansas City Athletics, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros. Deal passed away on May 21, 2013, in Oklahoma City.

Stephen Demeter was born on Jan. 27, 1935, in Homer City, Pa. He was signed by the Detroit Tigers an an amateur free agent in 1953. He made his debut with the Tigers as a pinch hitter and third baseman. He played for both the Tigers and the Indians during his stint in the Majors. In 2009, Stephen was elected to the International League Hall of Fame. Demeter passed away on Feb. 3, 2013, in Parma, Ohio.

Robert "Ducky" Detweiler was born on Feb. 15, 1919, in Trumbauersville, Pa. He made his debut on Sept. 12, 1942, as a third baseman for the Boston Braves. Detweiler played with the Braves, St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Athletics. Detweiler passed away on March 13, 2013 in Easton, Md.

Lee Eilbracht was born on March 22, 1924, in St. Louis. Eilbracht enjoyed a Minor League career with the Chicago Cubs before becoming the head baseball coach at the University of Illinois. Eilbracht spent 11 years coaching at Illiniois and was the winningest coach in Illiniois history. He was an Olympic coach in 1964 for the United States baseball team in Japan, and served as the first executive director for the American Baseball Coaches Association. Eilbracht passed away on Jan. 2, 2013, in Savoy, Ill.

Harry Elliot was born on Dec. 30, 1923, in San Francisco. After playing in the Minor Leagues for the Shreveport Sports, Elliot was called up by the St. Louis Cardinals as a pinch hitter and outfielder. He made his career debut on Aug. 1, 1953, with the St. Louis Cardinals and finished his two-year career with a .256 batting average. Elliot passed away on Aug. 9, 2013, in Little River, Kan.

Edward Erautt was born on Sept. 26, 1924, in Portland, Ore. He made his career debut with the Cincinnati Reds on April 16, 1947 as a pitcher. Although he spent most of his career playing for the Reds, Erautt also played one season with the St. Louis Cardinals. Erautt passed away on Oct. 27, 2013, in La Mesa, Calif.

Eugene Freese was born on Jan. 8, 1934, in Wheeling, W. Va. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent in 1953. He made his career debut on April 13, 1955, with the Pirates as a third baseman, but he also played second base. Throughout his 12-year career Freese played for the Pirates, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros. He finished his career with 115 home runs, 432 RBIs and a .254 batting average. Freese passed away on June 19, 2013, in New Orleans. 

William Glynn was born on July 30, 1925, in Sussex, N.J. He signed with the Philadelphia Phillies as an amateur free agent in 1946. He made his debut on Sept. 16, 1949. Glynn had a short career with the Phillies and went on to play for the Cleveland Indians. He ended his career with 10 home runs, 56 RBIs and a .249 batting average. Glynn passed away on Jan. 15, 2013, in San Diego.

Leslie "Lonnie" Goldstein was born on May 13, 1918, in Austin, Texas. He played briefly for the Cincinatti Reds during the 1943 and 1946 seasons as a first baseman. His career was interrupted by military service during World War II. Goldstein passed away on Jan. 28, 2013, in Fort Worth, Texas.

Richard "Dick" Gray was born on July 11, 1931, in Jefferson, Pa. He was signed as an amateur free agent in 1952 by the Brooklyn Dodgers. He made his career debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 15, 1958, as a pinch hitter, but also played as a third baseman and shortstop. Gray was the first to hit a home run in Los Angeles Dodgers history, against the San Francisco Giants, as well as the first to hit a home run for the Dodgers in the Los Angeles Coliseum. He played for both the Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals. Gray passed away on July 8, 2013, in Anaheim, Calif.

Charles "Bubba" Harris was born on Feb. 15, 1926, in Sulligent, Ala. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent in 1943. He made his debut on April 29, 1948, as a pitcher with the Oakland Athletics, where he threw a perfect inning of relief. Harris ended his career with a 6-3 record and 4.84 ERA in 87 games. Harris passed away on Jan. 12, 2013, in Nobleton, Fla.

John "Jack" Harshman was born on July 12, 1927, in San Diego. He made his career debut on Sept. 16, 1948, with the New York Giants as a pinch hitter. He played for the Giants, Chicago White Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians. He finished with a career ERA of 3.50 and 21 home runs. Harshman passed away on Aug. 17, 2013, in Georgetown, Texas. 

Grady Hatton was born on Oct. 7, 1922, in Beaumont, Texas. He was signed by the Cincinnati Reds as an amateur free agent in 1946. He made his debut on April 16, 1946, with the Reds as a third baseman. Hatton played with many teams during his career, including the Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs. He ended his career with 91 home runs, 533 RBIs and a .251 batting average. After his career, Hatton was the manager for the Houston Astros and eventually became the team's vice president. Hatton passed away on April 11, 2013 in Warren, Texas.

Drungo Hazewood was born on Sept. 2, 1959, in Mobile, Ala. He was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the first round (19th pick) of the 1977 First-Year Player Draft. He made his career debut with the Orioles on Sept. 19, 1980, as a pinch runner and right fielder. Hazewood passed away on July 28, 2013, in Sacramento, Calif. 

James "Mike" Hegan was born on July 21, 1942, in Cleveland. He was signed by the New York Yankees in 1961 as an amateur free agent. He made his career debut on Sept. 13, 1964, for the Yankees as a first baseman and outfielder. He played for the Yankees, Seattle Pilots/Milwaukee Brewers and Oakland Athletics. In 1969, Hegan made an appearance in the All-Star Game, and he also won a World Series with the Athletics in 1972. Hegan passed away on Dec. 25, 2013, in Hilton Head, S.C. 

Enzo Hernandez was born on Febr. 12, 1949, in Valle de Guanape, Anzoaeui, Venezuela. He was signed by the Houston Astros as an amateur free agent in 1967. He made his debut on April 17, 1971, as a shortstop for the San Diego Padres. Enzo spent the majority of his career as the starting shortstop for the Padres and spent his last year in the Majors with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Hernandez passed away on Jan. 13, 2013 in El Tigre, Anzoategui, Venzuela.

Edward Herrmann was born on Aug. 27, 1946, in San Diego. He was signed by the Milwaukee Braves as an amateur free agent in 1964. He made his career debut on Sept. 1, 1967, with the Chicago White Sox as a pitcher. He played for the White Sox, New York Yankees, California Angels, Houston Astros and Montreal Expos over his 11-year career. He led the American League in intentional walks in 1972 with 19 and also made an appearance in the 1974 All-Star Game. Herrmann passed away on Dec. 22, 2013, in Poway, Calif. 

Earl Hersh was born on May 21, 1932, in Ebbvale, Md. He was signed by the Milwaukee Braves as an amateur free agent in 1953. He made his debut on Sept. 4, 1956, as a left fielder for the Braves. Following his career, Hersh was a high school teacher and coached multiple sports, including baseball. He eventually became the supervisor of physical education and athletics for the Carroll County Board of Education in Maryland. Hersh passed away on March 18, 2013, in Hanover, Pa.

Charles "Chuck" Hinton was born on May 3, 1934, in Rocky Mount, N.C. He was signed by the Baltimore Orioles as an amateur free agent in 1956. He made his debut on May 14, 1961, as a left fielder for the Washington Senators. During his career he also played for the California Angels and Cleveland Indians. Hinton ended his career with 113 home runs, 443 RBIs and a .264 batting average. A notable achievement during Hinton's career was that he was an All-Star for the American League in 1964. Following his career, Hinton coached the baseball team at Howard University for 28 years and was a founding member of the MLPBAA. Hinton passed away on Jan. 27, 2013, in Washington, D.C.

Glen Hobbie was born on April 24, 1936, in Witt, Ill. He was signed as an amateur free agent in 1955 by the Chicago Cubs. He made his career debut with the Cubs on Sept. 20, 1957, as a pitcher. Although most of his career was spent with the Cubs, Hobbie also played a season with the St. Louis Cardinals. He finished his eight-year career with a 4.20 ERA and a 62-81 record. Hobbie passed away on Aug. 9, 2013, in Springfield, Ill. 

Larry Johnson was born on Aug. 17, 1950, in Cleveland. He was drafted in the ninth round of the 1968 First-Year Player Draft by the Cleveland Indians. He made his career debut with the Indians on Oct. 3, 1972, as a catcher. Other than the Indians, he also played for the Montreal Expos and Chicago White Sox. Johnson passed away on May 26, 2013, in Tampa, Fla.

Daniel Kravitz was born on Dec. 21, 1930, in Lopez, Pa. He was signed as an amateur free agent in 1949 by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He made his career debut on April 17, 1956, with the Pirates as a catcher and pinch hitter. During his career he also played for the Kansas City Athletics. He finished his career with 10 home runs, 54 RBIs, and a .236 batting average. Kravitz passed away on June 19, 2013, in Danville, Pa.

John Kucks was born on July 27, 1932, in Hoboken, N.J. He was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1952. He made his career debut with the Yankees on April 17, 1955, as a pitcher. Although most of his career was spent with the Yankees, he also played a season with the Kansas City Athletics. He finished his career having made an All-Star appearance in 1956, winning two World Series with the Yankees (1956, 1958) and posting a 4.10 ERA. Kucks passed away on Oct. 31, 2013, in Saddle River, N.J. 

Bradley Lesley was born on Sept. 11, 1958, in Turlock, Calif. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the first round, ninth pick of the 1978 First-Year Player Draft. He made his debut on July 31, 1982, with the Reds as a pitcher. Lesley spent the majority of his career with the Reds, but spent his final season with the Milwaukee Brewers. He ended his career with a 3.86 ERA and 46 strikeouts. Lesley passed away on April 27, 2013, in Marina Del Ray, Calif.

Frankie Libran was born on May 6, 1948, in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. Libran was signed as an amateur free agent by the Chicago Cubs in 1968 and made his Major League debut on Sept. 3, 1969, for the San Diego Padres. Libran was known for being an all-around athlete, also playing professionally in basketball and volleyball. Libran passed away on May 16, 2013, in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.

John Logan was born on March 23, 1926, in Endicott, N.Y. He was signed by the Boston Braves as an amateur free agent in 1947. He made his career debut with the Boston Braves on April 17, 1951, as a shortstop. He played for the Braves, Milwaukee Braves and Pittsburgh Pirates. Logan made four All-Star appearances with the National League, was the National League doubles leader in 1955, won a World Series with the Milwaukee Braves in 1957 and set the World Series record for most assists by shortstop in 1957. He finished his 13-year career with 93 home runs, 547 RBIs and a .268 batting average. Logan passed away on Aug. 9, 2013, in Milwaukee, Wisc.

Stanley Lopata was born on Sept. 12, 1925, in Delray, Mich. He was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies as an amateur free agent in 1946. He made is career debut on Sept. 19, 1948, with the Phillies as a catcher and first baseman. He played for the Phillies and Milwaukee Braves. He made two National League All-Star appearances in 1955 and 1956 and set the home run record for Phillies catchers with 32 in 1956. Lopata passed away on June 15, 2013, in Philadelphia. 

Donald Lund was born on May 18, 1923, in Detroit. He was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1945. He made his career debut with the Dodgers on July 3, 1945, as an outfielder. He played for the Dodgers, St. Louis Browns and Detroit Tigers. He finished his career with 15 home runs, 86 RBIs and a .240 batting average. Lund passed away on Dec. 10, 2013, in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Boris "Babe" Martin was born on March 28, 1920, in Seattle. He was signed as an amateur free agent in 1940 by the St. Louis Browns. He made his career debut with the St. Louis Browns on Sept. 25, 1944, as a left fielder, but also played first base and catcher. He played for the Browns and Boston Red Sox. Martin passed away on Aug. 1, 2013, in Tucson, Ariz. 

Raymond Martin was born on March 13, 1925, in Norwood, Mass. He signed with the Boston Braves as an amateur free agent in 1943. He made his debut on Aug. 15, 1943, as a pitcher for the Braves. In the final two games of his career Martin gave up no runs and no hits. He ended his career with a 2.45 ERA. Martin passed away on March 7, 2013, in his hometown, Norwood.

Justin Miller was born on Aug. 27, 1977, in Torrance, Calif. He was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the fifth round of the 1997 First-Year Player Draft. He made his career debut with the Toronto Blue Jays on April 12, 2002, as a pitcher. He played for the Blue Jays, Florida Marlins, San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers. Miller passed away on June 26, 2013, in Palm Harbor, Fla. 

Rodney Miller was born on Jan. 16, 1940, in Portland, Ore. He was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1957. He made his career debut on Sept. 28, 1957, with the Dodgers as a pinch hitter. After his season with the Dodgers, Miller spent four years in the Minor Leagues with a .242 average. Miller passed away on Nov. 8, 2013, in Cascade, Idaho.

Rudolph "Rudy" Minarcin was born on March 25, 1930, in North Vandergrift, Pa. He was signed in 1948 as an amateur free agent by the Philadelphia Phillies. He made his career debut on April 11, 1955, with the Cincinnati Redlegs as a pitcher. He played for the Redlegs and Boston Red Sox over his three-year career. Minarcin passed away on Oct. 15, 2013, in Cabot, Pa.

Ford "Moon" Mullen was born on Feb. 9, 1917, in Olympia, Wash. He made his debut on April 18, 1944, as a second baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies. Mullen had a short career but finished it with 464 at-bats, 31 RBIs and a .267 batting average. Following his career he was a teacher and coach at Olympia High School in Washington. Mullen passed away on Feb. 28, 2013, in Stanwood, Wash.

Stanley Musial was born on Nov. 21, 1920, in Donora, Pa. He was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent in 1938. He made his debut on Sept. 17, 1941, with the Cardinals as an outfielder and first baseman and went on to spend his entire 22-year career there. In Musial's early playing days he found instant success in the Major Leagues, winning two World Series crowns (1941, 1944) in his first four years, as well as earning the league MVP Award in 1943 after leading in hits, doubles, triples and batting average. Musial served in the Navy during World War II, causing him to miss the entire 1945 season, but was discharged in 1946 and returned to the Major Leagues without missing a beat. Following his return, Musial won five batting crowns in his first seven years back; in 1946 he led the NL in games, at-bats, hits, doubles, triples, average and won his second MVP Award and another World Series with the Cardinals. Stan "The Man" Musial retired with a .331 average, 475 home runs and was the first player to accumulate both 400 home runs and 3,000 hits. Musial was also the first man to appear in 3,000 National League games. Overall, Musial won seven National League batting crowns, made 24 All-Star Game appearances and holds the record with six All-Star Game home runs during his career. Following his Major League career, Musial was the general manager of the Cardinals in 1967, leading them to another World Series championship. Musial continued to play a role in the Cardinal's organization through 1980 while working in their front office. During his first year of eligibility in 1969, Musial was elected into the Hall of Fame with 93.2 percent of the vote. He was also inducted into the Pennsylvania Hall of Fame, the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame, the St. Louis Hall of Fame and the Missouri Hall of Fame. In 2010, President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom for all of his contributions to the American nation. Not only was Musial honored in United States, but he was also honored within the Polish community. Musial was the first foreigner to receive the Polish government's Merited Champions Medal, their highest sports award, Poland's highest civilian honor and the Cavalier's Cross Order of Merit. Musial became the first to be inducted into the Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame in 1973 and is also in the Polish National Hall of Fame. Located in the Smithsonian Institution is the baseball that he hit for his 3,000th base hit. Musial passed away in St. Louis on Jan. 19, 2013, at the age of 92.

Barney Mussill was born on Oct. 1, 1919, in Bower Hill, Pa. Mussill was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies as an amateur free agent in 1938 and made his Major League debut on April 20, 1944, for the Phillies. He appeared in 16 games in the 1944 season before leaving baseball to pursue a career in sporting goods, opening a store in his hometown of River Rouge, Mich. Mussill passed away on Jan. 27, 2013, in Detroit.

Peter Naton was born on Sept. 9, 1931, in Flushing, N.Y. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent in 1953. He made his career debut four days after signing on June 16, 1953, with the Pirates as a catcher. Following his career in the Majors, Naton spent five more years in the Minors, finishing with a Minor League career average of .244 and 43 home runs in 462 games. Naton passed away on Dec. 10, 2013, in Springfield, Mass. 

Daniel Osinski was born on Nov. 17, 1933, in Chicago. He was signed by the Cleveland Indians as an amateur free agent in 1952. He made his career debut with the Kansas City Athletics on April 11, 1962, as a pitcher. He played for the Athletics, Los Angeles Angels, Milwaukee Braves, Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros. He finished his career with a 3.34 ERA. Osinski passed away on Sept. 13, 2013, in Sun City, Ariz. 

Andrew Pafko was born on Feb. 25, 1921, in Boyceville, Wisc. He made his career debut on Sept. 24, 1943, with the Chicago Cubs as an outfielder and third baseman. Over his 17-year career he played for Cubs, Brooklyn Dodgers and Milwaukee Braves. Pafko made five National League All-Star appearances and won a World Series with the Braves in 1957. He finished his career with a .285 batting average and 213 home runs in 1,852 games. Pafko passed away on Oct. 8, 2013, in Bridgman, Mich.

Michael Palagyi was born on July 4, 1917, in Conneaut, Ohio. He made his career debut with the Washington Senators on Aug. 18, 1939, as a pitcher. He played one season in the Majors and served in the U.S. Army during World War II following his baseball days. Palagyi passed away on Nov. 21, 2013, in Conneaut, Ohio. 

Clarence "Ace" Parker was born on May 17, 1912, in Portsmouth, Va. He made his Major League Baseball debut on April 24, 1937, for the Philadelphia Athletics as a pinch runner. After his first season with the Athletics, he joined the Brooklyn Dodgers of the NFL and made his pro football debut. He played one more season in the Majors and continued to play in the Minors while playing in the NFL. Parker served in the military during World War II, then returned to both the NFL and Minor League Baseball. After his playing career, Parker went on to be a head college baseball coach, leading Duke to the College World Series in 1953 and 1961. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame. Parker passed away on Nov. 6, 2013, in Portsmouth, Va.

Tony Pierce was born on Jan. 29, 1946, in Brunswick, Ga. Pierce was signed by the Kansas City Athletics as an amateur free agent in 1964 and made his Major League debut on April 14, 1967, for the Athletics. Pierce enjoyed a two-year Major League career and maintained a 3.25 ERA over 130 1/2 innings. Pierce passed away on Jan. 31, 2013, in Columbus, Ga.

Mario Ramirez was born on Sept. 12, 1957, in Yauco, Puerto Rico. Ramirez was signed by the New York Mets as an amateur free agent in 1976 and made his Major League debut on April 25, 1980. Over the course of his six-year career, he played for the Mets and Padres and hit four home runs. Ramirez passed away on Feb. 22, 2013, in Yauco, Puerto Rico.

Santiago Rosario was born on July 25, 1939, in Guayanilla, Puerto Rico. He was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent in 1960. He made his career debut on June 23, 1965, with the Kansas City Athletics as a pinch hitter and first baseman. He finished his career with a .235 batting average. Rosario passed away on Sept. 6, 2013, in Guayanilla, Puerto Rico.

Marvin Rotblatt was born on Oct. 18, 1927, in Chicago. He was signed by the Chicago White Sox as an amateur free agent in 1948. He made his career debut on July 4, 1948, as a pitcher. He played for the White Sox throughout his three-year career. Rotblatt passed away on July 16, 2013, in Niles, Ill. 

John "Bob" Savage was born on Dec. 1, 1921, in Manchester, N.H. He made his career debut as a pitcher with the Philadelphia Athletics on June 24, 1942. He played for the Athletics and St. Louis Browns. Following his Major League days, he played five years in the Minor Leagues. Savage passed away on July 26, 2013, in Berlin, N.H.

George Scott was born on March 23, 1944, in Greenville, Miss. He was signed as an amateur free agent in 1962 by the Boston Red Sox. He made his career debut with the Red Sox on April 12, 1966, as a first baseman. He also played for the Milwaukee Brewers, New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals. He finished his 14-year career as a two-time American League All-Star, eight-time AL Gold Glove Winner, two-time AL total bases leader, AL home run leader and AL RBIs leader. Following his Major League career, he played and managed in Mexico. Scott passed away on July 28, 2013, in Greenville.

Lou Sleater was born on Sept. 8, 1926, in St. Louis. Sleater was signed by the Boston Braves as an amateur free agent in 1946 and made his Major League debut on April 25, 1950, for the St. Louis Browns. Over his nine-year career, Sleater played for the Browns, Senators, Athletics, Braves, Tigers and Orioles, tallying four home runs and 152 strikeouts. Sleater passed away on March 25, 2013, in Timonium, Md.

Mark Small was born on Nov. 12, 1967, in Portland, Ore. He was drafted by the Houston Astros in the 17th round of the 1989 First-Year Player Draft. He made his career debut on April 5, 1996, with the Astros as a pitcher. Small passed away on Oct. 22, 2013, in Edmonds, Wash.

Bob Smith was born on Feb. 1, 1931, in Woodsville, N.H. Smith was signed by the Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent in 1948 and made his Major League debut on April 29, 1955, for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Smith spent time with the Pirates, Tigers, Cardinals and Red Sox over the course of his career. He finished with a career ERA of 4.03 in 418 appearances. Smith passed away on April 1, 2013, in Augusta, Ga.

Jose Sosa was born on Dec. 28, 1952, in Santo Domingo, Distrito Nacional, Dominican Republic. He was signed by the Houston Astros as an amateur free agent in 1970. He made his career debut on July 22, 1975, with the Astros as a pitcher. In his first year playing with the Astros, he went 1-2 with a 4.02 ERA while going 3-for-9 at the plate. Sosa passed away on June 8, 2013, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. 

William Stewart was born on April 12, 1928, in Bay City, Mich. He was signed by the Philadelphia Athletics as an amateur free agent in 1949. He made his career debut on April 17, 1955, with the Kansas City Athletics as a pinch hitter and outfielder. Stewart passed away on Sept. 25, 2013. 

Jake Striker was born on Oct. 23, 1933, in New Washington, Ohio. Striker was signed by the Cleveland Indians as an amateur free agent in 1952 and made his Major League debut on Sept. 25, 1959, for the Indians, pitching 6 2/3 innings and getting the win. Striker also spent time with the Chicago White Sox during his career. Striker passed away on March 7, 2013, in Dallas, Ore.

Russell Sullivan was born on Feb. 19, 1923, in Fredericksburg, Va. He made his career debut as a left fielder for the Detroit Tigers on Sept. 8, 1951. During his second season in the Majors, in 1952, he had a 15-game stint with a .327 batting average and three home runs. Sullivan passed away on Nov. 2, 2013, in Fredericksburg, Va.

Fred Talbot was born on June 28, 1941, in Washington, D.C. Talbot was signed by the Chicago White Sox as an amateur free agent in 1959 and made his Major League debut on Sept. 28, 1963, for the White Sox. Over the course of his eight-year career, Talbot spent time with the Yankees, Athletics, Pilots and White Sox. Talbot posted a career ERA of 4.12 over 853 innings pitched. Talbot passed away on Jan. 11, 2013, in Falls Church, Va.

Harry Taylor was born on Dec. 2, 1935, in San Angelo, Texas. Taylor was signed by the Kansas City Athletics as an amateur free agent in 1957 and made his Major League debut on Sept. 17, 1957, for the Athletics. Taylor posted a career ERA of 3.12 and made two appearances for the Athletics. Taylor passed away on Jan. 24, 2013, in Fort Worth, Texas.

Jake Thies was born on April 1, 1926, in St. Louis. Thies made his Major League debut on April 24, 1954, for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Thies spent two seasons with the Pirates and posted a career ERA of 3.90, throwing 57 strikeouts over 134 innings. Thies passed away on Feb. 10, 2013, in Florissant, Mo.

Carl Thomas was born on May 28, 1932, in Minneapolis. Thomas was signed by the Cleveland Indians as an amateur free agent in 1956 and made his Major League debut on April 19, 1960, for the Indians. Thomas pitched two no-hitters while at the University of Arizona and is their all-time leader in strikeouts with 422. Thomas passed away on March 7, 2013, in Phoenix.

William Tremel was born on July 4, 1929, in Lilly, Pa. He made his career debut as a pitcher for the Chicago Cubs on June 12, 1954. He spent all three years in his Major League career with the Cubs, appearing in 57 games and going 4-2 with a 4.05 ERA. Tremel passed away on Dec. 22, 2013, in Hollidaysburg, Pa. 

Gus Triandos was born on July 30, 1930, in San Francisco. Triandos was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent in 1948 and made his Major League debut on Aug. 13, 1953, for the Yankees. Over his 13-year career, Triandos played for the Orioles, Tigers, Phillies, Astros and Yankees and was a three-time American League All-Star. Triandos was elected into the Baltimore Orioles Hall of Fame in 1981 and has a street named after him in Timonium, Md. Triandos passed away on March 28, 2013, in San Jose, Calif.

Virgil "Fire" Trucks was born April 26, 1917, in Birmingham, Ala. Trucks was signed by the Detroit Tigers as an amateur free agent in 1938 and made his Major League debut on Sept. 27, 1941, for the Tigers. During his 17-year career, Trucks pitched for the Tigers, White Sox, Athletics, Yankees and Browns. Trucks won 177 games over 17 years and was a two-time All-Star. Trucks also pitched two no-hitters, both in 1952. Trucks passed away on March 23, 2013, in Calera, Ala.

"Bullet Bob" Turley was born Sept. 19, 1930, in Troy, Ill. Turley was signed by the St. Louis Browns as an amateur free agent in 1948 and made his Major League debut on Sept. 29, 1951, for the Browns. Over his 12-year career, Turley pitched for the Browns, Yankees, Orioles, Angels and Red Sox, recording 110 wins, 1,265 strikeouts and posting a career 3.64 ERA. Turley was a three-time All-Star, the 1958 Cy Young award winner and won two World Series with the Yankees (1956 and 1958) and was named the World Series MVP in the 1958 Series. Turley passed away on March 30, 2013, in Atlanta.

Preston Ward was born on July 24, 1927, in Columbia, Mo. He was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1944. He made his career debut on April 20, 1948, with the Dodgers as a first baseman, but also played outfield and third base. He played for the Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Pittsburg Pirates, Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Athletics. He finished his nine-year career with 50 home runs and a .253 batting average. Ward passed away on June 2, 2013, in Las Vegas.

George Werley was born on Sept. 8, 1938, in St. Louis. He was signed in 1956 by the Baltimore Orioles as an amateur free agent. He made his career debut with the Orioles on Sept. 29, 1956, as a pitcher. Werley passed away on Nov. 21, 2013, in St. Louis.

Fred Whitfield was born on Jan. 7, 1938, in Vandiver, Ala. Whitfield was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals as an amateur free agent in 1956 and made his Major League debut on May 27, 1962, for the Cardinals. During his nine-year career, Whitfield played for the Cardinals, Indians, Reds and Expos, hit 108 home runs and had 356 RBIs. Whitfield passed away on Jan. 31, 2013, in Gadsden, Ala.

Earl Williams was born on July 14, 1948, in Newark, N.J. Williams was drafted by the Milwaukee Braves in the first round of the 1965 First-Year Player Draft and made his Major League debut on Sept. 13, 1970, for the Braves. Over the course of his eight-year career, Williams played for the Braves, Orioles, Athletics and Expos and hit 138 home runs and had 457 RBIs. Williams also won the Rookie of the Year award in 1971 with the Braves. Williams passed away on Jan. 28, 2013, in Somerset, N.J.

William "Billy" Williams was born on June 13, 1932, in Newberry, S.C. He was signed by the Cleveland Indians as an amateur free agent in 1954. He made his career debut as a right fielder with the Seattle Pilots on Aug. 15, 1969. Prior to his Major League career, he played nine years in the Minor Leagues. After his Major League career, he returned to baseball as a Minor League manager and a coach of the Cleveland Indians. Williams passed away on June 11, 2013, in Berkley, Calif. 

George "Red" Witt was born on Nov. 9, 1931, in Long Beach, Calif. Witt was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1950 and made his Major League debut on Sept. 21, 1957, for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Over his six years in the Majors, Witt pitched for the Pirates, the Colt .45s and the Angels, and struck out 156 batters, posting a career ERA of 4.32. Witt passed away on Jan. 30, 2013, in Long Beach.

Leonard "Len" Yochim was born on Oct. 16, 1928, in New Orleans. Yochim was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates as an amateur free agent in 1947 and made his Major League debut on Sept. 18, 1951, for the Pirates. Yochim pitched for two seasons with the Pirates and has the distinction of being the first pitcher to throw a no-hitter in Venezuelan professional baseball while with the Caracas Lions. Yochim went on to work for the Pirates organization for the next 38 years as a scout and as a senior adviser for player personnel. Yochim passed away on May 11, 2013, in New Orleans.