Remembering Bill Veeck

Today marks what would have been the 111th birthday of the late Bill Veeck, the Hall of Famer who is one of baseball’s greatest owners, innovators and master showmen.

During his whirlwind life, Veeck brings to the majors – among other things – ivy to the outfield walls at Chicago’s Wrigley Field; exploding scoreboards to Comiskey Park; and Hall of Famers Larry Doby and Satchel Paige, as well as the clownish Max Patkin, to Cleveland.

Bill Veeck with Satchel Paige in Cleveland

He also is responsible in 1947 for bringing the first Black player – the aforementioned Doby – to the American League and later the American League’s second Black manager – again, Doby – with the White Sox in 1978.

In between, Veeck also gives a player’s contract to a dwarf named Eddie Gaedel, who appears in only one game for the lowly St. Louis Browns in 1951 wearing uniform No. 1/8.

In case you are wondering, Gaedel walks on four pitches.

“I’m for the dreamers,” Veeck says. “The only really important things in history have been started by the dreamers. They never know what can’t be done.”