Not a gimmick: Padres draft great-nephew of Eddie Gaedel

Yahoo ^ | 06/07/11 | David Brown

[DFG]

Valparaiso outfielder and new MLB draft pick Kyle Gaedele says he is proud of the major league bloodline that runs through his family — no matter how short it is.

Gaedele, whom the San Diego Padres picked in the sixth round of the draft on Tuesday afternoon, is a great-nephew of 3-foot-7 Eddie Gaedel, the shortest (and lightest) player in major league history and star of its greatest stunt.

In 1951, St. Louis Browns owner Bill Veeck sneaked Gaedel (legally) into the second game of a doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers. Wearing uniform No. 1/8, Gaedel — who was ordered not to swing — drew a walk on four pitches from an amused Bob Cain in the first inning. Gaedel was taken out for a pinch runner and the American League tore up his contract the next day.

[musicman]

PBS played that segment recently as part of Ken Burns’ Baseball documentary.

Glad to see his great-nephew get a shot.

[raccoonradio]

Wikipedia’s entry on Gaedel said had worked as a riveter on planes during WW II (could crawl inside wings). Keep ‘em flying!

[twister881]

I was going to say something about the Padres only playing “small ball” (which they do), however, the grand nephew stands 6-foot-4. No midget he!

[Vigilanteman]

I always thought it was stupid for baseball to ban midgets after Eddie Gaedel's appearance. If every baseball team had a midget on the roster, so what? It is one of 25 roster spots. While you might win an occasional game with a guaranteed walk, you'd also take the risk of losing games by using one of those valuable roster spots for a one trick pony.

Back during the great Oakland A's teams of the early 1970's, Oakland used one of their roster spots for a world class sprinter. It was very handy when you needed a pinch runner to win a game. Not so handy when you needed that 25th roster spot for something else. As I recall, one of the years the sprinter was Alan Lewis. I think they used other guys in the later years. No team has done it since, though I don't recall that it ever provoked a rule banning sprinters. Midgets should have the same rights.

A big part of baseball's appeal is that players come in all shapes, sizes and strengths.

[Buckeye McFrog]

in a related item, the Kansas City Royals did not draft the grand-nephew of Bill Richardson...

[Alberta's Child]

Back during the great Oakland A's teams of the early 1970's, Oakland used one of their roster spots for a world class sprinter. It was very handy when you needed a pinch runner to win a game. Not so handy when you needed that 25th roster spot for something else. As I recall, one of the years the sprinter was Alan Lewis. I think they used other guys in the later years. No team has done it since, though I don't recall that it ever provoked a rule banning sprinters. Midgets should have the same rights.

That's a great story. Herb Washington, who served as the "designated runner" for Oakland back in 1974 and 1975, retired with one of the most unusual sets of career baseball numbers you'll see anywhere. He finished his career with 31 stolen bases over those two seasons, and yet never had a single plate appearance!