Fred Bruckbauer - A native of New Ulm, Minnesota, Bruckbauer made a relief appearance for the Minnesota Twins on April 25, 1961, as the Twins were in the midst of a 20-2 shellacking by the Kansas City A's. Bruckbauer gave up 3 hits and a walk, and allowed 3 earned runs to score, all without getting anybody out - and never pitched again in the majors. He is the last player to retire with a career ERA of infinity, and only the second player to do so since WWII. (The other one is Gordie Sundin, a reliever who appeared in one game with the 1956 Baltimore Orioles -- 0 IP, 0 H, 1 ER, 2 BB.)
Katsy Keifer - In their last-ever game (October 8, 1914), Keifer hurled a complete game 4-2 victory for the pennant-winning Indianapolis Hoosiers of the Federal League. He also went 1-for-3 at the plate with an RBI. This makes Keifer the only modern-era one-game career player to collect a hit, a win or an RBI in his team's last-ever game. (As well, he's the lone Federal Leaguer to be credited with a hit, a win or an RBI in his only ML appearance.)
Eddie Kolb - This Cincinnati-area cigar-store clerk and amateur moundsman was tapped to pitch the final game of the season for the 1899 Cleveland Spiders, an aggregation widely regarded as the worst major league team of all time. In the second game of an October 15, 1899 doubleheader, the 19-year-old Kolb went the distance in a 19-3 road loss to the Reds, earning a pitching line of 8.0 IP, 18 H, 19 R, 9 ER, 5 BB, 1 K. (He also singled in four at-bats, and scored one of the Spiders' three runs.) Following Kolb's only ML game and the Spiders' 2nd loss of the day (and 134th loss of the season), the team permanently disbanded.
Jay Dahl - This 17-year-old pitched for the Houston Colt 45's on September 27, 1963, the day the team fielded an all-rookie line-up as a publicity stunt. (Also in the starting line-up were 19-year-old 1B Rusty Staub and 20-year-old 2B Joe Morgan, though unlike Dahl, they weren't making their ML debuts.) Dahl lost 10-3 to the Mets, with the pitching line in his only appearance reading 2.3 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, 0 K, 0 BB. A promising pitching prospect who had been called up specifically for the all-rookie promotion, Dahl spent '64 and '65 in the minors, but was killed in a tragic auto accident in June of '65 before he could pitch his way back to the majors.
Mike Darr - Got the start for the Toronto Blue Jays on September 6, 1977, but only lasted 1.1 innings, giving up five runs to the Boston Red Sox (including a grand slam to Carlton Fisk) and getting tagged with the loss in his only ML game. His son, also called Mike Darr, was a regular outfielder with the San Diego Padres from 1999-2001 before an auto accident ended his life during spring training of 2002.
Tom Fletcher - Appeared as a reliever for one game with the 1962 Detroit Tigers before arm problems cut short his career. However, his son Darrin Fletcher enjoyed a major-league career as a catcher that started in 1989 and continued into the next century.
Ed Forsythe - Made his debut - and swansong - in the last game the Federal League's Baltimore Terrapins ever played. Forsythe went 0-for-3 with a walk and made an error at 3B in a 6-0 loss to Newark. Also playing out their entire ML careers in that game were Terrapins catcher Charlie Maisel (0-for-4) and PH Charlie Miller (0-for-1). The game took place on the last day the Federal League was in operation (October 3, 1915).
Hank Hulvey - The starting pitcher for the Philadelphia A's on September 5, 1923, Hulvey gave up Babe Ruth's 230th career home run in losing to the New York Yankees 6-3 at Shibe Park. Hulvey is the only one-game major-leaguer who allowed the Bambino to homer.
Ray Jansen - Owner of the all-time record for most hits in a player's only ML game. Playing third base, Jansen collected four singles in five at-bats for the St. Louis Browns on September 30, 1910. Unfortunately, he also made 3 errors, and none of his four hits figured into the Browns' scoring in a 9-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox.
John Kull - Came up a winner in his only ML game, a relief appearance for the 1909 Philadelphia A's on the last day of their season (October 2). He also singled in his only at bat, and handled his lone fielding chance (an assist) flawlessly. This gave him a unique trifecta: a career batting average of 1.000, a career winning percentage of 1.000, and a career fielding percentage of 1.000. Pete Sims, who pitched in 3 games for the 1915 St. Louis Browns, is the only other ML player since 1900 to finish his career with a 1.000 batting average (1-for-1, a single) and a 1.000 winning percentage (1-0), but Sims committed two errors in 5 chances for a .600 fielding percentage.
Axel Lindstrom - His only major league appearance was for the dreadful 1916 Philadelphia A's, arguably the worst team of the 20th century. On the final day of their season (October 3), the Swedish-born Lindstrom pitched four innings and gave up two runs, but still managed to pick up the save in a rare A's win. It was one of only three saves the entire A's staff managed all year -- which meant that Lindstrom ended up tying Jack Nabors and Elmer Myers for the team lead in saves with one, despite only pitching in that one game.
Rod Miller - His one-game career was with the Brooklyn Dodgers, in their last-ever win: 8-4 over Philadelphia at Shibe Park on September 28, 1957. (The Dodgers would lose to the Phillies the next day in their last-ever game.) A pinch-hitter, the 17-year-old Miller struck out in his only ML at-bat.
Bob Sprout - The fourth selection in the Los Angeles Angels' expansion draft, minor-league phenom Sprout started for the Angels on September 27, 1961. He received no decision in the Angels 8-6 victory over Washington, as he only lasted 4 innings (giving up two earned runs). An injury the following spring curtailed his effectiveness, and Sprout never made it back to the bigs. He was the first career ML one-gamer with a first-year expansion team, and has since been joined in this club only by Dick Bates (1969 Seattle Pilots) and Mike Darr (1977 Toronto Blue Jays).
Monty "Dazzy" Swartz - Pitching for the Cincinnati Reds in their season finale on October 3, 1920, Ohio native Swartz went the distance hurling 12 innings in a 6-3 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. His is the longest one-game pitching career of the modern era.
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Copyright © 2002 by Rudyard Kennedy. Posted July 9, 2002.
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