Walter Alston - The only Hall of Famer who played in one game. Renowned as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. He struck out in his one at-bat for the Cardinals in 1936.
Al Autry - Only 970 people were at Atlanta's Fulton County Stadium to see Autry's major league career. He started for the Braves and beat the Astros, 4-3 in 1976. Since World War I, Autry and Earl Huckleberry of the 1935 Philadelphia Athletics are the only pitchers to win their only major league game. Autry works for McClatchy News as the Modesto Bee's retail advertising manager.
Dick Bates - Pitched 12/3 innings and yielded five runs for the 1969 Seattle Pilots.
Shorty Dee - Went 0-for-3 in a game for the 1915 St. Louis Browns. Maurice Leo Dee had the perfect nickname for this list.
Aubrey Epps - Went 3-for-4 with a triple and 3 RBI for the 1935 Pirates. His nickname was "Yo-Yo."
Cal Ermer - Calvin Coolidge Ermer went 0-for-3 in his one game for the 1947 Washington Senators. Managed the Minnesota Twins in the 1965 World Series. Managed the 1974-76 Tacoma Twins.
Charlie Faust - The good-luck charm and mascot of the 1911 New York Giants, Charles Victor Faust was the village idiot of Marion, Kan. A Wichita fortune teller told Faust he was going to help the Giants win the pennant. They did. Allowed to pitch two innings in two games at season's end. Technically, not a one-game wonder, but his yarn is so great. He died at Western State Hospital in 1915 and is buried in a potter's field near Fort Steilacoom Park. His life would make a movie.
Eddie Gaedel - He stood 3-7, weighed 65 pounds and wore No. 1/8 for the 1951 St. Louis Browns. The crowd of 18,746 that saw him walk in a pinch-hit appearance choreographed by Hall of Fame owner Bill Veeck was the Browns' best attendance in four seasons.
Moonlight Graham - Archibald Wright Graham was immortalized in literature ("Shoeless Joe") and film ("Field of Dreams") as the one and only Moonlight Graham. Lone game was playing outfield for the 1905 New York Giants.
Dave Gregg - Pitched one inning for the 1913 Indians. From Chehalis, he died in Clarkston in 1965. Younger brother of Vean Gregg, ace lefthander who won 72 games for the Indians 1911-14.
Gary Hargis - Pinch-ran for Willie Stargell in a 1979 game for the Pirates. Received a World Series ring, for the Bucs rallied to beat Baltimore, 4-3 in a memorable series.
Rex Hudson - Pitched 2 innings for the 1974 Los Angeles Dodgers. Allowed back-to-back home runs to Hank Aaron and Dusty Baker.
Ed Hug - Walked in his one at-bat for the 1903 Brooklyn Dodgers. Tied with another catcher, Ed Ott, for the shortest name in major league history.
Ed Irvin - Had three at-bats and tripled twice, without scoring or driving in a run, for the 1912 Tigers.
Chuck Lindstrom - He tripled and walked in his lone game for the 1958 White Sox. His slugging percentage of 3.000 is the highest in history. Son of Hall of Fame infielder Freddie Lindstrom.
Doc McMahon - Henry John McMahon pitched a 6-3 complete game victory for the 1908 Red Sox, allowing 14 hits.
Tony Ordenana - Two hits and 3 RBI in 4 at-bats for the 1943 Pirates. He was Cuban. Nickname was "Mosquito."
John Paciorek - The alltime one-game wonder. Tom Paciorek's older brother singled three times, scored four times, walked twice and knocked in 3 runs for the 1963 Houston Colt .45s. He was 18, suffered chronic back problems and never played again in the majors.
Hal Schwenk - Got his money's worth. Pitched a complete game victory for the 1913 Cardinals, allowing 12 hits but only 4 runs in 11 innings.
Bert Shepard - Was a fighter pilot injured in a World War II bombing run over Berlin. Had to have his right leg amputated. Pitched 51/3 innings in a game for the 1945 Washington Senators. A right-hander named Joe Cleary, who was from County Cork, Ireland, also pitched in that game for his lone appearance. Cleary allowed 7 runs in 1/3 of an inning for an ERA of 216.00.
Heinie Stafford - Made the last out of the 1916 season for the New York Giants, pinch-hitting and popping up. Never played again. Earned a chemistry degree from Tufts, patented a process for mercerizing silk, raised award-winning Jersey cattle in his native Vermont and served three terms in the Vermont legislature.
Marty Walker - Allowed two hits and hit 3 batters in a start for the 1928 Phillies. Never got anyone out, resulting in an ERA of infinity. Martin Van Buren Walker was born, raised and died in Philadelphia.
Dick Wantz - Pitched 1 inning for the Angels in April 1965 and died one month later from a brain tumor.
Larry Yount - Warming up on the mound for his debut with the 1971 Astros, Yount blew out his elbow. He was 21 and never pitched in the majors again. Became an agent for his older Robin Yount, a Hall of Famer.
Also by Bart Ripp
» Aaron Holbert's Dream
» More submissions
Posted July 3, 2002.
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