Al Papai
Encyclopedia
Alfred Thomas Papai was an American
pitcher
in Major League Baseball
who played between the and seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals
(1948, 1950), St. Louis Browns
(1949), Boston Red Sox
(1950) and Chicago White Sox
(1955). Listed at 6' 3", 185 lb., Papai batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Divernon, Illinois
.
A knuckleball
er specialist, Papai was one of 29 players to pitch for both St. Louis clubs. In his only major league full-season he went 4-11 with a 5.06 ERA
for the helpless Browns. In parts of four seasons, he posted a 9-14 record with a 5.37 ERA in 88 appearances, including 18 stars
, eight complete game
s, four saves
, 70 strikeout
s, 138 walks
, and 239 ⅔ innings of work.
Papai also enjoyed a brilliant minor league career as the pitching staff ace for the Houston Buffaloes
of the Texas League
, posting 20-win seasons for them (1947, 1951–53). He went 21-10, with a 2.45 ERA for the 1947 Dixie Series Champion Buffs and 23-9, with a 2.44 ERA for the 1951 Texas League kings. He also pitched in the Venezuelan Winter League
during the 1951-52 and 1952-53 seasons, compiling a 15-16 mark with a 2.25 ERA in 47 appearances.
Papai died in Springfield, Illinois
, at the age of 78.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who played between the and seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
(1948, 1950), St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
(1949), Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(1950) and Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
(1955). Listed at 6' 3", 185 lb., Papai batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Divernon, Illinois
Divernon, Illinois
Divernon is a village in Sangamon County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,201 at the 2000 census, and 1,131 at a 2009 estimate. It is part of the Springfield, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
.
A knuckleball
Knuckleball
A knuckleball is a baseball pitch with an erratic, unpredictable motion. The pitch is thrown so as to minimize the spin of the ball in flight. This causes vortices over the stitched seams of the baseball during its trajectory, which in turn can cause the pitch to change direction—and even...
er specialist, Papai was one of 29 players to pitch for both St. Louis clubs. In his only major league full-season he went 4-11 with a 5.06 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
for the helpless Browns. In parts of four seasons, he posted a 9-14 record with a 5.37 ERA in 88 appearances, including 18 stars
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
, eight complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
s, four saves
Save (sport)
In baseball, a save is credited to a pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under certain prescribed circumstances. The number of saves, or percentage of save opportunities successfully converted, is an oft-cited statistic of relief pitchers...
, 70 strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s, 138 walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
, and 239 ⅔ innings of work.
Papai also enjoyed a brilliant minor league career as the pitching staff ace for the Houston Buffaloes
Houston Buffaloes
The Houston Buffaloes or Buffs were an American minor league baseball team that was founded in 1888, played in the Texas League in the years 1888-90, 1892, 1895-99, and 1907-1958 ; in the South Texas League in the years 1903-06; and in the American Association from 1959-61...
of the Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
, posting 20-win seasons for them (1947, 1951–53). He went 21-10, with a 2.45 ERA for the 1947 Dixie Series Champion Buffs and 23-9, with a 2.44 ERA for the 1951 Texas League kings. He also pitched in the Venezuelan Winter League
Venezuelan Professional Baseball League
The Venezuelan Professional Baseball League or Liga Venezolana de Béisbol Profesional is the highest level baseball league in Venezuela.-Brief history:Baseball exploded in Venezuela in 1941, following the world championship in Havana....
during the 1951-52 and 1952-53 seasons, compiling a 15-16 mark with a 2.25 ERA in 47 appearances.
Papai died in Springfield, Illinois
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
, at the age of 78.
Fact
- Papai became the hard-luck losing pitcher in the only no-hitterNo-hitterA no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
pitched in the Caribbean Series history (*), a 1–0 gem thrown by CubaCubaThe Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n team hurler Tommy FineTommy FineThomas Morgan Fine was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Browns . A switch-hitter, he threw right-handed....
against the Venezuelan team (February 21, 1952). In the series, Papai went 1-1 with a 0.56 ERA in 16.0 innings.
Quote
- In a pre-game beauty contest at Houston's Buff Stadium in 1951, Papai once escorted a young "bathing beauty" named Kathryn Grandstaff to home plate during the event that she eventually won. Grandstaff went on from there to win much more beauty acclaim, eventually moving to Hollywood and changing her name to Kathryn GrantKathryn CrosbyKathryn Crosby is an American actress and singer who also performed under the stage-name Kathryn Grant.-Early life and career:...
for acting purposes. On the day she married Bing CrosbyBing CrosbyHarry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
, Al Papai was quoted as wryly commenting: Just think. - I was the one who gave her the start that made her what she is today.
External links
- Baseball Fever
- Baseball Library
- Baseball Reference
- Cuban Baseball: A Statistical History
- Al Papai at Find a GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...
- Knuckleball Headquarters
- Retrosheet
- Texas League Champion Buffs