Ed Busch
Encyclopedia
Edgar John Busch was a shortstop
who played in Major League Baseball
between the and seasons. Listed at 5' 10", 175 lb., Busch batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Lebanon, Illinois
.
Busch started his professional career in 1938 in the St. Louis Browns
minor league system
, playing for them five years before being released in 1942. He was signed by the Philadelphia Athletics organization in 1943, when the military draft was depleting Major League rosters of first-line players due to World War II
. He joined the big team in late September of that year.
A slick shortstop with good hands and a strong throwing arm, Busch was part of a solid and consistent infield that included Dick Siebert
at first base, Irv Hall
at second and George Kell
at third
. He was the starting shortstop for Philadelphia in 1944 and 1945, until Pete Suder
returned to the team when the war ended.
In a 270-game career, Busch posted a .262 average
(240-for-917), including 80 runs
, 10 doubles
, three triples
, 75 RBI
, seven stolen base
s, and a .311 on-base percentage. In six minor league seasons, he hit .283 with 13 home run
s in 737 games.
Busch died in St. Clair County, Illinois
, at the age of 69.
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
who played 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...
between the and seasons. Listed at 5' 10", 175 lb., Busch batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Lebanon, Illinois
Lebanon, Illinois
Lebanon is a city in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,523 at the 2000 census. Like many other places in "Little Egypt" or Southern Illinois, Lebanon was named after the Middle Eastern country of the same name. It is a part of the Metro-East region of the Greater St...
.
Busch started his professional career in 1938 in the 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...
minor league system
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
, playing for them five years before being released in 1942. He was signed by the Philadelphia Athletics organization in 1943, when the military draft was depleting Major League rosters of first-line players due to World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He joined the big team in late September of that year.
A slick shortstop with good hands and a strong throwing arm, Busch was part of a solid and consistent infield that included Dick Siebert
Dick Siebert
Richard Walther Siebert was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who had an 11-year career from 1932, 1936-1945. He played for the Brooklyn Dodgers and St...
at first base, Irv Hall
Irv Hall
Irv Hall was a Major League Baseball player. He played four seasons in the Majors, 1943–1946, for the Philadelphia Athletics. In his four seasons as a second baseman and shortstop, Hall had 496 hits in 1,904 at bats for a .261 batting average over 787 games...
at second and George Kell
George Kell
George Clyde Kell was an American baseball third baseman who played for the Philadelphia Athletics , Detroit Tigers , Boston Red Sox , Chicago White Sox , and Baltimore Orioles in the American League, who went on to become a baseball broadcaster for 40 years.-Playing career:In college, Kell...
at third
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
. He was the starting shortstop for Philadelphia in 1944 and 1945, until Pete Suder
Pete Suder
Peter Suder , nicknamed "Pecky," was an American professional baseball player, a utility infielder for the Philadelphia/Kansas City Athletics . He was born in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania....
returned to the team when the war ended.
In a 270-game career, Busch posted a .262 average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
(240-for-917), including 80 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
, 10 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, three triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, 75 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
, seven stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s, and a .311 on-base percentage. In six minor league seasons, he hit .283 with 13 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s in 737 games.
Busch died in St. Clair County, Illinois
St. Clair County, Illinois
St. Clair County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. In 1970, the U.S. Census Bureau placed the mean center of U.S. population in St. Clair County. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 270,056, which is an increase of 5.5% from 256,082 in 2000. Its county seat is...
, at the age of 69.