| Lew Krausse | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born:(1912-06-08)June 8, 1912 Media, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
| Died: September 6, 1988(1988-09-06) (aged 76) Sarasota, Florida, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| June 11, 1931, for the Philadelphia Athletics | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 2, 1932, for the Philadelphia Athletics | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 5–1 |
| Strikeouts | 17 |
| Earned run average | 4.50 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
Lewis Bernard Krausse (June 12, 1912 – September 6, 1988) was an Americanpitcher andscout inMajor League Baseball fromMedia, Pennsylvania. He pitched in parts of the 1931 and 1932 seasons for thePhiladelphia Athletics. Krausse was used mostly as arelief pitcher by the Athletics, though four of his 23 appearances werestarts. He compiled a lifetimerecord of 5–1.
A standout high school pitcher atUpper Darby High School, Krausse was signed by Philadelphia in 1931, becoming the youngest player in theAmerican League (AL). After making three appearances in 1931, he pitched in 19 games in 1932. His final start of the season was ashutout, but a sore arm prevented Krausse from ever pitching in the major leagues again after that. He did play several more seasons ofMinor League Baseball, most notably with theElmira Pioneers, with whom he won two championships. Following his final season in 1946, he spent many years as a scout for thePhiladelphia Phillies and the Athletics. His older son,Lew Jr., won 68 games in the major leagues.
Lewis Bernard Krausse was born on June 12, 1912, inMedia, Pennsylvania.[1] He attendedUpper Darby High School, where he had a standoutbaseball career as apitcher. A swiftfastball was his primary pitch. ThePhiladelphia Athletics signed him and added him to the major league roster in 1931, making him the youngest player in theAmerican League (AL) at the age of 18.[2]
Krausse was seldom used by Philadelphia in 1931. He did not make his debut until the season's third month. Against theSt. Louis Browns on June 11, he relievedRube Walberg in the seventh inning after the latter had allowed six runs. Krausse pitched the final2+1⁄3 innings of the game, allowing two runs himself as the Athletics lost 8–2.[3][4]
Towards the end of the 1931 season, once Philadelphia had guaranteed itself a spot in the upcomingWorld Series, managerConnie Mack decided to rest star pitchers Walberg,Lefty Grove, andGeorge Earnshaw. In the regular season's final games, he started the younger pitchers in their place. Making his first appearance since July and his first major leaguestart, Krausse held theBoston Red Sox to four hits and oneunearned run in acomplete game, 7–1 victory on September 25.[5][6]
In his three appearances in 1931, Krausse posted a 1–0record and a 4.09earned run average (ERA).[1] He did not pitch in the World Series, which the Athletics lost in seven games to theSt. Louis Cardinals.[7]
After making $2,500 in 1931, Krausse was signed to a $3,000 contract in 1932.[8] He pitched more frequently for the Athletics that season, mainly inrelief, though he did start three games.[9] On July 10, he started what Stephen V. Rice of theSociety for American Baseball Research later called "one of the wildest and craziest games in baseball history" against theCleveland Indians atLeague Park.[10] Mack, with the team coming off three straight homedoubleheaders and playing a single game series in Cleveland (necessitated by Pennsylvania'sblue laws, which prohibited Sunday baseball) before returning home for another doubleheader, wished to save both train fare and the arms of his pitchers, taking only two pitchers with him, Krausse and veteranEddie Rommel. After Krausse allowed four hits, including a three-runhome run byEarl Averill in the first inning, Mack lost patience with his starter and replaced him on the mound for the second inning. Rommel pitched 17 innings in relief for the Athletics, who ultimately prevailed 18–17 in 18 innings.[11]
Krausse only threw oneshutout; it came in his final outing of the 1932 season. Facing the Red Sox in the second game of a doubleheader on September 2, and in only his second game since the end of July, Krausse held the team to six hits in a 15–0 victory.[6][9] He finished his second season with a 4–1 record, a 4.58 ERA, 16strikeouts, 24walks, and 64hits allowed in 57innings pitched over 19 games.[1] In 23 total games (four starts) over two seasons with the Athletics, Krausse had posted a 5–1 record, a 4.50 ERA, 17 strikeouts, 30 walks, and 70 hits in 68 innings.[1]
Due to make $3,000 again in 1933, Krausse was sent to theminor leagues before the season began.[8] A sore right arm prevented him from throwing as hard as he had when he debuted two years before. Though he would pitch in the minor leagues for several more seasons, Krausse never regained his former velocity or returned to the major leagues.[2][12]
Beginning the year in theClass AAInternational League, Krausse split time between theMontreal Royals and theAlbany Senators.[13] During the season, his rights were acquired by theBoston Braves, who assigned him to theClass AHarrisburg Senators of theNew York–Penn League (NYPL).[13] Appearing in 11 games for Harrisburg, he posted a 3–4 record and a 3.74 ERA.[13] In 1934, the Braves invited him to spring training, but he failed to make the major league roster and was assigned to Harrisburg again.[2][13] He made 28 appearances for the Senators, posting an 8–11 record and a 5.01 ERA in 169 innings pitched.[13]
For the 1935 season, Krausse joined the NYPL'sElmira Pioneers, who were not affiliated with any major league teams.[14] In 40 games, he had a 15–11 record, a and a 4.09 ERA in 229 innings pitched.[13][14] In 1936, theBrooklyn Dodgers purchased Elmira. That season, Krausse set a franchise record with a career-high 24 games won while only losing nine decisions.[14] Aided by his contributions, the Pioneers won the NYPL's second-halfpennant.[14]
Elmira rebranded itself the "Colonels" in 1937, and Krausse appeared in 39 games, posting a 17–9 record and a 3.34 ERA in 210 innings pitched.[13] The Colonels won the NYPL pennant by6+1⁄2 games, then defeated theHazleton Mountaineers and theWilkes-Barre Barons in the playoffs to win the Governors' Cup, their first championship since 1914.[15] He was invited to spring training by the Dodgers in 1938 but again failed to make the roster, getting reassigned to Elmira for his fourth season. Renamed the Pioneers, Elmira joined theEastern League in 1938.[2][13] Pitching 38 games, Krausse posted an 18–12 record and a 2.88 ERA in 275 innings.[13] After rallying from two games down to defeat Binghamton in a best-of-five series, Elmira defeated Hazleton in the final round to win its second straight Governors' Cup.[15] This would be Krausse's final season with Elmira, as that December the Dodgers traded him to the Cardinals forthird baseman andoutfielderJimmy Outlaw, as well as cash.[1]
In four seasons with Elmira, Krausse earned victories in 74 regular-season outings, as well as five postseason contests. "Lew was certainly the most popular pitcher to ever play in Elmira," Al Mallette, former editor of Elmira'sStar-Gazette, declared in 1988.[14] The ballplayer often returned to the town following his career, and he joinedSal Maglie andPete Reiser as inaugural inductees of the Elmira Baseball Hall of Fame in 1961.[14]
Krausse was not in the Cardinals' organization for long. In 1939, he pitched three games for theColumbus Red Birds of the Class AAAmerican Association before joining Boston's system, where he was assigned to theLittle Rock Travelers of theClass A1Southern Association. In 26 games (19 starts) for the Travelers, he had an 8–11 record and a 5.34 ERA. He allowed 182 hits in 140 innings pitched.[13]
During the 1940 season, Krausse pitched for Little Rock and theScranton Red Sox of the Eastern League. In 21 games (14 starts) for Little Rock, he had a 5–9 record and a 4.58 ERA. With Scranton, he had a 4–6 record but a lower 2.72 ERA in 13 games (10 starts).[13]
Krausse remained with Scranton for each of the next two seasons. In 29 games in 1941, he had a 15–9 record, a 2.70 ERA, and 181 hits allowed in 193 innings pitched. Appearing in 26 games (21 starts) in 1942, he had a 10–10 record, a 2.93 ERA, and 171 hits allowed in 166 innings.[13] He pitched briefly for theLancaster Red Roses of theClass BInterstate League in 1943, posting a 3–2 record and 39 innings pitched in five games.[13]
In 1944 and 1945, Krausse did not pitch in the minor leagues, as he was serving in theUnited States Army duringWorld War II.[16][17] He returned to the minor leagues in 1946 as theplayer-manager for theFederalsburg A's of theClass DEastern Shore League.[16] By this time, he was best known for his "assortment ofcurveballs".[18] In 29 games, he had an 11–12 record, a 4.29 ERA, and 272 hits allowed in 216 innings pitched. The 1946 season was his last as a player.[13] With a 37–87 record, Federalsburg finished last in the eight-team league.[19]
In 1947, Krausse joined the other Philadelphia team, thePhillies, as ascout, serving in that capacity with the organization for the through the 1956 season.[2] He was then hired in the same capacity by the Athletics, who had since moved to Kansas City. Krausse was assigned to evaluate players in theMidwestern United States.[12] Filling out reports was the most time-consuming part of his job. "The hours aren't really too bad," he told reporters.[2] He was very influential in the team's decision to sign his son to a $125,000bonus contract in 1961.[8]Lew Jr. won 68 games for the Athletics and four other MLB teams from 1961 to 1974.[20]
Krausse was married to Lillian.[21] In addition to Lew Jr., the couple had a younger son, whose name was Dave.[22] While he was still playing, Lew Sr. and his brother operated a gas station in Media during the offseason.[15] Lillian died of aheart attack in 1967.[23] Two years later, Lew Sr. suffered one as well, though he survived and lived several more years.[1][21] Eventually, he moved toSarasota, Florida, where he died at the age of 76 on September 6, 1988.[1]
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