BBTF's Newsblog Discussion :: Oldest former major leaguer Stiles dies

Baseball Primer Newsblog
— The Best News Links from the Baseball Newsstand

Monday, July 23, 2007

Oldest former major leaguer Stiles dies

Rolland Mays “Lena” Stiles, the oldest living former major-league baseball player, died Sunday morning in his sleep at the age of 100 at Bethesda Southgate nursing home in St. Louis.

...While with the Browns, Mr. Stiles often was matched against Philadelphia Athletics Hall of Famer Lefty Grove. He also recalled facing the great New York Yankees’ teams, including Hall of Famer Babe Ruth.

“I had a great game against him,” Mr. Stiles told the Post-Dispatch’s Derrick Goold last November. “I held him to three hits.”

Repoz Posted: July 23, 2007 at 05:31 PM | 37 comment(s) | Login to Bookmark
Related News: General, Obituaries

Reader Comments and Retorts

Go to end of page

Statements posted here are those of our readers and do not represent the BaseballThinkFactory. Names are provided by the poster and are not verified. We ask that posters follow our submission policy. Please report any inappropriate comments.

Page 1 of 1 pages

1. Gonfalon Bubble Posted: July 23, 2007 at 06:08 PM (#2451706)

That's the trouble with becoming "the oldest living" anything. There's only one more story left.

Stiles played with Rick Ferrell, who played with Early Wynn, who played with Tommy John, who played with Rickey Henderson, who we all hope will play in September.

2. Pasta-diving Jeter (jmac66) Posted: July 23, 2007 at 06:40 PM (#2451734)

so, who's the oldest now?

3. gef the talking mongoose Posted: July 23, 2007 at 06:47 PM (#2451738)

Julio Franco?

4. Sexy Lizard Posted: July 23, 2007 at 06:49 PM (#2451742)

He played with Frank O'Rourke, who played with Johnny Kling, who played with Jimmy Ryan, who played with Cap Anson.

5. Sexy Lizard Posted: July 23, 2007 at 06:49 PM (#2451744)

He played with Frank O'Rourke, who played with Johnny Kling, who played with Jimmy Ryan, who played with Cap Anson.

That's Stiles. Julio Franco played with Cap Anson, though Cap wasn't happy about it.

6. McCoy Posted: July 23, 2007 at 07:40 PM (#2451806)

Mr. Stiles often was matched against Philadelphia Athletics Hall of Famer Lefty Grove.

Not sure how true that is. Stiles faced him twice in his last year in the majors and that was it. Before that I believe the best pitcher was Hoyt when he was washed up.

7. McCoy Posted: July 23, 2007 at 07:54 PM (#2451820)

“I had a great game against him,” Mr. Stiles told the Post-Dispatch’s Derrick Goold last November. “I held him to three hits

I believe the first time Stiles faced the Yanks was on May 5th, 1931. At best he gave up one hit to Babe.

Stiles I believe never started against the Yanks and it is virtually impossible that he gave up 3 hits to Ruth in one game.

Perhaps this can be one of Neyer's tracers.

8. Halofan Posted: July 23, 2007 at 07:57 PM (#2451824)

Wow, so Stiles is not allowed to make a joke at his own expense to describe Babe Ruth's greatness?

9. RMc's grumbling has gone far enough Posted: July 23, 2007 at 08:08 PM (#2451832)

Julio Franco played with Cap Anson, though Cap wasn't happy about it.

Julio Franco played with the New York Knickerbockers. In fact, Julio Franco had to wait around for several years for baseball to be invented.

When the Boogeyman goes to sleep every night, he checks his closet for Julio Franco.
Julio Franco doesn't read books. He stares them down until he gets the information he wants.
There is no theory of evolution. Just a list of creatures Julio Franco has allowed to live.
Julio Franco counted to infinity - twice.
Julio Franco is so fast, he can run around the world and punch himself in the back of the head.
Julio Franco doesn’t wear a watch, HE decides what time it is.

10. McCoy Posted: July 23, 2007 at 08:33 PM (#2451854)

so, who's the oldest now?

I believe the oldest is Billy Werber born June 20th, 1908

11. Rich Posted: July 23, 2007 at 08:41 PM (#2451858)

He wasn't cheated.

12. CFBF Hates Hyphens Posted: July 23, 2007 at 08:52 PM (#2451866)

There is no theory of evolution. Just a list of creatures Julio Franco has allowed to live.

I'm pretty sure Julio initiated evolution.

13. Dag Nabbit and his imaginary friends Posted: July 23, 2007 at 08:57 PM (#2451868)

So, is Billy Werber the only player left who was alive when the Cubs won a World Series title?

14. McCoy Posted: July 23, 2007 at 09:41 PM (#2451899)

Yes

15. cardsfanboy

Posted: July 23, 2007 at 10:29 PM (#2451986)

Stiles was great at the baseball writers association dinner in St Louis.

16. Crispix Attacks Posted: July 23, 2007 at 10:31 PM (#2451994)

That's the trouble with becoming "the oldest living" anything. There's only one more story left.

yeah...Oldest Living Player Found to Have Falsified Birth Records -- Actually Eighth-Oldest.

17. Benji Posted: July 23, 2007 at 11:00 PM (#2452053)

Are there any pitchers left that faced Babe Ruth? Eldon Auker died recently, now this man. BTF never lets me down, so...

18. baudib Posted: July 23, 2007 at 11:32 PM (#2452127)

I thought it was widely reported that Auker was the last pitcher to face Ruth. So, I don't think so.
The only players left who were active when Ruth played are Werber and Lonny Frey. I suppose Connie Marrero might have faced Ruth somewhere.

1 Bill Werber 6/20/1908 1930, 1933-42
2 Tony Malinosky 10/5/1909 1937
3 Lonny Frey 8/23/1910 1933-43, 1946-48
4 Herb Hash 2/13/1911 1940-41
5 Connie Marrero 4/25/1911 1950-54
6 Nino Bongiovanni 12/21/1911 1938-39
7 Ace Parker 5/17/1912 1937-38
8 Don Gutteridge 6/19/1912 1936-48
9 George Cisar 8/25/1912 1937
10 Tommy Henrich 2/20/1913 1937-42, 1946-50

19. Crispix Attacks Posted: July 23, 2007 at 11:38 PM (#2452148)

Werber was a hitter...he had two really short stints with the Yanks (1930, 1933) and was probably in the opposing lineup from Ruth in some Yankees/Red Sox games.

Frey was a hitter too. He was on the Dodgers when Ruth was on the Braves in 1935. Did the Braves play the Dodgers in one of the 28 games before Ruth retired?

Neither of them ever pitched.

So anyway, the last pitcher alive who faced Ruth in a real MLB game was either Stiles, or Auker. Presumably Auker since all the news stories said so when he died.

20. Benji Posted: July 23, 2007 at 11:38 PM (#2452149)

Thank you.

21. McCoy Posted: July 23, 2007 at 11:40 PM (#2452161)

No there are no pitchers left that faced Babe Ruth in a major league game.

Bob Feller is probably the closest. He debuted in 1936 in the AL and Babe played his last season in 1935 in the NL. Or I should the most famous one, you also have Randy Gumpert and Pete Naktenis. I'm sure there are still some pitchers alive from exhibition games though. Who was the pitcher that pitched to Ted Williams and Babe Ruth in home run hitting contest in 1942?

22. McCoy Posted: July 23, 2007 at 11:41 PM (#2452165)

I'm pretty sure Stiles faced Ruth.

23. baudib Posted: July 23, 2007 at 11:43 PM (#2452176)

Werber and Frey were teammates on the 1940 world champion Reds. Werber played third and Frey played second; both were converted shortstops, fitting Bill McKechnie's desire to put as much leather in the field as possible. Frank McCormick, a Keith Hernandez-type (possibly the greatest-fielding RH first baseman of all time) drove in 127 runs and was the MVP.

24. McCoy Posted: July 23, 2007 at 11:48 PM (#2452191)

I'm sure there are still some pitchers alive from exhibition games though.

Well unfortunately I found some names so far that pitched to Ruth in the 40's and they are all dead too. Dave Odom, Red Barrett, Walter Johnson, and Johnny Sain.

Though he did hit a homer off of Walter Johnson

25. Crispix Attacks Posted: July 23, 2007 at 11:52 PM (#2452203)

How do you know who pitched in exhibition games in the 40's?

26. frannyzoo Posted: July 23, 2007 at 11:52 PM (#2452205)

From Retrosheet I see a 1933 SLB/NYY game in which Stiles came out of the pen to get the win in extra innings. No info on length of Stiles' stint, but closest I could come to validating a Ruth/Stiles matchup.

27. McCoy Posted: July 23, 2007 at 11:58 PM (#2452215)

That game Stiles pitched the 10th inning and did not face Ruth. I believe the first time he faced Ruth was on May 14th 1931. He also faced Ruth on August 15th, 1933 as wells as the August 17th game in which Stiles got the decision.

28. McCoy Posted: July 23, 2007 at 11:58 PM (#2452216)

How do you know who pitched in exhibition games in the 40's?

The New York Times

29. frannyzoo Posted: July 24, 2007 at 12:09 AM (#2452236)

McCoy: Where did you find the batter/pitcher matchup info? NYT, as well?

30. John (You Can Call Me Grandma) Murphy Posted: July 24, 2007 at 12:17 AM (#2452252)

Frank McCormick, a Keith Hernandez-type (possibly the greatest-fielding RH first baseman of all time) drove in 127 runs and was the MVP.

As a player, McCormick always reminded me of Steve Garvey Sr.

31. McCoy Posted: July 24, 2007 at 12:38 AM (#2452307)

McCoy: Where did you find the batter/pitcher matchup info? NYT, as well?

Yes

32. Designated Sitter (GGC) Posted: July 24, 2007 at 01:16 AM (#2452436)

As a player, McCormick always reminded me of Steve Garvey Sr.

IOW, he has alot of grandkids?

33. Designated Sitter (GGC) Posted: July 24, 2007 at 01:24 AM (#2452470)

Or I should the most famous one, you also have Randy Gumpert and Pete Naktenis.

It's possible that Naktenis faced Ruth in an exhibition in Hartford before his ML debut, but I couldn't find anything. I had no idea he was still alive.

Obviously 'sheet doesn't have box scores from the '30s, but the gamelogs list the starters. However, you can look through boxscores at the paperofrecord.com's archives of The Sporting News. But I hope that your eyes are in good shape.

34. McCoy Posted: July 24, 2007 at 01:30 AM (#2452494)

But I hope that your eyes are in good shape.

Which is why the New York Times is a better way to go on this Vastly better search engine and the image quality is superior.

35. McCoy Posted: July 24, 2007 at 01:34 AM (#2452502)

It's possible that Naktenis faced Ruth in an exhibition in Hartford before his ML debut

I couldn't find any mention Naktenis facing Ruth in exhibition games though it appears Naktenis played basketball for Duke as well as baseball.

36. John (You Can Call Me Grandma) Murphy Posted: July 24, 2007 at 09:11 PM (#2453519)

As a player, McCormick always reminded me of Steve Garvey Sr.

IOW, he has alot of grandkids?

I knew I should have had that first part of my sentence in bold, Jon. :-)

Page 1 of 1 pages

You must be Registered and Logged In to post comments.

<< Back to main

Monday, July 23, 2007

Oldest former major leaguer Stiles dies

Reader Comments and Retorts

Support BBTF

Bookmarks

Hot Topics