Lou Sleater
Encyclopedia
Louis Mortimer Sleater is a former left-handed Major League Baseball
pitcher who played from 1950 to 1952 and from 1955 to 1958 for the St. Louis Browns
, Washington Senators
, Kansas City Athletics, Milwaukee Braves, Detroit Tigers
and Baltimore Orioles
. He was 5’10” and he weighed 185 pounds. He attended the University of Maryland
.
A knuckleball
specialist, Sleater was signed as an amateur free agent by the Boston Braves
in 1946. Before the 1947 season, the Braves released him and he was signed by the Chicago Cubs
. Before the 1949 season, the New York Giants
purchased him from the Cubs. On April 1, 1950, the Browns selected him off waivers from the Giants. Even before reaching the big leagues, Sleater was a well-traveled player.
He made his big league debut with the Browns on April 25, 1950, at the age of 23. In his first game, he pitched one inning, striking out a batter and allowing no hits, no walks, and no runs. That would be his only major league game in 1950.
Pitching for the 52-102 Browns in 1951, Sleater went 1-9 with a 5.11 ERA. In 81 innings, he walked 53 batters and struck out only 33, while allowing 88 hits. His five hit batsmen were ninth most in the league. On July 31 of that year, he was either purchased by the New York Yankees
or traded to them. One source (http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/sleatlo01.shtml) lists him as being purchased, while another source (http://www.baseballlibrary.com/ballplayers/player.php?name=Lou_Sleater_1926&page=chronology) says he was traded with Bobby Hogue
, Kermit Wahl
and Tom Upton
for Cliff Mapes
. Either way, he never pitched for the Yankees, as he was returned to the Browns on September 16.
He began the 1952 season with the Browns, but lasted only four games, going 0-1 with a 7.27 ERA. On May 12, he was traded with Fred Marsh
to the Senators for Cass Michaels
. He finished the season with the Senators, going 4-2 with a 3.63 ERA in 57 innings. Overall, Sleater went 4-3 with a 4.11 ERA in 1952. 1952 is notable for Sleater because he halted Walt Dropo
’s big league record streak of reaching base via hit in 12 straight at-bats that season (he had allowed his 12th hit earlier in the game).
Sleater did not play in the big leagues from 1953 to 1954. In May 1954, Sleater was purchased by the Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League
. He was purchased by the Yankees from Toronto on October 16, 1954. Once again, he would be in the Yankees organization, but would not play for the major league team, because he was purchased by the Athletics from the Yankees on April 28, 1955. He found his way back to the major leagues in 1955, going 1-1 with a 7.71 ERA in 16 games (one start). In 25 2/3 innings, he walked 21 batters and struck out only 11.
On November 27, 1955, Sleater was drafted by the Braves from the Athletics in the Rule 5 draft
. He played 25 games for the Braves in 1956, 2-2 with a 3.15 ERA in 45 2/3 innings of work. He was released by the Braves on April 11, 1957. Later that month, he was signed by the Tigers. He made 41 relief appearances for the Tigers in 1957, going 3-3 with a 3.76 ERA. On May 30 of that year, he hit a game ending home run – one of the few pitchers to accomplish that feat. http://books.google.com/books?id=QLZCJcgKdY0C&pg=PA65&dq=%22Lou+SleateR%22&sig=ACfU3U2_ndSQcY-1rbTgrotOduVZRDUkyg#PPA65,M1
Sleater played his final season in 1958. He started the year with the Tigers, but after posting a 6.75 ERA in four games with them he was purchased by the Orioles on June 2. He appeared in six games with the Orioles, going 1-0 with a 12.86 ERA. Overall, Sleater went 1-0 with a 10.22 ERA in 10 relief appearances. He played his final major league game on September 28, and was released by the Orioles on October 16, 1959.
Sleater played for a total of six major league teams in his seven year career. Overall, Sleater went 12-18 with a 4.70 ERA. Of the 131 games he pitched, he started 21 of them. In 300 2/3 innings, he allowed 306 hits, 172 walks and he struck out only 152 batters. He was a solid batter, hitting .204 in 103 career at-bats. He hit four career home runs – including three in 1957 – and he struck out only 11 times. He was a lackluster fielding, with a fielding percentage
of only .906.
He also played for 12 different minor league teams, winning 12 or more games three times in a season (http://books.google.com/books?id=kp7tXc3X0WAC&pg=PA206&dq=%22Lou+SleateR%22&sig=ACfU3U1exOVbd5cyeJPrQnG9O9Ji4UGBzw#PPA205,M1).
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...
pitcher who played from 1950 to 1952 and from 1955 to 1958 for 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...
, Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
, Kansas City Athletics, Milwaukee Braves, Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
and Baltimore Orioles
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...
. He was 5’10” and he weighed 185 pounds. He attended the University of Maryland
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
.
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...
specialist, Sleater was signed as an amateur free agent by the Boston Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
in 1946. Before the 1947 season, the Braves released him and he was signed by the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
. Before the 1949 season, the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
purchased him from the Cubs. On April 1, 1950, the Browns selected him off waivers from the Giants. Even before reaching the big leagues, Sleater was a well-traveled player.
He made his big league debut with the Browns on April 25, 1950, at the age of 23. In his first game, he pitched one inning, striking out a batter and allowing no hits, no walks, and no runs. That would be his only major league game in 1950.
Pitching for the 52-102 Browns in 1951, Sleater went 1-9 with a 5.11 ERA. In 81 innings, he walked 53 batters and struck out only 33, while allowing 88 hits. His five hit batsmen were ninth most in the league. On July 31 of that year, he was either purchased by the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
or traded to them. One source (http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/sleatlo01.shtml) lists him as being purchased, while another source (http://www.baseballlibrary.com/ballplayers/player.php?name=Lou_Sleater_1926&page=chronology) says he was traded with Bobby Hogue
Bobby Hogue
Robert Clinton Hogue , was a Major League Baseball player who played pitcher from -. He would play for the New York Yankees, Boston Braves, and St. Louis Browns.-External links:...
, Kermit Wahl
Kermit Wahl
Kermit Emerson Wahl was a Major League Baseball infielder. He played all or part of five seasons in the major leagues, between and , for the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Athletics and St. Louis Browns.-Sources:...
and Tom Upton
Tom Upton
Thomas Herbert "Muscles" Upton is a former right-handed Major League Baseball shortstop who played for the St. Louis Browns from 1950 to 1951, and for the Washington Senators in 1952. He began his professional career in 1944, after being signed by the New York Yankees...
for Cliff Mapes
Cliff Mapes
Clifford Franklin Mapes was a professional baseball player. He played five seasons Major League Baseball as an outfielder for the New York Yankees, St...
. Either way, he never pitched for the Yankees, as he was returned to the Browns on September 16.
He began the 1952 season with the Browns, but lasted only four games, going 0-1 with a 7.27 ERA. On May 12, he was traded with Fred Marsh
Fred Marsh
Fred Francis Marsh was an American infielder in Major League Baseball who played from to for the Cleveland Indians, St...
to the Senators for Cass Michaels
Cass Michaels
Casimir Eugene Michaels was a Major League Baseball second baseman. He was born in Detroit, Michigan as Casimir Eugene Kwietniewski, and was primarily a second baseman throughout his career, though he was also a third baseman and shortstop for a time.Under his real name, Michaels was signed to a...
. He finished the season with the Senators, going 4-2 with a 3.63 ERA in 57 innings. Overall, Sleater went 4-3 with a 4.11 ERA in 1952. 1952 is notable for Sleater because he halted Walt Dropo
Walt Dropo
Walter Dropo , nicknamed "Moose", was an American college basketball standout and a professional baseball first baseman...
’s big league record streak of reaching base via hit in 12 straight at-bats that season (he had allowed his 12th hit earlier in the game).
Sleater did not play in the big leagues from 1953 to 1954. In May 1954, Sleater was purchased by the Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
. He was purchased by the Yankees from Toronto on October 16, 1954. Once again, he would be in the Yankees organization, but would not play for the major league team, because he was purchased by the Athletics from the Yankees on April 28, 1955. He found his way back to the major leagues in 1955, going 1-1 with a 7.71 ERA in 16 games (one start). In 25 2/3 innings, he walked 21 batters and struck out only 11.
On November 27, 1955, Sleater was drafted by the Braves from the Athletics in the Rule 5 draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
. He played 25 games for the Braves in 1956, 2-2 with a 3.15 ERA in 45 2/3 innings of work. He was released by the Braves on April 11, 1957. Later that month, he was signed by the Tigers. He made 41 relief appearances for the Tigers in 1957, going 3-3 with a 3.76 ERA. On May 30 of that year, he hit a game ending home run – one of the few pitchers to accomplish that feat. http://books.google.com/books?id=QLZCJcgKdY0C&pg=PA65&dq=%22Lou+SleateR%22&sig=ACfU3U2_ndSQcY-1rbTgrotOduVZRDUkyg#PPA65,M1
Sleater played his final season in 1958. He started the year with the Tigers, but after posting a 6.75 ERA in four games with them he was purchased by the Orioles on June 2. He appeared in six games with the Orioles, going 1-0 with a 12.86 ERA. Overall, Sleater went 1-0 with a 10.22 ERA in 10 relief appearances. He played his final major league game on September 28, and was released by the Orioles on October 16, 1959.
Sleater played for a total of six major league teams in his seven year career. Overall, Sleater went 12-18 with a 4.70 ERA. Of the 131 games he pitched, he started 21 of them. In 300 2/3 innings, he allowed 306 hits, 172 walks and he struck out only 152 batters. He was a solid batter, hitting .204 in 103 career at-bats. He hit four career home runs – including three in 1957 – and he struck out only 11 times. He was a lackluster fielding, with a fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
of only .906.
He also played for 12 different minor league teams, winning 12 or more games three times in a season (http://books.google.com/books?id=kp7tXc3X0WAC&pg=PA206&dq=%22Lou+SleateR%22&sig=ACfU3U1exOVbd5cyeJPrQnG9O9Ji4UGBzw#PPA205,M1).