Ollie Bejma
Encyclopedia
Ollie Bejma was a Major League Baseball
infielder for the St. Louis Browns
and Chicago White Sox
in the 1930s. He made his major league debut on April 24, 1934 for the Browns in a 15-2 loss to the Cleveland Indians
. Used as a utility infielder for the remainder of the season, Bejma hit .271 in 95 games (both career highs) and played four positions (shortstop
, second base, third base
, and outfield
). He also achieved career highs in doubles (16), triples (3), stolen bases (3), walks (40), strikeouts (36), slugging percentage (.378), and hit by pitch (4, which was tied for third in the American League
that year).
He spent the next two seasons with the Browns in a somewhat less frequent reserve role, filling in at every infield position but first base. Bejma made no major league appearances in the 1937 or 1938 seasons, spending the latter in the minor league system of the Chicago White Sox
, who had purchased him from the Browns in March 1938. He made his debut with the White Sox in 1939 and went on to log more at-bats (307) that year than any previous season of his career. He also surprisingly tallied 8 home runs, despite having hit only 6 in 599 major league at-bats coming into 1939. This contributed to his career best of 44 runs batted in.
Bejma's last game was on October 1, 1939, a 4-3 loss to Bejma's original team, the St. Louis Browns
. He was traded by the White Sox with Johnny Gerlach
to the Cleveland Indians
in exchange for Skeeter Webb
. Though Webb played for another nine seasons in the majors, neither Gerlach nor Bejma ever again appeared in a big-league game.
Bejma was somewhat immortalized in a Peanuts
comic strip on February 21, 1974, cited as having been the starting shortstop for St. Paul of the American Association when they won their pennant in 1938.
Bejma died on January 3, 1995 in South Bend.
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...
infielder 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...
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...
in the 1930s. He made his major league debut on April 24, 1934 for the Browns in a 15-2 loss to the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
. Used as a utility infielder for the remainder of the season, Bejma hit .271 in 95 games (both career highs) and played four positions (shortstop
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...
, second base, third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
, and outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
). He also achieved career highs in doubles (16), triples (3), stolen bases (3), walks (40), strikeouts (36), slugging percentage (.378), and hit by pitch (4, which was tied for third in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
that year).
He spent the next two seasons with the Browns in a somewhat less frequent reserve role, filling in at every infield position but first base. Bejma made no major league appearances in the 1937 or 1938 seasons, spending the latter in the minor league system of the 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...
, who had purchased him from the Browns in March 1938. He made his debut with the White Sox in 1939 and went on to log more at-bats (307) that year than any previous season of his career. He also surprisingly tallied 8 home runs, despite having hit only 6 in 599 major league at-bats coming into 1939. This contributed to his career best of 44 runs batted in.
Bejma's last game was on October 1, 1939, a 4-3 loss to Bejma's original team, 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...
. He was traded by the White Sox with Johnny Gerlach
Johnny Gerlach
John Glenn Gerlach was a shortstop in Major League Baseball. He played for the Chicago White Sox.-External links:...
to the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
in exchange for Skeeter Webb
Skeeter Webb
James Laverne "Skeeter" Webb was a Major League Baseball infielder who played twelve season in the major leagues with the St. Louis Cardinals , Cleveland Indians , Chicago White Sox , Detroit Tigers , and Philadelphia Athletics...
. Though Webb played for another nine seasons in the majors, neither Gerlach nor Bejma ever again appeared in a big-league game.
Bejma was somewhat immortalized in a Peanuts
Peanuts
Peanuts is a syndicated daily and Sunday American comic strip written and illustrated by Charles M. Schulz, which ran from October 2, 1950, to February 13, 2000, continuing in reruns afterward...
comic strip on February 21, 1974, cited as having been the starting shortstop for St. Paul of the American Association when they won their pennant in 1938.
Bejma died on January 3, 1995 in South Bend.