(July 30, 1928-November 15, 2007)
Baseball pitcher/broadcaster
Pitched for the Cincinnati Reds (1944, 1952-1961, 1962-67) and California Angels (1961)
Sportscaster for the Cincinnati Reds on 700 AM station WLW (1967-end of 2004 season)
Youngest player in Major League Baseball history when he pitched 2/3 of an inning at age 15 (June 10, 1944)

His Major League debut was nothing more than a publicity stunt, when most of the better players were away serving in World War II.
He got shelled in his debut, giving up 5 runs in 2/3 of an inning.
He was clearly a boy in a man's world.
Because of his excessive cigar smoking, he only calls the play by play for 81 of the Reds' 162 games each year since 2000.
Most baseball fans overlook his solid pitching career and long broadcasting tenure due to his place in the trivia books.
His nickname during his playing days was 'the Old Left Hander,' which is ironic because he was the youngest player ever.
He had the 'grumpy old man' demeanor.

After his horrible debut, he went back to school, and then back to the minors and improved himself and by 1952, earned himself a spot on the Reds' roster and had a respectable career.
He was left handed.
Baseball America ranked him #4 in 'Most Beloved Broadcasters,' behind only Bob Uecker, Harry Caray, and Phil Rizzuto.
He and his longtime sidekick in the Reds' radio booth, Marty Brennaman, have been best friends since they started working together.
Reds fans loved to hear him say 'This is the Old Left Hander, rounding third and heading for home' at the end of every Reds' game.
At the beginning of his final broadcasting season, Reds management approached him and asked if he'd like to suit up and pitch to just one batter during the regular season, so he could be in the books as the youngest and oldest player in major league history. He declined, stating that he wants 'no part in publicity shenanigans like that.'

Credit: Blossman

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