Otey Clark (1915-2010)

[philliesfiend55]

Righthanded pitcher Otey Clark, who had been the oldest living Red Sox player died on October 20 at age 95. His first name was sometimes spelled Otie.
A Wisconsin native, Clark spent one year in the majors, 1945, making his major leagues debut pitching in relief on Opening Day of that season, April 17, at age 29. (He turned 30 exactly one month later).
He went 4-4 that year, with 4 complete games and one shutout.
In addition to being the oldest living Red Sox, Clark was the ninth oldest living major leaguer (at an age of about 95 years, 5 months) until the time of his death.
Eddie Joost, an all-star shortstop who enjoyed a long major leagues career (1936-1955, including the 1943, 1945 and 1955 seasons with Boston) now becomes the oldest living Red Sox player(age 94).

[botolph]

In the 1944 Little World Series (American Association vs. International League), Otey pitched for the Louisville Colonels (AA) against the Baltimore Orioles (IL). With Otey on the mound, the first batter for the Orioles, Monaco, hit a line drive off Otey, which hit him in the leg and dislocated his knee. The trainer snapped it back in and Otey demanded to stay on the mound. Stay he did. The game went 14 innings and Otey pitched 13 of them! That might have had something to do with the call up he got to the Red Sox in 1945, his only year in the majors ().

In 1946, Otey and the Colonels found themselves in the Little World Series again. This time, the IL sent the Montreal Royals and their star shortstop Jack Roosevelt Robinson.

There has been plenty written about that series, and Otey has been quoted many times, so I won't bore you with the details here. But I will add (eventually) the story about the first time Otey faced Robinson.

[Imgran]

Well, the replacement ballplayers during WWII played ball too. Good on him to get his chance and put up good numbers. Pity he never got more of a look.

[botolph]

“I was really curious if you remember anything about the tryout at Fenway for Jackie Robinson?”
“Yes, I know about that.”
“Do you remember it happening?”
“Yes, Cronin chose me - because I had good control - to throw batting practice to Robinson.”
“Oh, is that right?”

Read the rest here: "Otey and Jackie: An Unlikely Rivalry"