C.E. Pat Olsen

[BradC34]

I am looking for some concrete info on this guy. We know he was apart of the Yankees during the 1920s, specifically beginning in 1923, but his name is completely absent from Retrosheet, Baseball-Almanac, and Baseball-Reference as ever having played. It's quite possible that he spent eight years in the majors without so much as playing a single half inning, but it just leaves me to wonder why. If anyone knows anything or knows where I can find information, please let me know cause this is fairly important to me.

[Proctor, CF]

I don't believe he ever actually played in the majors during regular season. He may have roomed with Gehrig during one Spring season, at the Princess Martha Hotel in St. Petersburg.

He became quite wealthy in the oil business, friends with Gehrig & Coombs, among others, and attended a record number of World Series games - even throwing out an opening pitch in the '84 Series.

He also put together a large collection of Baseball memorabilia.

[BradC34]

Thank you, that's stuff I've found through my own research which I now realize he never actually made their major league roster. That being said, would anyone happen to have any information on the Yankees minor league system or spring training between 1924 and 1927?

[Brian McKenna]

Olsen was purchased from Des Moines of the Western League by the Yankees in September 1923 - the announcement was made on 9/16/1923, the year he graduated from Texas A&M. Paper says he is expected to report for spring training.

Charles E. "Pat" Olsen - righthanded pitcher

In December the NY Times stated that Olsen wasn't purchased rather they traded pitcher Gormer Wilson and outfieder Elton Langford to acquire him.

The Yankees mailed Olsen his contract for signing on 2/1/1924. It was signed and returned, arriving at the Yankee offices on 2/20/1924. The Yankees trained in new orleans in 1924 - first practice for rookies was on March 3. Olsen met the team in NO - did not travel south with the club - I assume because he resided elsewhere - perhaps Texas.

Olsen pitched for Huggins for the first time on 3/9/1924 - I think, confused now because they are talking about a young pitcher named "Lem Olsen" in camp. (his name was Lem Owen but the papers confused him and Olsen at times making things difficult for the reader) Olsen would pitch again (and probably in between) on 4/8/1924 in Knoxville. Now I see that Lem Olsen was a semi-pro pitcher brought to camp - so there is two Olsen rookie pitchers trying out for the Yankees in 1924. The 3/9 pitcher was Lem I believe, the 4/8 pitcher was Pat.

4/11/1924 New York Times - Huggins has eliminated all his rookie pitchers except for Milton Gaston, Ben Shields and Charley Olsen - Shields is sure to stick and Gaston has advantage over Olsen who needs experience. Olsen is still with the club on 4/26 - as is Gaston. Shields was sent to Pittsfield. Reporters expect Olsen to be optioned soon.

Olsen was sent to the Springfiled Ponies of the Eastern League in 1924. He went 16-10 with a 1.25 ERA. (He may have pitched for Pittsfield in the Eastern League in 1925 and Kansas City in the American Association in 1926-27 -- just possibilities).

I've read that Olsen was in the Yankees farm system for three years, but it should be noted there was no Yankees farm system from 1924-26. More likely, he was optioned to another minor league club, still the quasi-property of the Yankees.

It doesn't seem that he joined the Yankees in camp in 1925 or '26.

Olsen said that he roomed with Gehrig in 1924. All the guys went to Mardi Gras - I wonder if the shy Gehrig joined them. They stayed at the Blenville Hotel. The mighty Ruth joined the club in NO on 3/10. Mrs. Ruppert passed away while the boys were in NO. This was the spring Ruth lost the $1,000-bill.

An obit:

Saturday, May 13, 2000
Last modified at 3:03 a.m. on Saturday, May 13, 2000
© 2000 - The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
Aggie legend Olsen dies

COLLEGE STATION {AP} C.E. "Pat" Olsen, the man for whom Texas A&M's baseball facility is named, died Thursday at a residence in Kingswood. He was 97.

Olsen was a three-year letterman as a pitcher at Texas A&M (1921-23). He went on to play in the New York Yankees farm system and was Lou Gehrig's roommate for part of one summer.

A self-made millionaire, Olsen made many donations to his hometown of Clifton, to Texas A&M and to the Major League Baseball pension fund.

Olsen had season tickets for the Houston Astros, Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees. He had seen more than half of the World Series Games ever played before his wife, Elsie, got sick in the late 1980s. They saw more than 50 All-Star Games and attended more than 20 Hall of Fame ceremonies together.

Olsen threw out the ceremonial first pitch prior to the first game of the 1984 World Series between Detroit and San Diego.

He was named to the Texas A&M Athletic Hall of Fame in 1978 and a Distinguished Alumnus in 1981. He is also a member of the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame.

Funeral arrangements are pending. Plans are for a private family service.

[BradC34]

Dude, you're awesome. The only thing I can pull is local stuff that's more directly about Olsen Field. I appreciate your help.

[TXAggie]

Basball memorabilia collection

I am brand spanking new to this website and clueless if I am posting right. I had the good fortune to get invited to Pat Olsens house to see his baseball collection back in the late 80's. (I went to A&M and my mom was friends with them) OMG. It was unbelievable. You name it, he had it. He told us that the Smithsonian and the Hall of Fame had requested many items from his collection. I think his son has since died, so where his stuff is now who knows? Any baseball nut would have think they had died and gone to baseball history heaven. Name a famous figure in baseball from the early 1900's to when Mr. Olsen died, and he had something signed by them or something they used.

[Dto7]

His Family says he was in the 1924 Yankees team photo dated 4-12-1924, I wonder which one of the two unidentified players he is?

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showth...oto-Collection

Any photos of him?

[Second Base Coach]

There was a dispute over his will:

http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/2002_3541231/a-amp-m-loses-donor-s-gift-in-probate-jury-gives-e.html

[Second Base Coach]

I google imaged his name, and got this:

http://www.fanbase.com/C-E-quot-Pat-quot-Olsen/photos

[Second Base Coach]

His Family says he was in the 1924 Yankees team photo dated 4-12-1924, I wonder which one of the two unidentified players he is?

http://www.baseball-fever.com/showth...oto-Collection

Any photos of him?

I this from a google image search:

http://www.fanbase.com/C-E-quot-Pat-quot-Olsen

[Dto7]

I this from a google image search:

http://www.fanbase.com/C-E-quot-Pat-quot-Olsen

Thanks, Second Base Coach...That puts him in between Bob Meusel and Walter Beall in the first 1924 photo of The Yankees