Muder: Golden Oldie: Bobby Doerr
From SABR member Craig Muder at BaseballHall.org on June 17, 2015:
When Bobby Doerr debuted in the big leagues for the Boston Red Sox on April 20, 1937, Franklin Roosevelt was the President of the United States – and the United States Treasury was a week away from distributing the first payment from the Social Security Trust Fund.
More than three quarters of a century later, Doerr is the last living player to have appeared in a big league game in the 1930s. And now, The Silent Captain of the Red Sox is the oldest living Hall of Famer in history.
“I remember in 1937, when I first went to Boston,” Doerr said. “(Manager Joe) Cronin took me through his office, back up on third base in the top of the stands, and said: ‘Bobby, this is where you’re going to be playing.’ I’ll never forget the sight of seeing Fenway Park for the first time.”
Doerr reached 97 years and 72 days of age on June 18, passing Al Lopez on the list of oldest Hall of Famers. Lopez, whose career managerial winning percentage of .584 ranks fifth among managers with at least 1,000 wins, was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1977 and passed away on Oct. 30, 2005 at the age of 97 years and 71 days.
Doerr and Lopez are part of a group of 22 Hall of Famers who reached their 90th birthday – including Yogi Berra, who joined the list on May 12. Next up: Tommy Lasorda, who will turn 90 on Sept. 22, 2017.
Read the full article here: http://www.baseballhall.org/news/bobby-doerr-becomes-oldest-hall-of-famer
Originally published: June 18, 2015. Last Updated: June 18, 2015.