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In 1949, Frank Saucier led all of professional baseball with a .449 batting average for Wichita Falls of the Big State League. The following season Saucier split time between Double- and Triple-A, hitting .342. For his efforts, Saucier was named The Sporting News‘ 1950 Minor League Player of the Year.

Though he reached a level few men ever do, Saucier is best remembered as a footnote in one of the most memorable publicity stunts in baseball history.

Maverick owner Bill Veeck purchased the Browns in 1951 and immediately went to work to arouse fan interest. In August of that year, Veeck signed 3’7″ Eddie Gaedel to a contract to play for the Browns.

On August 19, 1951, an injured Frank Saucier was penciled into the lineup as the Browns’ starting right fielder and leadoff hitter. Barely able to lift his arm, and unaware of what was to come, Saucier got through the top of the first inning without a ball hit his way.

In the bottom of the first, leadoff man Saucier was called back in favor of a pinch hitter – Eddie Gaedel.

In the collection is this government postcard signed by Frank Sacier exactly one month after Gaedel pinch hit for him.

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Frank Saucier was a willing signer for autograph collectors who sent requests for his signature through the mail. Though his autograph is not at all rare, examples such as this one from his lone Major League season are quite difficult to find.

Shown in this image a US Postal Service postmark from Washington DC on September 19, 1951 – one month to the day after Eddie Gaedel made history as the shortest-ever MLB player when he pinch ran for Saucier .

On the date this piece is postmarked, Saucier’s Browns were in Washington playing the Senators. Inserted into the game that day – ironically as a pinch-runner – Saucier appeared in the 16th of his 18 career big league games.

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Frank Saucier was more than just the man for whom Eddie Gaedel pinch hit. He hit over .400 twice in the minors. His .446 at Wichita in 1949 was the highest in all of professional baseball. The following year he was the Texas League batting champion and the Sporting News Minor League Player of the Year. The minor league success did not translate to the big league level as he played just one year and batted 1-for-14 for the 1951 St. Louis Browns.

Before his professional career Saucier was a standout at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri where he graduated with a degree in math and physics; the baseball field there is named after him. The site is named Frank Saucier Field, a reflection of his full name Francis Field Saucier.

Frank Saucier could barely lift his arm the day that Eddie Gaedel played his lone Major League game. Nevertheless, Saucier’s name was penciled in batting lead off and playing right field. After an uneventful top of the first, Saucier was due to bat first for the Browns. It was then that Gaedel gained his fame, walking on four pitches from Bob Cain.

Saucier has signed this index card adding the notation, “Frank Saucier, the injured player for whom Eddie Gaedel pinch hit, Aug 18, 1951”.

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After Eddie Gaedel walked Browns’ manager Zack Taylor lifted the 3’7″ player and replaced him with Jim Delsing. Here Delsing has autographed an index card and added the notation, “Pinch Runner for Eddie Gaedel”. Delsing enjoyed a ten-year career as an outfielder for five teams. He passed away in 2006.

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Shown here is a 1951 Bowman reprint baseball card autographed by Jim Delsing, the pinch runner for Eddie Gaedel. Delsing’s professional baseball career ran from 1942-1960 with ten seasons in the Major Leagues. His final career big league numbers include a .255 average, 40 homers, and 286 runs batted in.

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Bill Veeck was known as a showman who pushed the envelope with his promotions and publicity stunts. Perhaps his most famous stunt was the signing of 3’7″ Eddie Gaedel. The diminutive Gaedel walked in his only Major League plate appearance on August 19, 1951. Here Veeck signs a 3×5 card with the specifics of Gaedel’s one-day big league career.

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Mostly remembered for the day he pitched to Eddie Gaedel, Bob Cain was a five-year big league veteran who pitched in 140 Major League games.

Cain went 37-44 with a 4.50 ERA in five big league seasons from 1949-1953. He played for the Tigers when he faced Gaedel and the Browns. Before the start of the next season Detroit traded him to St. Louis. Cain played his final two Major League seasons for the Browns.

Here is a 3×5 card signed by Cain in which he adds the notation, “I pitched to Eddie Gaedel”. Cain was the only baseball man at Gaedel’s funeral. A willing signer through the mail, Bob Cain died in 1997.

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Imagine the surprise on the face of pitcher Bob Cain when 3’7″ Eddie Gaedel stepped to the plate with bat in hand. Working with a minute strike zone, Cain walked Gaedel on four pitcher. Later in life, Cain sent out Christmas cards much like the one above. Cain has signed this card as well.