Thursday, November 3, 2016

Last Survivors from World Series Winners

Bobby Brown, last survivor of the
1947 and 1949 World Champion New York Yankees;
and Eddie Robinson, last survivor of the
1948 World Champion Cleveland Indians.

I will include pre-World Series "World Champions."

1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings, the 1st openly professional baseball team, undefeated that year: Hall of Fame shortstop George Wright, who lived until 1937.

1870 Brooklyn Atlantics, who dealt the Red Stockings their 1st loss: 1st baseman Joe Start, who lived until 1927.

1871 Philadelphia Athletics, Champions of the National Association, no connection to the later American League team of the same name: Right fielder Al Reach, founder of the A.J. Reach sporting goods company, who lived until 1928.

1872 Boston Red Stockings, forerunners of the Atlanta Braves: George Wright.

1873 Boston Red Stockings: George Wright.

1874 Boston Red Stockings: George Wright.

1875 Boston Red Stockings: George Wright.

1876 Chicago White Stockings, forerunners of the Cubs, the 1st Champions of the National League: Hall of Fame catcher James "Deacon" White, who lived until 1939.

1877 Boston Red Stockings: Pitcher Tommy Bond, who lived until 1941.

1878 Boston Red Stockings: Tommy Bond.

1879 Providence Grays: George Wright.

1880 Chicago White Stockings, forerunners of the Cubs: Pitcher Fred Goldsmith, who lived until 1939.

1881 Chicago White Stockings: Fred Goldsmith.

1882 Chicago White Stockings: Fred Goldsmith.

1883 Boston Beaneaters (again, forerunners of the Braves): Outfielder Paul Radford, who lived until 1945.

1884 Providence Grays, NL Champions, who beat the American Association champion New York Metropolitans (no connection to today's Mets) in a postseason series: Infielder Charley Bassett, who lived until 1942.

1885 St. Louis Browns, forerunners of the Cardinals, Champions of the AA, who beat Chicago: 3rd baseman Walter Arlington "Arlie" Latham, a.k.a. "The Freshest Man On Earth," who lived until 1952.

1886 St. Louis Browns, who again beat the proto-Cubs: Arlie Latham.

1887 Detroit Wolverines, NL Champions, who beat the proto-Cards: Deacon White.

1888 New York Giants, who beat the Browns: Pitcher Ledell Titcomb, who lived until 1950. He's often been called "Cannonball Titcomb," but the nickname never appeared in public during his playing days.

1889 New York Giants, who beat the AA Champion Brooklyn Bridegrooms: LedellTitcomb.

1890 Brooklyn Bridegrooms (4 players had gotten married in an offseason), forerunners of the Dodgers: Pitcher Harry Howell, who also turned out to be the last surviving original 1903 New York Highlander (Yankee). He lived until 1956.

1891 Boston Beaneaters: Hall of Fame left fielder Hugh Duffy, who lived until 1954.

1892 Boston Beaneaters: Hugh Duffy.

1893 Boston Beaneaters: Hugh Duffy.

1894 Baltimore Orioles (no connection to the later AL team of the name): Catcher William "Boileryard" Clarke, who lived until 1959.

1895 Baltimore Orioles: Boileryard Clarke.

1896 Baltimore Orioles: Boileryard Clarke.

1897 Boston Beaneaters: Hugh Duffy.

1898 Boston Beaneaters: Hugh Duffy

1899 Brooklyn Superbas (again, forerunners of the Dodgers): Shortstop Bill Dahlen, who lived until 1950.

1900 Brooklyn Superbas: Harry Howell.

1901 Pittsburgh Pirates: Right fielder Tommy Leach, who lived until 1969.

1902 Pittsburgh Pirates: Tommy Leach.

1903 Boston Americans, forerunners of the Red Sox: Shortstop Freddy Parent, who lived until 1972.

1904 Boston Americans: Freddy Parent.

1905 New York Giants: Bill Dahlen.

1906 Chicago White Sox: Pitcher Guy "Doc" White, who lived until 1969.

1907 Chicago Cubs: 3rd baseman Henry "Heinie" Zimmerman, who lived until 1969.

1908 Chicago Cubs: Heinie Zimmerman.

1909 Pittsburgh Pirates: Pitcher Albert "Lefty" Leifield, who lived until 1970.

1910 Philadelphia Athletics: Center fielder Amos Strunk, who lived until 1969.

1911 Philadelphia Athletics: Amos Strunk.

1912 Boston Red Sox: Pitcher Smoky Joe Wood, who lived until 1985.

1913 Philadelphia Athletics: Amos Strunk.

1914 Boston Braves: Shortstop Jack Martin, who lived until 1980.

1915 Boston Red Sox: Smoky Joe Wood.

1916 Boston Red Sox: Pitcher Ernie Shore, who lived until 1980.

1917 Chicago White Sox: Outfielder Harry "Nemo" Leibold, who lived until 1977.

1918 Boston Red Sox: 3rd baseman Fred Thomas, who lived until 1986.

1919 Cincinnati Reds: Hall of Fame center fielder Edd Roush, who lived until 1988.

1920 Cleveland Indians: Hall of Fame 3rd baseman Joe Sewell, who lived until 1990.

1921 New York Giants: Hall of Fame 1st baseman George "Highpockets" Kelly, who lived until 1984.

1922 New York Giants: Highpockets Kelly.

1923 New York Yankees: Center fielder Lawton "Whitey" Witt, who lived until 1988.

1924 Washington Senators: Outfielder George "Showboat" Fisher, who lived until 1994.

1925 Pittsburgh Pirates: Shortstop Glenn Wright, who lived until 1984.

1926 St. Louis Cardinals: Infielder George "Specs" Toporcer, who lived until 1989.

1927 New York Yankees: Shortstop Mark Koenig.

1928 New York Yankees: Mark Koenig.

1929 Philadelphia Athletics: Outfielder Walt French, who lived until 1984.

1930 Philadelphia Athletics: Left fielder Jimmy Moore, who lived until 1986.

1931 St. Louis Cardinals: 3rd baseman Ray Cunningham, who lived until 2005. His 74 years as a living World Series winner is a record. Ed Mierkowicz of the '45 Tigers would have to live until at least 2019 to catch him.

1932 New York Yankees: Pitcher Charlie Devens, who lived until 2003.

1933 New York Giants: Left fielder Joseph "Jo-Jo" Moore, who lived until 2001.

1934: St. Louis Cardinals: Pitcher Clarence Heise, who lived until 1999.

1935 Detroit Tigers: Pitcher Eldon Auker, who lived until 2006.

1936 New York Yankees: Shortstop Frank Crosetti, who lived until 2002.

1937 New York Yankees: Right fielder Tommy "Ol' Reliable" Henrich, who lived until 2009.

1938 New York Yankees: Tommy Henrich.

1939 New York Yankees: Tommy Henrich.

1940 Cincinnati Reds: Center fielder Eddie Joost.

1941 New York Yankees: Tommy Henrich.

1942 St. Louis Cardinals: Hall of Fame left fielder Stan Musial, who lived until 2013.

1943 New York Yankees: Pitcher Hank Borowy, who lived until 2004.

1944 St. Louis Cardinals: Stan Musial.

1945 Detroit Tigers: Left fielder Ed Mierkowicz, who is still alive.

1946 St. Louis Cardinals: Hall of Fame 2nd baseman Albert "Red" Schoendienst and left fielder Bill Endicott, who are both still alive.

1947 New York Yankees: 3rd baseman Bobby Brown, who is still alive.

1948 Cleveland Indians: 1st baseman Eddie Robinson, who is still alive. If the Indians can finish the job, he may just live long enough to have seen them do it again.

*

The earliest surviving member of...

* An NFL Champion: Charlie Trippi, running back for the 1947 Chicago Cardinals.

* An NBA Champion: Carl Meinhold, guard for the 1948 Baltimore Bullets.

* A Stanley Cup winner: Milt Schmidt, Hall of Fame center for the Boston Bruins, the last survivor of their 1939 and their 1941 Cup winners.

* An FA Cup winner: Reg Harrison, a winger for the 1947 Derby County team.

* A European Cup/UEFA Champions League winner: Francisco Gento, an outside left for the 1956 Real Madrid team.

* A World Cup winner: Halfback Horst Eckel and left winger Hans Schafer of the 1954 West Germany team.

I can't find a record of who the earliest surviving Olympic Gold Medalist is. I know there's one who was born in 1917, but he won his Gold in 1964, making him 47 at the time, so that's not him.

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