[Comedian2004]

Everytime I run a long simulation, I always check to see if somehow or another, a team actually played Eddie Gaedel. They have yet to do it, but I keep checking.

Who is Eddie Gaedel? Eddie was a 3' 7" person. Back in 1951, the newspapers called him an elf and a midget. Bill Veek used Eddie as a promotional tool, making him come out of a birthday cake and then even batting. Of course he drew a walk in 4 pitches and they pinch ran for him.

While Veek became famous for this stunt and others, this was a stolen idea. It came from a story called 'You Could Look it Up", by James Thurber.

Gaedel worked a regular job with Drovers Daily Journal as an office worker and an errand boy and supported his widowed mother, Mrs. Helen Gaedel. He also lives with his brother, Robert. The little guy is perfectly normal, except for a thyroid condition, which retarted his growth. Other than that he's built in perfect proportion. He stands 43 inches tall and weighs 65 pounds. His brother is five feet nine inches tall and 17 years old. A married sister, stands five foot, six inches.

He had a contract that called for him to get 100 dollars per game, until the league office ruled him out.

This cracked me up:

When Gaedel learned that President William Harridge of the American League had banned his further participation as a Brownie player, the little fellow retorted:

"Organized Baseball should have a commissioner, so I could appeal this decision. Harridge is ruining my baseball career. This is a conspiracy against all short guys. This is a strikeout against the little people."

More...