RIP Danny Litwhiler

[1998 Yankees]

I'll match bear's obscure player obituary with one of my own. In this case, for some reason, I found myself both caring and gratified; a long life, well lived, I said to myself.

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — Danny Litwhiler, who followed an 11-year major league career in the 1940s with a lifetime of coaching college players and work on inventions intended to improve the game he loved, died Friday at the age of 95.

Michigan State, one of the schools where Litwhiler coached, said Litwhiler died in Clearwater, Fla., and that his widow, Patricia, had notified the school. He also coached at Florida State.

Litwhiler played for the Phillies, Cardinals, Braves and Reds from 1940-51. He was an All-Star in 1942 with Philadelphia and was a member of the Cardinals' 1944 championship team.

According to biographical information from Michigan State, Litwhiler was the first major leaguer to play an entire season without committing an error (317 chances in 151 games in 1942) and played 187 consecutive errorless games over a period of two seasons. Litwhiler, a two-time Gold Glove winner, had a lifetime average of .282 with 107 home runs, 451 RBIs and 428 runs scored in 1,057 games played.

He later served as international president for the U.S. Baseball Federation from 1978-83. Michigan State said he helped develop one of the first radar guns for use in clocking pitches, one of dozens of inventions for the game.

In 28 years of coaching Division I college baseball at both Florida State and Michigan State, Litwhiler had a combined record of 678-445-9 (.603) and guided his teams to nine appearances in the NCAA tournament. His former players included Kirk Gibson, Rick Miller and Steve Garvey.

Litwhiler was born Aug. 31, 1916, in Ringtown, Pa. Besides his wife, survivors include eight children.

I used to go to his baseball camps at Michigan State in the mid-late '70s. It was always a special week. After the morning sessions some of us would hang around the field and Danny would tell us stories about the old St. Louis Gashouse Gang and playing with Pepper Martin. He was a wonderful story teller and he had a special quality that made people feel comfortable being around him. He used to carry a fungo bat around all through practices. That image with his friendly smile is etched into my memory forever. RIP Danny, you will be missed.
~
Bill Kemp,
Winter Haven, Florida

[bear]

rip