1. Overview
Lewis Bernard Krausse Sr. (June 12, 1912 - September 6, 1988) was an American professional baseball pitcher and scout from Media, Pennsylvania. He played parts of the 1931 and 1932 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Athletics, primarily as a relief pitcher, though he also made four starts. Krausse compiled a career MLB record of 5-1. After his brief MLB career was cut short by a persistent arm injury, he continued to play in Minor League Baseball for several seasons, most notably winning two championships with the Elmira Pioneers. Following his retirement as a player in 1946, he transitioned into a long career as a scout for the Philadelphia Phillies and later the Kansas City Athletics. His influence extended to his son, Lew Krausse Jr., who also became an MLB pitcher, winning 68 games.
2. Early life
Lewis Bernard Krausse Sr. was born on June 12, 1912, in Media, Pennsylvania. He attended Upper Darby High School, where he distinguished himself as a promising baseball pitcher. His primary pitch was a swift fastball. In 1931, the Philadelphia Athletics signed him and added him to their major league roster, making him the youngest player in the American League (AL) at the age of 18.
3. Playing career
Lew Krausse Sr.'s professional baseball career began with his debut in Major League Baseball, followed by an extensive period in various minor leagues, where he continued to play despite a career-altering injury.
3.1. Philadelphia Athletics (1931-1932)
Krausse spent two seasons with the Philadelphia Athletics, making his debut as the youngest player in the American League and serving primarily as a relief pitcher.
3.1.1. 1931 season
Krausse was used sparingly by the Philadelphia Athletics during the 1931 season, not making his debut until the third month of the season. On June 11, against the St. Louis Browns, he relieved Rube Walberg in the seventh inning after Walberg had allowed six runs. Krausse pitched the final 2 and 1/3 innings of the game, allowing two runs himself, as the Athletics lost 8-2.
Towards the end of the 1931 season, with Philadelphia having secured a spot in the upcoming 1931 World Series, manager Connie Mack opted to rest his star pitchers, Walberg, Lefty Grove, and George Earnshaw. He instead gave starts to younger pitchers in the regular season's final games. Krausse made his first appearance since July and his first major league start on September 25 against the Boston Red Sox. He delivered a complete game, holding the Red Sox to four hits and one unearned run in a 7-1 victory, earning his first major league win. In his three appearances in 1931, Krausse posted a 1-0 win-loss record and an earned run average (ERA) of 4.09. He did not pitch in the World Series, which the Athletics lost in seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals.
3.1.2. 1932 season
After earning 2.50 K USD in 1931, Krausse signed a contract for 3.00 K USD for the 1932 season. He pitched more frequently for the Athletics that year, primarily in a relief role, though he did make three starts. On July 10, he started what Stephen V. Rice of the Society for American Baseball Research later described as "one of the wildest and craziest games in baseball history" against the Cleveland Indians at League Park. Manager Connie Mack, with the team coming off three straight home doubleheaders and playing a single game series in Cleveland (due to Pennsylvania's blue laws prohibiting Sunday baseball) before returning home for another doubleheader, decided to save both train fare and his pitchers' arms by taking only two pitchers: Krausse and veteran Eddie Rommel. Krausse allowed four hits, including a three-run home run by Earl Averill, in the first inning. Mack quickly replaced him on the mound for the second inning. Rommel pitched 17 innings in relief for the Athletics, who ultimately won the 18-inning slugfest 18-17.
Krausse recorded only one shutout in his MLB career, which came in his final outing of the 1932 season. On September 2, in the second game of a doubleheader against the Red Sox (and only his second game since the end of July), Krausse held the team to six hits in a 15-0 victory. He finished his second season with a 4-1 record, a 4.58 ERA, 16 strikeouts, 24 walks, and 64 hits allowed in 57 innings pitched over 19 games. In 23 total games (four starts) over two seasons with the Athletics, Krausse posted a 5-1 record, a 4.50 ERA, 17 strikeouts, 30 walks, and 70 hits in 68 innings.
3.2. Minor League Career and Injury
After his time in Major League Baseball, Krausse's career continued in the minor leagues, marked by a persistent arm injury that affected his pitching.
3.2.1. Impact of Sore Arm (1933-1934)
Despite being slated to earn 3.00 K USD again in 1933, Krausse was sent to the minor leagues before the season began. A persistent sore right arm prevented him from throwing with the same velocity he had when he debuted two years prior. Although he continued to pitch in the minor leagues for several more seasons, Krausse never regained his former fastball velocity or returned to the major leagues.
He started the 1933 season in the Class AA International League, splitting his time between the Montreal Royals and the Albany Senators. During the season, his rights were acquired by the Boston Braves, who assigned him to the Class A Harrisburg Senators of the New York-Penn League (NYPL). In 11 appearances for Harrisburg, he posted a 3-4 record and a 3.74 ERA. In 1934, the Braves invited him to spring training, but he failed to make the major league roster and was assigned to Harrisburg again. He made 28 appearances for the Senators, posting an 8-11 record and a 5.01 ERA in 169 innings pitched.
3.2.2. Elmira Pioneers (1935-1938)
For the 1935 season, Krausse joined the NYPL's Elmira Pioneers, a team not affiliated with any major league organization at the time. In 40 games, he recorded a 15-11 record and a 4.09 ERA in 229 innings pitched. In 1936, the Brooklyn Dodgers purchased the Elmira team. That season, Krausse set a franchise record with a career-high 24 games won while losing only nine decisions. His contributions helped the Pioneers win the NYPL's second-half pennant.
Elmira rebranded itself as the "Colonels" in 1937, and Krausse appeared in 39 games, posting a 17-9 record and a 3.34 ERA in 210 innings pitched. The Colonels won the NYPL pennant by 6 and 1/2 games, then defeated the Hazleton Mountaineers and the Wilkes-Barre Barons in the playoffs to win the Governors' Cup, their first championship since 1914. He was invited to spring training by the Dodgers in 1938 but again failed to make the roster, being reassigned to Elmira for his fourth season. Renamed the Pioneers, Elmira joined the Eastern League in 1938. Pitching 38 games, Krausse posted an 18-12 record and a 2.88 ERA in 275 innings. After rallying from two games down to defeat Binghamton in a best-of-five series, Elmira defeated Hazleton in the final round to win its second straight Governors' Cup. This would be Krausse's final season with Elmira, as that December the Dodgers traded him to the Cardinals for third baseman and outfielder Jimmy Outlaw, as well as cash.
In four seasons with Elmira, Krausse earned victories in 74 regular-season outings, as well as five postseason contests. Al Mallette, former editor of Elmira's Star-Gazette, stated in 1988 that "Lew was certainly the most popular pitcher to ever play in Elmira." Krausse often returned to the town following his playing career, and in 1961, he was inducted into the Elmira Baseball Hall of Fame as an inaugural member, alongside Sal Maglie and Pete Reiser.
3.2.3. Cardinals and Red Sox Organizations (1939-1943)
Krausse's tenure in the St. Louis Cardinals organization was brief. In 1939, he pitched three games for the Columbus Red Birds of the Class AA American Association before joining the Boston Red Sox system, where he was assigned to the Little Rock Travelers of the Class A1 Southern Association. In 26 games (19 starts) for the Travelers, he had an 8-11 record and a 5.34 ERA, allowing 182 hits in 140 innings pitched.
During the 1940 season, Krausse pitched for both Little Rock and the Scranton Red Sox of the Eastern League. In 21 games (14 starts) for Little Rock, he had a 5-9 record and a 4.58 ERA. With Scranton, he posted a 4-6 record but a lower 2.72 ERA in 13 games (10 starts).
Krausse remained with Scranton for the next two seasons. In 29 games in 1941, he had a 15-9 record, a 2.70 ERA, and allowed 181 hits in 193 innings pitched. Appearing in 26 games (21 starts) in 1942, he had a 10-10 record, a 2.93 ERA, and allowed 171 hits in 166 innings. He briefly pitched for the Lancaster Red Roses of the Class B Interstate League in 1943, posting a 3-2 record and 39 innings pitched in five games.
3.3. Military Service and Final Season (1944-1946)
In 1944 and 1945, Krausse did not pitch in the minor leagues as he was serving in the United States Army during World War II. He returned to the minor leagues in 1946 as the player-manager for the Federalsburg A's of the Class D Eastern Shore League. By this time, he was best known for his "assortment of curveballs." In 29 games, he had an 11-12 record, a 4.29 ERA, and allowed 272 hits in 216 innings pitched. The 1946 season was his last as a player. The Federalsburg A's finished last in the eight-team league with a 37-87 record.
4. Post-playing career
In 1947, Krausse joined the Philadelphia Phillies as a scout, serving in that capacity with the organization through the 1956 season. He was then hired in the same capacity by the Athletics, who had since moved to Kansas City. Krausse was assigned to evaluate players in the Midwestern United States. Filling out reports was the most time-consuming part of his job, though he told reporters that "The hours aren't really too bad." He was very influential in the team's decision to sign his older son, Lew Krausse Jr., to a 125.00 K USD bonus contract in 1961. Lew Krausse Jr. went on to win 68 games for the Athletics and four other MLB teams from 1961 to 1974.
5. Personal life
Krausse was married to Lillian. In addition to Lew Jr., the couple had a younger son named Dave. While he was still playing, Lew Sr. and his brother operated a gas station in Media during the offseason. Lillian died of a heart attack in 1967. Two years later, Lew Sr. also suffered a heart attack, though he survived and lived for several more years. He eventually moved to Sarasota, Florida.
6. Death
Lew Krausse Sr. died at the age of 76 on September 6, 1988, in Sarasota, Florida.
7. Achievements and Legacy
Lew Krausse Sr. was inducted as an inaugural member into the Elmira Baseball Hall of Fame in 1961, alongside Sal Maglie and Pete Reiser, reflecting his popularity and successful tenure with the Elmira Pioneers. His lasting impact on baseball is particularly notable through his son, Lew Krausse Jr., who followed in his footsteps to become a Major League Baseball pitcher, winning 68 games.
8. Career Statistics
| Year | Team | G | GS | CG | SHO | W | L | SV | HLD | W-L% | BF | IP | H | HR | BB | IBB | HBP | SO | WP | BK | R | ER | ERA | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 | Philadelphia Athletics | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 46 | 11.0 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 4.09 | 1.091 | |
| 1932 | 20 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | .800 | 256 | 57.0 | 64 | 3 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 1 | 1 | 31 | 29 | 4.58 | 1.544 | ||
| Total: 2 years | 23 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 0 | .833 | 302 | 68.0 | 70 | 5 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 2 | 1 | 37 | 34 | 4.50 | 1.471 | ||