RIP - Del Crandall

 

Del Crandall, the Braves' catcher from 1949 to 1963, passed away on May 5th, 2021 at age 91.

He played 2 seasons with the Boston Braves before missing the '51 and '52 seasons for military service. He was the last surviving member of the Boston Braves. 

 

Crandall was one of the five players whose MLB career began in the 1940s and were still playing by 1966 and beyond. 

 

Robin Roberts - last game 9/3/66 

Del Crandall - 9/25/66 

Joe Nuxhall - 10/2/66 

Smoky Burgess - 10/1/67 

Curt Simmons - 10/1/67 

 

Crandall finished 2nd in the 1949 NL Rookie of the Year voting, and was an 11-time All-Star (making both squads in '59, '60, and '62). He probably missed the '61 All-Star games only because injuries limited him to 15 games that season. 

 

After the 1963 season, he played 1 year each with the Giants, Pirates, and Indians.   Crandall also managed the Brewers from 1972-75, and the Mariners from 1983-84. 

 

New York Times obituary  

 

Washington Post obituary