Another Edition of “Baseball’s Forgotten Stars!” Let’s Remember Elden Auker!

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Elden Auker and 1935 World Series Photo Gallery
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Another Edition of: Baseball’s Forgotten Stars! Let’s Remember Elden Auker!

Every once in a while, I like to turn the spotlight on fine ball player who has long been forgotten over the passage of time. Today, we’ll take a look back at the career of Leroy Elden Auker, a right-handed submariner who played for ten years in the majors for the Tigers (1933- ’38), Red Sox (1939), and Browns (1940-’42). He finished his career with a 130-101 record.

In his last interview before he died in 2006, the 1930’s Tigers’ star was asked how he would pitch to modern day stars. He gave a response typical of players from his era:

“Well, when I played we pitched differently. If a guy was really hitting we used to say, ‘let’s see how they can hit lying down.’ We had a knockdown pitch then, but they don’t let the pitchers do it now. When I pitched home plate belonged to me. Today it belongs to the hitters.”

In that same interview, he also spoke fondly of the great Tiger teams he played on in the 1930’s:

“As a team we were like a bunch of brothers, Hank Greenberg, Charlie Gehringer, Billy Rogell, Goose Goslin, Schoolboy Rowe, Tommy Bridges, all of them. And we had a great manager in Mickey Cochrane. It was a wonderful time of my life. I have had a great life and I wouldn’t change a thing if I had to do it all over again.”

As is usually the case, whenever you look into the career of a forgotten player, you find some interesting tidbits. Such is the case with Norcatur, Kansas native Elden Auker. Here’s some highlights from his life and career:

*Elden was a three-sport star at Kansas State University, winning nine varsity letters. At one time he was called the “greatest all-around athlete in Kansas State history.” He was an All-American quarterback on the football team and was recruited by the Chicago Bears. 

*After joining the Tigers in 1933, the first batter he faced was Babe Ruth, who he struck out on four pitches. Living to age 95, he became the last-living pitcher to have faced Babe Ruth.

*In the ’34 World Series, Auker won Game Four, but lost the decisive Game Seven to Dizzy Dean. In the 1935 series against the Cubs, he started Game Three.

*Auker’s best season was 1935, when he led the American League in winning percentage, going 18-7 (.720), with a 3.83 ERA.

*During the 1935 World Series, Auker was interviewed by a young Cubs’ broadcaster named Ronald Reagan. Years later, Reagan claimed that the radio interview with Auker “was my first big break.”

*Before the 1939 season, Auker was traded to the Red Sox where he began a life-long friendship with Ted Williams. However, he didn’t like playing for manager Joe Cronin and was soon traded to the Browns.

*During the 1941 season, he gave up hits to Joe DiMaggio during two games of DiMaggio’s record 56-game hitting streak.

*Auker retired in 1943 so that he could contribute to the World War II war effort. From 1946-‘75, Auker worked for Bay State Abrasives in Massachusetts, a company that made armaments and abrasive materials, retiring as the company president.

*At age 89, Auker appeared at the last game played at Tiger Stadium on September 27, 1999, saying at the ceremony: “Never forget us, for we live on by those that carry on the Tiger tradition and who so proudly wear the olde English D.”

Elden Auker passed away on August 4, 2006 aged 95, the last survivor of the Tigers first World Series championship in 1935.

Gary Livacari

Photo Credits: All from Google search

Information: Excerpts edited from the Elden Auker Wikipedia page.

Check out my two books, both now available on Amazon in e-book and paperback:  “Paul Pryor in His Own Words: The Life and TImes of a 20-Year Major League Umpire” and “Memorable World Series Moments.” All profits go to the Illinois Veterans Foundation