Gene Crumling

Eugene Leon Crumling (April 5, 1922 – February 11, 2012) was an American backup catcher in Major League Baseball who played for the St. Louis Cardinals during the 1945 season. Listed at 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m), 180 lb., he batted and threw right-handed.^[1]

Gene Crumling
Catcher
Born: (1922-04-05)April 5, 1922 Wrightsville, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Died: February 11, 2012(2012-02-11) (aged 89) Yorkana, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 11, 1945
Last MLB appearance
September 29, 1945
MLB statistics
Games played	6
At bats	12
Hits	1
RBI	1
Batting average	.083
Teams
St. Louis Cardinals (1945)

Crumling was one of many ballplayers who only appeared in the majors during World War II. He joined the Cardinals late in the 1945 season, as part of a catching tandem that included Ken O'Dea, Del Rice and Walker Cooper. He posted a .083 batting average in six games.^[2]

He also played for eight Minor league teams from 1941 through 1952, hitting a .236 average in 895 games.^[3]

Besides this, he managed for three seasons in the Interstate League (1948, 1951) and the Pennsylvania–Ontario–New York League (1952).^[3]

Crumling died in Yorkana, Pennsylvania, at the age of 89.^[4]