Elden Auker
| Elden Auker | |||
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| Pitcher | |||
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Born: September 21, 1910 Norcatur, Kansas |
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Died: August 4, 2006 (aged 95) Vero Beach, Florida |
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| MLB debut | |||
| August 10, 1933, for the Detroit Tigers | |||
| Last MLB appearance | |||
| September 20, 1942, for the St. Louis Browns | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 130–101 | ||
| Earned run average | 4.42 | ||
| Strikeouts | 594 | ||
| Teams | |||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Elden le Roy Auker (September 21, 1910 – August 4, 2006) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) noted for his submarine pitching style.
Auker was born and raised in Norcatur, Kansas, the son of Fred and Florence Auker. He attended college at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas, where he was a brother of Phi Sigma Kappa. Called by former Kansas State University President James McCain, "the greatest all-around athlete in Kansas State history," Auker won nine varsity letters – three each in baseball, basketball and football during his college career from 1929–1932. He was first-team All-American in baseball and All-Big Six Conference in baseball, football, and basketball. In football, Auker starred at quarterback, was named second team All-American by Grantland Rice and was offered a $6,000 contract by the Chicago Bears. The Bears sent Bronko Nagurski to Manhattan to try to convince him to join the team. Auker turned down the Bears, however, to pitch for the Detroit Tigers.
During his ten-year Major League career, Auker played with the Tigers, Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Browns. The first batter Auken faced was Babe Ruth, whom he struck out on four pitches. Auker was the last living pitcher to have faced Ruth. While with Detroit, Auker went to consecutive World Series, in 1934 and 1935. In the 1934 Series against the St. Louis Cardinals, Auker was the winning pitcher in Game 4, but the loser to Dizzy Dean in the decisive Game 7. The next season, Auker led the American League in winning percentage with an 18–7 record. In the 1935 Series against the Chicago Cubs, Auker started Game 3, which Detroit won in extra innings, and the Tigers went on to win the Series four games to two.
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