Paul Schreiber – back in the day. Twenty-two years between MLB mound appearances – “For the Love of yhe Game.”
On this date (September 4) in 1945, right-hander Paul Schreiber took the mound for the New York Yankees (at Yankee Stadium) with the Bombers trailing the Detroit Tigers 10-0 in the top of the sixth inning. Schreiber acquitted himself well, throwing 3 1/3 scoreless, hitless innings (two walks, one strikeout). The 42-year-old Schreiber made his way into the MLB record books that day – notching the longest period of time between major league mound appearances – 22 years and 2 days.
Schreiber’s most recent previous appearance in an MLB game had come on September 2, 1923, for the NL’s Brooklyn Robins (Dodgers). In that game, the 20-year-old, 6’ 2”, 180-pound hurler, came in in the eighth inning of a game in which the Robins trailed the Phillies 11-3. Schreiber gave up three walks and one earned run in two innings. It was Schreiber’s 10th MLB appearance (nine in 1923 and one in 1922) – and he had a career 0-0 record with a 4.15 ERA in 16 innings pitched. Little did he know that he wouldn’t take the mound in another MLB game for more than 20 years.
Here’s how it happened. In 1924, Schreiber suffered an arm injury that pretty much ended his major league pitching career – but not his hopes nor his love of the game. In the decade that followed he played minor league and semi-pro ball and, eventually, came back to the major leagues as a batting practice pitcher, coach and scout (until he retired in 1964).
Schreiber served as a batting practice pitcher and coach for the Yankees in the 1930s and 1940s (and later joined the Red Sox staff). In 1945, with the season winding down, the Yankees well out of the race (67-59 record), and rosters depleted by World War II, the Bronx Bombers called coach Schreiber out of the bullpen. In addition to that September 4 game (described earlier), Schreiber was given another “mop up” appearance on September 8, coming to the mound in the ninth inning of a game in which the Yankees trailed the Tigers 9-4. In that outing, he gave up two runs on four hits.
Schreiber never did get that elusive major league win, but – thanks to circumstances and his love of the game – he did make the record books. Just how did Paul Schreiber feel about the game? He is quoted in the March 1953 issue of Baseball Digest as saying, “The pitching mound during batting practice isn’t the safest place to be, but I wouldn’t trade places with the President of the United States.” Amen to that!
