[dennis_keith]

There's Now Just 14 Surviving Players who played in the majors In 1945 or Earlier.


Almost all living players debuted in the major leagues in the Post-World War Two Era of 1946 to present, except for the following 14 who played at least part of their MLB careers in the
World War Two Era that ended in 1945. With the recent death of
Bobby Doerr, (MLB Career: 1937-1951) it means that there are no more survivors who played MLB ball in the 1930s and in fact the earliest any survivor played in the big leagues was in 1941.

I listed them two ways: by MLB Debut Date and by their Current Ages.

Survivors listed by Earliest Major League Debut Date:
Rank/Player/Position/MLB Debut date/MLB Career Span.

1. Fred Caliguiri - P - 9/3/1941;1941-1942.
2. Chuck Stevens - !B - 9/16/1941; 1941-1948.
3 George Yankowski - C - 8/17/1942; 1942-1946.
4. Val Heim - OF - 8/31/1942; 1942-1942.
5. Eddie Robinson - 1B - 9/9/1942; 1942-1957.
6. Carl Scheib - P - 9/6/1943; 1943-1954.
7. Chris Haughey - P - 10/3/1943; 1943-1943.
8. Bill Mills - C - 5/19/1944; 1944-1944.
9. Eddie Basinski - SS - 5/20/1944; 1944-1947.
10. Tom Jordan - C - 9/4/1944; 1944-1948.
11. Albert 'Red' Schoendienst - 2B - 4/17/1945; 1945-1963.
12. Don Hasenmayer - 3B - 5/2/1945; 1945-1946.
13. Milt Welch - C - 6/5/1945; 1945-1946.
14. Johnny Hetki - P - 9/14/1945 - 1945-1954.

Survivors listed by Age Oldest to youngest as follows:
Chuck Stevens 99 yrs., 4 mos.; Fred Caliguiri 99 yrs.,1 month.; Tom Jordan 98; Bill Mills 98; Val Heim 97; Eddie Robinson 96 yrs, 11 mos.; Johnny Hetki 95; Eddie Basinski 95; George Yankowski 95;
Red Schoendienst 94 yrs.,10 mos.; Milt Welch 93; Chris Haughey 92;
Carl Scheib 90 yrs.,11 mos.; Don Hasenmayer 90 yrs., 8 months.


Notable:

Stevens, Caliguiri, Jordan and Mills are the only surviors who were born before 1920.


Eddie Robinson survived War wounds from the Pacific Theater to become a four-time American League All-Star First Baseman (1949; 1951-1953). He's the last remaining member of the Cleveland Indians 1948 World's Championship team.

Red Schoendienst (Oldest Living Hall Of Famer) was a 10-time National League All-Star Second Baseman (1946; 1948-1955 & 1957) in a brilliant 19 year, 18 1/2 season major leagues career (From Opening Day 1945 to the all-star game break, 1963 - Ages 23 to 41). He was elected to the National Baseball Hall Of Fame in 1989.