Eugene Leon Crumling (April 5, 1922 – February 11, 2012) was a 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: April 5, 1922 Wrightsville, Pennsylvania | |
| Died: February 11, 2012 (aged 89) Yorkana, Pennsylvania | |
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 | |
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]