Bill Mizeur
Encyclopedia
William Francis "Bad Bill" Mizeur (June 22, 1897 - August 27, 1976) was a pinch hitter
in Major League Baseball
. He played in two games for the St. Louis Browns
and also had a 14-year minor league career.
. He started his professional baseball career in 1922, at the age of 25, and hit .333 in Class D. The following season, he broke out, batting
.328 and leading the Class B Michigan-Ontario League
with 174 hits. He made his major league debut on September 30, with the Browns, and went 0 for 1 at the plate.
Mizeur continued his good hitting in 1924. He spent the year with the Terre Haute Tots of the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League, batting .327, and hitting 11 home run
s. On September 13, he appeared in one more game for the Browns, again as a pinch hitter. That was the last major league experience of his career.
Mizeur spent most of the next seven years in the IIIL. He stayed with Terre Haute in 1925 and 1926, batting over .320 in both campaigns, and then went to the Peoria Tractors
. He put up his best numbers in 1927, setting career-highs in six offensive categories: batting average (.354), slugging percentage (.618), total bases (325), hits (186), triples
(19), and home runs (23). He eventually finished behind teammate Red Smith for the batting title, but Mizeur did lead the league in total bases, hits, triples, and homers.
From 1928 to 1931, he played for the Springfield Senators and continued his torrid hitting. Mizeur consistently finished among the league leaders in various statistics throughout his career. In 1932, he moved to the Mississippi Valley League
's Cedar Rapids Bunnies
for one season. He hit .360 and won the batting title. Mizeur then went to Peoria in 1933 and then back to Cedar Rapids in 1934. In August 1934, he took over as manager for the Western League
's Cedar Rapids Raiders
for the last part of the season. In 1935, he played for both Cedar Rapids and Rock Island and batted .236. At the age of 38, it was the first time that Mizeur had posted a below-.300 average over the course of a season.
Mizeur retired after 1935. He died at the age of 79 in Decatur, Illinois
, and was buried in Calvary Cemetery.
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. He played in two games for the St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
and also had a 14-year minor league career.
Career
Mizeur was born in Nokomis, IllinoisNokomis, Illinois
Nokomis is a city in Montgomery County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,389 at the 2000 census, and 2,230 at a 2009 estimate.-Geography:Nokomis is located at ....
. He started his professional baseball career in 1922, at the age of 25, and hit .333 in Class D. The following season, he broke out, batting
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.328 and leading the Class B Michigan-Ontario League
Michigan-Ontario League
Michigan State League was the name of an American professional baseball league. It operated seven full seasons and part of an eighth from 1919 to 1926....
with 174 hits. He made his major league debut on September 30, with the Browns, and went 0 for 1 at the plate.
Mizeur continued his good hitting in 1924. He spent the year with the Terre Haute Tots of the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League, batting .327, and hitting 11 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s. On September 13, he appeared in one more game for the Browns, again as a pinch hitter. That was the last major league experience of his career.
Mizeur spent most of the next seven years in the IIIL. He stayed with Terre Haute in 1925 and 1926, batting over .320 in both campaigns, and then went to the Peoria Tractors
Peoria Chiefs
The Peoria Chiefs are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Chicago Cubs, from Peoria, Illinois. They play in the Midwest League....
. He put up his best numbers in 1927, setting career-highs in six offensive categories: batting average (.354), slugging percentage (.618), total bases (325), hits (186), triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
(19), and home runs (23). He eventually finished behind teammate Red Smith for the batting title, but Mizeur did lead the league in total bases, hits, triples, and homers.
From 1928 to 1931, he played for the Springfield Senators and continued his torrid hitting. Mizeur consistently finished among the league leaders in various statistics throughout his career. In 1932, he moved to the Mississippi Valley League
Mississippi Valley League
The Mississippi Valley League was a Class-D minor baseball league from 1922 to 1932, and a Class-B league in 1933.The league began play in 1922 with six teams: the Cedar Rapids Bunnies, the Marshalltown Ansons, the Rock Island Islanders, the Waterloo Hawks, the Ottumwa Cardinals and the Dubuque...
's Cedar Rapids Bunnies
Cedar Rapids Kernels
The Cedar Rapids Kernels are a Class A minor league baseball team based in Iowa. It is affiliated with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and plays in the Midwest League.-Franchise history:...
for one season. He hit .360 and won the batting title. Mizeur then went to Peoria in 1933 and then back to Cedar Rapids in 1934. In August 1934, he took over as manager for the Western League
Western League (defunct minor league)
The Western League is a name given to several circuits in American minor league baseball. Its earliest progenitor, which existed from 1885 to 1899, was the predecessor of the American League...
's Cedar Rapids Raiders
Cedar Rapids Raiders
* Location: Cedar Rapids, IA* League: Western League 1934-1937; Illinois-Iowa-Indiana League 1938-1942, 1955–1957* Affiliation: St...
for the last part of the season. In 1935, he played for both Cedar Rapids and Rock Island and batted .236. At the age of 38, it was the first time that Mizeur had posted a below-.300 average over the course of a season.
Mizeur retired after 1935. He died at the age of 79 in Decatur, Illinois
Decatur, Illinois
Decatur is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The city, sometimes called "the Soybean Capital of the World", was founded in 1823 and is located along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Central Illinois. In 2000 the city population was 81,500,...
, and was buried in Calvary Cemetery.