Rogers McKee
Encyclopedia
Rogers Hornsby McKee is a former Major League Baseball
pitcher
who played for the Philadelphia Phillies
in 1943 and 1944. As a 16-year-old rookie
in 1943, he was the youngest player to appear in a National League
game that season.
McKee is one of many ballplayers who only appeared in the major leagues
during World War II
. He made his major league debut on August 18, 1943 in a home doubleheader
against the St. Louis Cardinals
at Shibe Park. The best game of his short career, however, came on the last day of the 1943 season. McKee started the second game of a doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates
at Forbes Field
and pitched a complete game
, winning 11-3. The opposing pitcher (and loser) was rookie
Cookie Cuccurullo
, who was making his major-league debut.
McKee appeared in only one game for the Phillies on September 26, 1944. In parts of two seasons he appeared in just five games, four in relief, with three games finished
. He pitched a total of 15.1 innings
and allowed 10 earned runs. His major-league career ended, at the age of 18, with a 1-0 record and a 5.87 ERA
.
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...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
who played for the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in 1943 and 1944. As a 16-year-old rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
in 1943, he was the youngest player to appear in a National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
game that season.
McKee is one of many ballplayers who only appeared in the major leagues
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...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He made his major league debut on August 18, 1943 in a home doubleheader
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
against the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
at Shibe Park. The best game of his short career, however, came on the last day of the 1943 season. McKee started the second game of a doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
at Forbes Field
Forbes Field
Forbes Field was a baseball park in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1909 to 1971. It was the third home of the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball team, and the first home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the city's National Football League franchise...
and pitched a complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
, winning 11-3. The opposing pitcher (and loser) was rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
Cookie Cuccurullo
Cookie Cuccurullo
Arthur Joseph "Cookie" Cuccurullo was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1943 to 1945. The 5'10", 168 lb. left-hander was a native of Asbury Park, New Jersey, United States....
, who was making his major-league debut.
McKee appeared in only one game for the Phillies on September 26, 1944. In parts of two seasons he appeared in just five games, four in relief, with three games finished
Games finished
In baseball statistics, a relief pitcher is credited with a game finished if he is the last pitcher to pitch for his team in a game. A starting pitcher is not credited with a GF for pitching a complete game...
. He pitched a total of 15.1 innings
Innings
An inning, or innings, is a fixed-length segment of a game in any of a variety of sports – most notably cricket and baseball during which one team attempts to score while the other team attempts to prevent the first from scoring. In cricket, the term innings is both singular and plural and is...
and allowed 10 earned runs. His major-league career ended, at the age of 18, with a 1-0 record and a 5.87 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
.