Luke Appling
Hall of Fame shortstop known as "Old Aches and Pains" who spent his entire 20-year playing career with the Chicago White Sox.
Lucius Benjamin Appling (April 2, 1907 – January 3, 1991), nicknamed "Old Aches and Pains", was an American professional baseball shortstop who played 20 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Chicago White Sox (1930–1950). He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964.
Quick Facts
- Position
- Shortstop
- Bats
- Right
- Born
- 2 April 1907
- Birthplace
- High Point, North Carolina, U.S.
- Died
- 3 January 1991
- Place of death
- Cumming, Georgia, U.S.
- Debut league
- MLB
- Debut date
- September 10
Facts from the source article.
Background
Appling was born in High Point, North Carolina. He attended Fulton High School in Atlanta, Georgia. He later said that he had been lefthanded until high school, then became righthanded to play shortstop. He attended Oglethorpe College for two years. In 1930, he signed with the Atlanta Crackers and was purchased by the White Sox for $20,000. He interrupted his career to serve in World War II in 1944 and 1945. He died in Georgia in 1991.
Did You Know?
- Appling's .388 batting average in 1936 was the highest by a shortstop in the 20th century.
- He earned the nickname "Old Aches and Pains" for constantly complaining about minor ailments.
- In the 1982 Cracker Jack Old Timers game, the 75-year-old Appling hit a home run off Warren Spahn.
- He was named the greatest player in White Sox history by the Chicago chapter of the BBWAA in 1970.
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