Gene Bearden

Early life and military service

Gene Bearden came into the world in Lexa, Arkansas. His father, a Missouri Pacific Railroad employee, relocated the family to Tennessee, where Bearden finished Memphis Technical High School. The Philadelphia Phillies signed him in 1939, and he started his pro career with the Class D Moultrie Packers, posting a 5-11 record. Over the next two years, he pitched for the Miami Beach Flamingos in the Florida East Coast League, notching 18 wins with a 1.71 ERA in 1940 and 17 wins with a 2.40 ERA in 1941.

The 1942 season saw him split time between the Savannah Indians and Augusta Tigers of the South Atlantic League. After that, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy for World War II. Bearden told a story about serving on the USS Helena CL-50 and being injured during the Battle of Kula Gulf, suffering a fractured skull and crushed kneecap when the ship went down. That account was false. His Navy service records place him in Florida at the time, not on the Helena.

Cleveland Indians

Bearden made his MLB debut on May 10, 1947, allowing three runs in one-third of an inning against the St. Louis Browns, after which he was demoted to the Triple-A Baltimore Orioles. He quit the team after two defeats, refusing to pitch in International League ballparks because he found them too small. He returned to baseball only after Bill Veeck agreed to loan him to the Oakland Oaks, where he reunited with Casey Stengel and finished 1947 with a 16–7 record and a 2.86 ERA.

In 1948, he earned a roster spot and won six of his first seven starts, including two shutouts. By September 1, he had a 13–6 record with a 2.74 ERA. He lost his first September start but then won seven straight, pitching complete-game shutouts on September 28 and October 2, helping the Indians tie the Red Sox for the league championship.

Later life and career

Bearden was relegated to relief duty in 1950 and, after a 6.15 ERA in 14 appearances, the Indians placed him on waivers. The Washington Senators acquired him on August 2 for $10,000; he pitched in 12 games, finishing with a 3–5 record and a 4.21 ERA. After a poor spring training and one game in April, the Senators released him. He was picked up by the Detroit Tigers, where he had a 3–4 record and a 4.33 ERA in 37 appearances.

On February 14, 1952, the Tigers traded him to the St. Louis Browns. With the Browns, he had a 7–8 record, a 4.30 ERA, and led the American League with 10 wild pitches. His hitting improved that year, as he batted .354 in 65 at bats, the best average among pitchers. During the offseason, he led a barnstorming tour facing the Memphis Red Sox.

In March 1953, the Browns released him, and the Chicago White Sox acquired him off waivers; he had a 3–3 record and a 2.95 ERA in 25 games. After the season, the White Sox traded him to the Seattle Rainiers of the Pacific Coast League.

Did You Know?

• Bearden learned to throw the knuckleball under manager Casey Stengel while playing for the Oakland Oaks in 1946, and it became 80% of his pitches in the majors.
• In the 1948 one-game playoff against the Red Sox, Bearden pitched a complete game on only one day of rest, allowing five hits and one earned run.
• Bearden appeared as himself in two movies during the 1948 offseason: The Stratton Story and The Kid From Cleveland.
• Despite his widely repeated story of being wounded on the USS Helena during the Battle of Kula Gulf, his Naval service records show he was serving in Florida at the time.