Claude Passeau

Claude Passeau
Pitcher
Born: April 9, 1909(1909-04-09) Waynesboro, Mississippi
Died: August 30, 2003(2003-08-30) (aged 94) Lucedale, Mississippi
Batted: Right	Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 29, 1935 for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Last MLB appearance
September 17, 1947 for the Chicago Cubs
Career statistics
Win–loss record	162–150
Earned run average	3.32
Strikeouts	1,104
Teams
Pittsburgh Pirates (1935) Philadelphia Phillies (1936–1939) Chicago Cubs (1939–1947)
Career highlights and awards
5× All-Star selection (1941, 1942, 1943, 1945, 1946)

Claude William Passeau (April 9, 1909 – August 30, 2003) was an American starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1935 through 1947, Passeau played with the Pittsburgh Pirates (1935), Philadelphia Phillies (1936–39) and Chicago Cubs (1939–47). He batted and threw right-handed. In a 13-year career, Passeau posted a 162–150 record with 1104 strikeouts and a 3.32 ERA in 2179.2 innings.

Personal life

Passeau was a native of Waynesboro, Mississippi. He was a graduate of Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi.

Baseball career

Passeau started his career with the Pittsburgh Pirates, then suffered through several years with the Philadelphia Phillies at their notorious "bandbox" ballpark, Baker Bowl, before being traded to the Chicago Cubs, where he enjoyed several winning seasons.

Passeau surrendered the game-winning home run to Ted Williams in the 1941 All-Star Game.

Passeau's greatest individual performance came in Game 3 of the 1945 World Series, in which he pitched a one-hitter against the Detroit Tigers. Slugger Rudy York got the Tigers' only hit, in the second inning, and the Cubs took a 2-games-to-1 edge. Due to wartime travel restrictions that were still in place, despite the war having ended, the first three games were in Detroit and the last four in Chicago. Back in Wrigley Field, the Cubs lost 3 of 4, and have not been back to the Series since, as of the 2010 season.

That one-hit game was only the second low-hit game in the history of the Series, the first having been pitched by the Cubs' own Ed Reulbach in 1906. There have only been four low-hit Series games since, including Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series, and Roy Halladay's one walk no hitter in the 2010 NLDS, which are the only two no-hitters in MLB postseason history

Death

Passeau died in Lucedale, Mississippi, aged 94.

See also

• List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
• List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
• The Deadball Era
• Claude Passeau at Find a Grave

Preceded by Clay Bryant

National League Strikeout Champion 1939 (with Bucky Walters)

Succeeded by Kirby Higbe