Bill_McCurdy
08-26-2006, 07:25 AM
August 26, 2006. Billy DeMars, the 40th oldest of our 63 living former Browns, is celebrating his 81st birthday this morning.
Happy Birthday, Billy DeMars! :waving
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/pics/billy_demars_autograph.jpg
Billy "The Kid" DeMars
The Brooklyn native didn't have much of a big league career. In that regard, it was only fitting that Billy DeMars (1948-50) spent his limited time as a poor- hitting middle infielder with the Philadelphia Athletics and the St. Louis Browns.
DeMars broke into the majors in 1948, getting 5 singles in 29 times at bat (.172) in 18 games for the 1948 Athletics. Billy didn't make the A's roster in 1949, but he was later traded to the Browns on Dec. 13, 1949 in a multi-player deal. The A's sent DeMars, Ray Coleman, Frankie Gustine, minor league outfielder Ray Ippolito and $100,000 in cash to the Browns in exchange for 3rd baseman Bob Dillinger and outfielder Paul Lehner. On the talent exchange, the trade made little sense on the Browns side, but when you get down to the $100,000 cash the St. Louisans received to pay the bills, it's easier to see why the deal was done. Per usual, good players were used by the Browns to meet expenses, not to get better on the field.
Billy played 61 games for the 1950 Browns, playing mainly at shortstop, but also handling 5 games at 3rd base. DeMars batted .247, garnering 38 singles, 5 doubles, and 1 triple. 1951 found DeMars off the big league roster until the very end of the season. Billy D. came back for one game as a Brown on 9/28/51, going 1 for 4 and playing what would prove to be his final game in the big leagues as a shortstop. Billy DeMars finished his big league career with a 50 for 211, .237 batting average.
Happy Birthday, Billy DeMars! :waving
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/pics/billy_demars_autograph.jpg
Billy "The Kid" DeMars
The Brooklyn native didn't have much of a big league career. In that regard, it was only fitting that Billy DeMars (1948-50) spent his limited time as a poor- hitting middle infielder with the Philadelphia Athletics and the St. Louis Browns.
DeMars broke into the majors in 1948, getting 5 singles in 29 times at bat (.172) in 18 games for the 1948 Athletics. Billy didn't make the A's roster in 1949, but he was later traded to the Browns on Dec. 13, 1949 in a multi-player deal. The A's sent DeMars, Ray Coleman, Frankie Gustine, minor league outfielder Ray Ippolito and $100,000 in cash to the Browns in exchange for 3rd baseman Bob Dillinger and outfielder Paul Lehner. On the talent exchange, the trade made little sense on the Browns side, but when you get down to the $100,000 cash the St. Louisans received to pay the bills, it's easier to see why the deal was done. Per usual, good players were used by the Browns to meet expenses, not to get better on the field.
Billy played 61 games for the 1950 Browns, playing mainly at shortstop, but also handling 5 games at 3rd base. DeMars batted .247, garnering 38 singles, 5 doubles, and 1 triple. 1951 found DeMars off the big league roster until the very end of the season. Billy D. came back for one game as a Brown on 9/28/51, going 1 for 4 and playing what would prove to be his final game in the big leagues as a shortstop. Billy DeMars finished his big league career with a 50 for 211, .237 batting average.