Ed Mierkowicz

Early life Mierkowicz was born in Wyandotte, Michigan, the son of a factory worker.

He was friends as a child with Bob Kuzava who went on to pitch for the New York Yankees.

In 1943, Mierkowicz was inducted into the Army. Mierkowicz was discharged after contracting rheumatic fever.

Professional baseball Minor leagues (1944–1945) In February 1944, Mierkowicz was signed by Wish Egan for the Detroit Tigers. He was assigned to the Buffalo Bisons who in turn optioned him to the Hagerstown Owls of the Inter-State League. He appeared in 139 games for Hagerstown during the 1944 season, appearing in 139 games and compiling a .331 batting average with 90 hits, 44 extra-base hits, and 94 RBIs.

Mierkowicz spent most of the 1945 season with the Buffalo Bisons. He appeared in 131 games for Buffalo, compiled a .303 batting average, scored 91 runs and tallied 67 extra-base hits, 23 home runs, and 94 RBIs. He played in 10 games in 1945, tallying two hits, a walk and two RBIs in 15 at bats.

The Tigers won the American League pennant and defeated the Chicago Cubs in the 1945 World Series. Mierkowicz appeared as a defensive replacement for Hank Greenberg in the ninth inning of Game 7. Mierkowicz did not bat in the Series but he received a World Series ring in his rookie season.

Mierkowicz fell at his apartment in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, in February 2016, injuring his hip, leg and foot. Following the injury, he gained press attention as the last surviving member for the 1945 Detroit Tigers. After his release from the hospital, he stayed at a rehabilitation facility in Troy, Michigan. He fell and broke his hip for a second time and was placed in a nursing center in West Bloomfield, Michigan.