Eddie Kazak

Edward Terrance Kazak (July 18, 1920 – December 15, 1999) was an American professional baseball player. Of Polish descent, he played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a third baseman from 1948 to 1952, most prominently as a member of the St. Louis Cardinals.

After suffering serious injuries during World War II, Kazak recovered to become a Major League Baseball player where, he played in the 1949 All-Star Game as a 28-year-old rookie. Injuries prematurely ended his playing career after just five seasons. He played his final season with the Cincinnati Reds.

Baseball career Born Edward Terrance Tkaczuk in Steubenville, Ohio, Kazak graduated from Cecil Township High School in 1938, where he played both baseball and soccer. He played sandlot baseball and played in the Georgia–Florida League for a few years, boasting a batting average of .378 in 1941 when with Albany, the team that won the Georgia-Florida pennant. The 1949 season was Kazak's best statistical season. In 92 games, he had a career-high batting average of .304, 6 home runs, and 3 triples. However, Kazak was later injured and lost his starting job to Tommy Glaviano, becoming a pinch hitter during the 1950 season. He had 207 at-bats in 93 games during the 1950 season, and led the National League with 42 pinch hit at-bats. However, Kazak only had one hit in 13 games as a member of the Reds, which marked the end of his Major League career.

Kazak continued to play baseball after his major league career was over. He played his last professional game at the age of 40 in 1960 while playing for Austin in the Texas League. He died in Austin, Texas on December 15, 1999.