George Caster

George Jasper Caster (August 4, 1907 – December 18, 1955), nicknamed "Ug", was an American professional baseball right-handed pitcher for 21 years from 1929 to 1948 and again in 1953. He played 12 years in Major League Baseball with the Philadelphia Athletics (1934–1935, 1937–1940), St. Louis Browns (1941–1945), and Detroit Tigers (1945–1946).

Caster became known as an early knuckleball pitcher. He played for American League pennant winning teams in both 1944 and 1945. He appeared in 376 major league games and compiled a career record of 76–100 in 1377 innings pitched.

Early years Caster was born in Colton, California, in 1907. He played baseball and football at Colton High School. Caster played shortstop until his senior year, when injuries to Colton's pitchers led to his taking up pitching. He also played two years of baseball at San Bernardino Junior College and was an athlete at the University of Southern California for part of a year before beginning his career as a professional baseball player. Caster was also a pitcher for the Colton Cement Dusters in 1928.

Professional baseball career

Pacific Coast League Caster signed with the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League in 1929. He was farmed out to the San Bernardino Padres in the California State League for the 1929 season.

Philadelphia Athletics In September 1934, Caster made his major league debut with the Philadelphia Athletics. He compiled a 3–2 record for the A's in 1934 and returned to the team in 1935. He appeared in 25 games for the 1935 A's, all but one as a relief pitcher. He finished the season with a 1–4 record and 6.25 ERA.

Caster was optioned by the Athletics to the Portland Beavers for the 1936 season, which proved to be the best of Caster's career. In 44 games for Portland, he compiled a 25–13 record and a 2.79 ERA – a career high in wins and a career low in ERA. In a front page profile, The Sporting News credited Caster's turnaround to overcoming his lack of control and adding a slow knuckleball to his blazing fastball and sharp-breaking curve.

After a strong showing in Portland in 1936, Caster was recalled by the A's for the 1937 season.

In 1939, Caster pitched on opening day for the Athletics against the Washington Senators in Washington, D.C. President Franklin Roosevelt attended the game, in which Caster pitched a shutout; Caster later described the opening day shutout in front of the President as one of the greatest thrills of his baseball career.

St. Louis Browns On November 16, 1940, Caster was selected off waivers by the St. Louis Browns from Philadelphia. In 1941, Luke Sewell converted Caster into a relief pitcher, and he had the best seasons of his major league career as the Browns' lead reliever from 1942 to 1944. As a reliever, his Adjusted ERA+ ratings skyrocketed to 133, 159, and 150 between 1942 and 1944. Caster won five straight games for Detroit before finally losing a game.

Caster's father, Ira, was employed by the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department and became the chief criminal deputy in the 1930s. Caster also worked as a deputy sheriff for the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department in the off-season during his baseball career.

Caster died in 1955 at age 48 in Lakewood, California.