Tommy Thevenow

Thomas Joseph Thevenow (September 6, 1903 – July 29, 1957) was an American professional baseball shortstop. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1924 to 1938 for the St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, and Boston Bees. Thevenow epitomized the good-fielding / weak-hitting shortstops that prevailed in the era, ending his career with a fielding percentage of .947, but a batting average of .247 while hitting only two home runs in his 15-year career. He hit two home runs in 1926, both inside-the-park home runs, and then never hit another home run in his next 12 seasons, setting a major league record of 3,347 consecutive at bats without a home run.

Baseball career Thevenow was acquired by the Cardinals on September 3, 1924, when he was purchased from the Syracuse Stars of the Class AA International League, where he played 140 games that season. He played 23 games for the Cardinals that season, debuting on September 4 and finishing the season with a batting average of .202. He played 50 games with St. Louis in 1925, concluding the season with a .269 average, in addition to 112 games played for Syracuse. Over the rest of the 1926 season and the next 12 years of his major league career, Thevenow would not hit another home run (his final 3,347 at-bats), the most consecutive at bats without a home run in major league history.

Thevenow's hitting dropped below the Mendoza Line in 1927, with an average of .194 in 59 games. He picked it up a bit in 1928, ending the season having played 69 games and finishing with a .205 batting average. Following the season, the Cardinals traded him to the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for shortstop Heinie Sand and $10,000.

Personal life Thevenow died at age 53 on July 29, 1957, due to a cerebral hemorrhage. He had operated a grocery store in his hometown of Madison, Indiana following his retirement from baseball.