Former A’s first baseman
enthralls Pine Brook pupils
By dave benjamin
Staff Writer
DAVE BENJAMIN Lou Limmer, who played first base for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1951 and 1954, signs an autograph for Meridith Reiter during a visit to the Pine Brook School to talk baseball.
MANALAPAN — Pupils at the Pine Brook School were treated to a bit of baseball history on a recent day at school.
Lou Limmer, a township resident who spent two seasons (1951, 1954) with the old Philadelphia A’s of the American League, came to tell tales of what some people have called baseball’s Golden Age.
Principal Tom Sherman said Limmer, who had visited Pine Brook on four previous occasions, played with and against baseball immortals such as Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Jackie Robinson and Joe DiMaggio. His diamond career also saw him spend time playing with Cuba’s president Fidel Castro.
Limmer, a 6-foot, 2-inch tall, 190-pound first baseman, has been called a profile in courage. In 1948, he broke his neck and suffered temporary blindness after sliding into third base in a Western League game. One year later, he led the American Association in home runs and RBIs.
Manalapan resident Lou Limmer strikes a slugging pose in this 1950s-era photograph from his playing days with the Philadelphia Athletics.
"He became very good friends with Mickey Mantle in 1951 and tried to join the Yankees," Sherman said. "But he couldn’t break in (with the Yankees), so he signed a contract with Connie Mack, the manager and owner, in those days, of the Philadelphia team."
In 1951, Limmer’s dream came true as he played the first of two major league seasons with the Philadelphia A’s. That season he was managed by Mack. He played his second season with the A’s in 1954, managed by Eddie Joost. In 209 major league games, Limmer hit .202 with 19 doubles, four triples, 19 home runs and 62 RBIs. He finished with a .988 fielding percentage.
On Sept. 25, 1954 against the New York Yankees, Limmer earned a place in history when he became the last player to homer for the Philadelphia A’s. On Sept. 26, the A’s played their final game (and beat the Yankees, 8-6) before moving to Kansas City, and subsequently to Oakland.
"The first day I came here (to Pine Brook School), I loved it," Limmer said. "These kids are amazing."
Limmer said he tells baseball stories, answers questions and tells the youngsters about his 10 years of experiences in the minor leagues, five years in winter leagues in Latin American countries and the two seasons he spent in the major leagues.
Whether it’s politics, school, wartime experiences, or whatever, the former first baseman loves to tell his audience all about it.
"With these kids, their minds are so receptive to anything you say," he said.
Limmer has no shortage of diamond stories and he shared them with the children.
"There was a time in the major leagues when I first came up," Limmer recalled. "We were playing the Yankees in Yankee Stadium. I came to bat and (catcher) Yogi Berra knew I was a rookie. I stepped into the batter’s box and he threw dirt on my shoe."
Limmer said Berra told him, "Get back there and hit, bush," referring to Limmer’s status as someone just up from the bush leagues.
"I got back into the batter’s box and got ready to hit, and he threw dirt in my shoe again," he told the pupils.
Limmer said he turned to the umpire and complained. The umpire told him to get back into the box and hit.
"It happens that the first pitch that was thrown to me, I hit a home run," he said. "That was the most exciting thing that happened to me in baseball."
Limmer said he was so excited as he ran around the bases that he almost passed the runner who was on base ahead of him.
In another anecdote, Limmer noted that Mack, who was 89, would sit in the A’s dugout and be oblivious to what was going on. Mack asked his son, Earl, a coach, for a pinch hitter, not realizing that the A’s had just made the third out of the inning. As the other team came off the field, Mack told his son to send Limmer in to pinch hit.
"I got up to Mr. Mack and told him the inning was over," said Limmer. "And he (just) said, ‘Oh?’ "
Limmer told of practical jokes played on Phil Rizzuto; he told the children how Billy Martin would instigate fights and then walk to the side while everyone else was busy fighting; and he spoke of his experiences playing against Ted Williams and Stan Musial, whom he considered the greatest players he played against.
He spoke of a Christmas celebration in Venezuela when soldiers beat up the wives of some of the ball players for enjoying themselves, but never touched the ball players, because the players were respected; he talked about Allie Reynolds, the toughest pitcher he ever faced; and of almost getting hit three times by inside pitches thrown by Early Wynn, and then striking out on the next three pitches.
After leaving baseball, Limmer became involved in the manufacturing of commercial refrigeration equipment for 25 years. At first he worked with his one of his brothers. Later, he opened his own commercial refrigeration business.
At the end of his talk, Limmer said he was heading for Philadelphia to attend a baseball society get-together with other oldtimers.
Sherman, a baseball enthusiast himself, said he’s learned so much from the experience of having Limmer come to the school. He said he’d learned that Limmer and Jackie Robinson frequently had problems when they played in the South.
"They had a lot of trouble going into restaurants down south because (the restaurants) didn’t allow blacks and Jews," the principal said.
In addition to all of the baseball stories, Limmer tells the children not to smoke or chew tobacco and warns them, "Look what happened to me," referring to his emphysema.
He signed autographs, praised the children and complimented the teachers and school staff.
"This school is fantastic," he said.
Limmer is part of the Generation Connection program, an intergenerational partnership in education project directed by Stephanie Cayne-Meiskin. The program provides a bridge into the school that allows seniors to interact with children, while fostering an inspirational and exciting exchange of ideas.