Where did they go? Pre-war players who reappeared

[G1911]

Hugh Jennings came back like this several different times for a few plate appearances when a team he was coaching needed a warm body.

Not a year gap, but John McGraw from 1904-1907 did the same thing every year.

[packs]

Some of these stories are unbelievable. I found an old article online that didn't exactly explain why Charley O'Leary pinch hit when he was 58 years old, but it does say that Charlie Gehringer more or less let the ball through so he could record a hit.

I also found this note on Gabby Street entering a game in 1931. At 48 years old he still caught the inning AND threw out Babe Herman trying to steal 2nd:

St. Louis, September 21, 1931. — “Today’s battery, Johnson and Street.” Diamond followers who thrilled to that cry years ago when Walter Johnson and Gabby Street of the Washington Senators formed the most famous battery in history, heard it once again here Sunday. Street, now piloting St. Louis’ championship Cardinals, returned to active play for the first time since 1928, when he played with Knoxville in the Southern League, and caught three innings against Brooklyn. His pitcher was Sylvester Johnson, completing the “Johnson and Street” battery. Street showed he still retained his throwing ability by tossing out Babe Herman, the only Robin who attempted to steal. He was at bat only once and flied out to Herman

[The Detroit Collector]

Originally Posted by G1911

Hugh Jennings came back like this several different times for a few plate appearances when a team he was coaching needed a warm body.

Not a year gap, but John McGraw from 1904-1907 did the same thing every year.

Yep, when the team went on strike for Cobbs suspension, he went in to bat to fill some holes.

[packs]

I wish they still did this. I would love to see Donnie Baseball get up there and take some swings just to entertain the crowd for one moment.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Minoso made a couple of guest appearances long after he retired.

[Misunderestimated]

Sam Thompson returned for 8 games in 1906 -- at age 46...

[G1911]

Originally Posted by packs

I wish they still did this. I would love to see Donnie Baseball get up there and take some swings just to entertain the crowd for one moment.

It seems like there are 2 types of players here. Coaches and Managers that stepped in when injuries, strikes or other problems struck and the team needed a warm body, and then players who came back as entertainment stunts. I can't think of a guy after Minoso of either type

[packs]

Don’s bench coach for Toronto so he would fit the bill.

The only guy I can think of who got a special at bat in recent memory was Adam Greenberg.

[BillyCoxDodgers3B]

On a related note, there are those players whose gaps between MLB appearances were large due to many years of toil in the minors. Millard "Dixie" Howell, Clay Touchstone and Al Epperly to name a few.

[commishbob]

Charles Bender pitched an inning for the White Sox in 1925, eight years after his retirement. He was their pitching coach at the time and the game was part of a doubleheader due to a rainout earlier that week. I'd guess he was just trying to keep his staff from overwork.

[RUKen]

Originally Posted by G1911

It seems like there are 2 types of players here. Coaches and Managers that stepped in when injuries, strikes or other problems struck and the team needed a warm body, and then players who came back as entertainment stunts.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the coaches' boxes were manned by players who were not in the game that day, or sometimes by the manager. When John McGraw hired Arlie Latham and Wilbert Robinson to be non-playing coaches in 1909, he had to add them to the team roster along with the players; there was not a separate roster for the manager and coaches. This situation persisted for years as more teams hired coaches who were generally not expected to play. All of these coaches could enter a game when needed, or as a lark at the end of the season.

[abothebear]

Raphael Palmeiro made a comeback attempt a few years ago (2019). He had a .919 OPS in independent ball in 31 games.