Hall of Mediocrity

This past Christmas I received a great gift, The Ballplayers: Baseball's Ultimate Biographical Reference. It's filled with about every player who has played in the major leagues. The best thing I have found in The Ballplayers is the random guys that had very little impact on the game but they still put them in there.

Since it is spring training and baseball season is around the corner I thought on days that I am a little scatter brained or have nothing of interest to say I'll give you one of the guys I have found. If you know of one of these kinds of players with a weird background post a comment and I'll try to add them in.

Sam "Red" Crane played from 19-17 and 1920-22 for the A's, Senators, Reds, Dodgers. 174 games, .208 BA, 0 HR, 30 RBI

Crane was a light-hitting shortstop who continually impressed with brilliant play in the minors. He never won a permanent place until he was convicted of killing his girlfriend and her male companion in a hotel bar; he then secured a long-term position as a SS on the prison team.