Mickey Kreitner

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Albert Joseph "Mickey" Kreitner (October 9, 1922 - March 6, 2003) was a Major League Baseball catcher who played for the Chicago Cubs in 1943 and 1944. As a 20-year-old rookie in '43, he was the tenth-youngest player to appear in a National League game that season.

Kreitner is one of many ballplayers who only appeared in the major leagues during World War II. He made his major league debut on September 28, 1943 in a home doubleheader against the New York Giants at Wrigley Field.

He was a typical example of what Mike González termed "good field, no hit." In a total of 42 games he hit just .172 (16-for-93...14 singles) with three runs batted in and three runs scored. Nine walks, however, did push his on base percentage up to .252. In limited time he posted solid defensive numbers at catcher, handling 126 out of 127 chances successfully for a high fielding percentage of .992.

Kreitner passed away in his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 80.