Stanislaw Leo "Steve" Kuczek was an American professional baseball player. A late-season callup to the 1949 Boston Braves, he became one of only 84 players in the history of Major League Baseball to sport a career 1.000 batting average. He was born in Amsterdam, New York, and played baseball in high school, as well as at Colgate University and in the United States Army, in which he served during World War II. On September 29, 1949, in a game against the Brooklyn Dodgers at Braves Field, Kuczek made his first and only appearance in the Major Leagues. In the second game of a doubleheader, rain had soaked the field and darkness was beginning to set in. In the bottom of the fifth inning with the Dodgers leading 8?0, Tommy Holmes stepped into the batter's box, and Connie Ryan entered the on deck circle wearing a raincoat. Unamused by Ryan's protest of the game continuing under such conditions, umpire George Barr promptly ejected Ryan. Kuczek was selected to pinch-hit for Ryan, and was likely going to assume Ryan's position at shortstop were the game to continue. Holmes doubled off Dodger pitcher Don Newcombe, and Kuczek followed by doubling down the right field line. 

December 28th, 1924 in Amsterdam  /  Died:   Nov 21st, 2010