Russ Bauers – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Russell Lee Bauers had a fascinating run in Major League Baseball, pitching for three different teams over 14 seasons from 1936 to 1950.

Born in the lumber country of Wisconsin, this right-handed pitcher with a left-handed swing brought both promise and unpredictability to every mound he took.

His journey through pro baseball was full of early success, wartime service, and the constant challenge of living up to his potential.

Bauers put together a career record of 31 wins and 30 losses with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, and St. Louis Browns. His best years came in the late 1930s, when he posted a 2.88 ERA that ranked fourth in the National League.

His story is really a classic tale of a small-town athlete making it to the big leagues, complete with the ups and downs that defined baseball during the Great Depression and World War II.

From his humble beginnings practicing against a log cabin wall in northern Wisconsin to his final appearance in 1950, Bauers’ career spanned some of the most transformative years in baseball history.

His path included military service during World War II, where he pitched for the champion OISE All-Stars in the European Theater World Series.

He constantly battled injuries and inconsistency, which shaped his legacy just as much as his talent did.

Early Life and Background

Russell Lee Bauers was born on May 10, 1914, in the small village of Townsend, Wisconsin, though his birth certificate listed him as “Leonard Alfred Lundquist.”

His early years were marked by family tragedy and the rugged lumber industry that defined northeastern Wisconsin back then.

Family and Birth Name

Russ Bauers came into the world with a complicated family history that shaped his early years.

His birth certificate recorded him as Leonard Alfred Lundquist, reflecting his biological father’s last name.

The family suffered tragedy when Charles Lundquist died on August 9, 1917, leaving Russ without a father at just three years old.

His mother, Freda Ihlenfeldt, later married George Bauers, and Russ took on his stepfather’s surname.

George Bauers played a big role in Russ’s life, working as a foreman for the Holt Lumber Company.

The family eventually moved to Lakewood, Wisconsin, where George ran a local tavern that became a community staple.

Russ’s mother helped support the family by working as a cook at a farm just east of Lakewood.

This farm, which eventually became a golf course, gave young Russ an unexpected training ground for his future baseball career.

Formative Years in Wisconsin

Bauers grew up surrounded by the lumber camps and small towns of northeastern Wisconsin.

His family’s ties to the timber industry exposed him to the tough, hard-working culture of the region.

At the farm where his mother worked, Russ found his love for baseball.

He threw baseballs against a log cabin wall, using it as a makeshift practice area.

This simple method helped him develop the control he’d need later in pro baseball.

He aimed for specific spots on the logs so the ball would bounce back to him, making it a daily routine.

This self-taught approach showed the resourcefulness that small-town athletes often had to develop.

The rural Wisconsin environment built up Russ’s work ethic and determination.

The harsh winters and physical demands of the lumber industry created a tough, resilient character in him.

High School and Semi-Pro Experience

Russ’s athletic growth really took off when he moved to Oconto for his last two years of high school.

Lakewood’s school only went through 10th grade, so his stepfather sent him to a bigger school 30 miles south.

At Oconto High School, Russ became a multi-sport athlete, playing football as an end and basketball as a center.

But it was his baseball skills that quickly set him apart. In one District Championship game, the 15-year-old struck out 19 batters in seven innings, leading Oconto to a big win over Green Bay’s West High School.

After graduating in 1933, Russ joined the Lakewood town team, starting out at first base.

When the team’s pitcher struggled in one game, teammates who knew about Russ’s arm asked him to pitch.

“I stopped the opposing team from any more scoring,” he later told The Sporting News.

His success with the local team opened doors with the Chicago Mills, a semi-pro outfit.

Sometimes playing under the names “Speed Bowers” or “Russell Bowers,” he faced all kinds of competition, including the House of David team and Nashville Negro League champions.

Path to the Major Leagues

Russ Bauers started his professional baseball career in 1935 with the Philadelphia Phillies organization.

He later landed with the Pittsburgh Pirates, where he made his major league debut in 1936.

Signing with Philadelphia Phillies

The Philadelphia Phillies signed Russ Bauers as an undrafted free agent in early 1935.

That was the start of his professional career at age 21.

Bauers was born Leonard Alfred Lundquist in Townsend, Wisconsin, but took his adoptive father’s name after his mother remarried in 1917.

He attended Oconto Falls High School, where he sharpened his pitching skills.

During his high school and semi-pro days, newspapers sometimes spelled his last name as “Bowers,” showing how informal local sports reporting could be in small Wisconsin towns back then.

The Phillies gave Bauers his first shot at pro baseball, but his time with Philadelphia didn’t last long.

First Professional Contract

Bauers signed his first pro contract with the Phillies in 1935.

Details about this contract are pretty scarce in the historical record.

After just a year in the Phillies organization, the team released him in 1936.

That could’ve ended his pro career before it really started.

The Pittsburgh Pirates saw something in Bauers and signed him right after Philadelphia let him go.

That move ended up being crucial for his baseball future.

The Pirates’ front office showed some real scouting chops here—they spotted talent the Phillies had missed or undervalued.

Minor League Performance

After joining the Pirates in 1936, Bauers spent time developing his skills in their minor league system.

He progressed quickly and earned a major league call-up that same year.

On August 20, 1936, Bauers made his MLB debut with the Pirates at age 22.

He faced the Chicago Cubs in his first appearance, pitching 1.1 innings and giving up 5 earned runs.

Despite that rough start, the Pirates saw promise in him.

His 6-foot-3-inch frame and 195-pound build gave him the physical tools for major league success.

Bauers’ best season came in 1937, his first full year in the majors.

He went 13-6 with a 2.88 ERA, showing the potential that made the Pirates take a chance on him.

Major League Baseball Career Overview

Russ Bauers pitched for three major league teams across 14 seasons from 1936 to 1950.

He finished his career with a 31-30 record and a 3.53 ERA in 129 games.

His career peaked during his first two full seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1937 and 1938.

Debut with Pittsburgh Pirates

Bauers made his MLB debut on August 20, 1936, with the Pittsburgh Pirates at age 22.

He pitched 1⅓ innings against the Chicago Cubs and allowed five earned runs.

The Pirates picked up Bauers after Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis granted him free agency from the Phillies in February 1936.

Bauers had originally signed with Philadelphia as an inexperienced amateur in 1935.

Pirates manager Pie Traynor scouted Bauers personally, telling reporters he wanted pitchers “who can throw that ball past hitters with plenty of smoke on it.”

Traynor even compared the young right-hander to Dizzy Dean.

Despite his shaky debut, The Sporting News wrote, “Bauers is promising, but he is still pretty much of a kid.”

The Pirates sent him to their Scranton farm team for more seasoning, then called him back up late in the season.

Breakout Years (1937–1938)

Bauers became a key starter for Pittsburgh in his first two full seasons.

In 1937, he posted a 13-6 record with a 2.88 ERA over 187 innings.

His ERA ranked fourth in the National League and led all Pirates pitchers.

He worked with pitching coach Johnny Gooch to develop an overhand delivery to go with his natural sidearm motion.

His first major league win came on June 8, 1937, when he tossed a complete-game six-hitter against the Phillies.

The 1938 season saw Bauers lead the National League in errors by a pitcher with six, while going 13-14 in 34 starts.

He pitched a team-high 243 innings and had a 3.07 ERA, ranking eighth in the league.

Pittsburgh held a seven-game lead in September 1938 before the Cubs’ famous comeback dashed their pennant hopes.

Bauers added four September wins, including a four-hit shutout against Philadelphia on September 18.

Later MLB Tenure and Teams

After 1938, Bauers’ career declined due to arm injuries and personal setbacks.

He played in only 15 games in 1939, going 2-4 as arm problems limited his effectiveness.

Military service pulled him away from baseball from 1943 to 1945.

After he returned from World War II, the Pirates released him in March 1946 as roster competition from returning veterans heated up.

The Chicago Cubs picked up Bauers, and he pitched off and on from 1946 to 1949.

His last major league appearance came with the St. Louis Browns on May 6, 1950, at age 35.

Over his 14-year career, Bauers notched 300 strikeouts in 599 innings pitched.

All but one of his 129 games came in the National League, with his short time with the Browns marking his only American League stint.

Pitching Achievements and Statistics

Russ Bauers put together a solid pitching record over his eight-season career, finishing with 31 wins and 30 losses and a 3.53 ERA.

His most productive years came with Pittsburgh, where he tallied 300 career strikeouts and completed 27 games as a starting pitcher.

Season Highlights

Bauers had his best seasons in 1937 and 1938 with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

In 1937, he went 13-6 with a 2.88 ERA across 34 games.

That season really marked his breakthrough as a reliable starter.

He completed 11 games, recorded two shutouts, and struck out 118 batters in 187.2 innings.

The next year, 1938, Bauers kept up his effectiveness despite a heavier workload.

He started 34 games, pitched 243 innings, and finished with a 13-14 record and a 3.07 ERA.

His durability showed—he completed 12 games that season.

Bauers struck out 117 and allowed just seven home runs over those 243 innings, showing strong control and command.

ERA and Winning Percentage

Bauers kept a career 3.53 ERA over 599 innings, which was above average for his time.

His winning percentage of .508 reflected his steady performance as a starter.

His lowest single-season ERA came in 1937 at 2.88.

That year also gave him his best winning percentage at .684, making him one of Pittsburgh’s most reliable starters.

His ERA jumped quite a bit in his later years with the Pirates.

In 1940, his ERA shot up to 7.63 over 30.2 innings, which led to less playing time.

Bauers bounced back in 1946 with the Chicago Cubs, posting a respectable 3.53 ERA in 43.1 innings.

He showed he could still compete at the major league level.

Strikeouts and Shutouts

Bauers racked up exactly 300 strikeouts in 599 innings pitched over his career. His strikeout rate hit its peak during his prime years with Pittsburgh in 1937 and 1938.

He struck out 118 batters in 1937, then followed up with 117 in 1938. Those seasons really showed his knack for missing bats.

Bauers threw four shutouts in his career, with two coming in that standout 1937 season. When he was on, he could just dominate a lineup.

He batted left-handed but pitched right-handed, which is kind of quirky. Over his career, he posted a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 1.11. That number suggests he had decent control, though he still issued 271 walks in those 599 innings.

Innings Pitched and Games Started

Bauers started 71 games during his eight seasons and pitched 599 innings total. His busiest year came in 1938, when he logged 243 innings across 40 appearances.

He finished 27 games throughout his career. Back then, teams expected starters to go deep into games, and Bauers fit that mold.

In 1938, he started 34 games, his highest total in a single season. He allowed an average of 8.4 hits per nine innings, which helped him stay effective even with only moderate strikeout numbers.

Bauers made 129 total appearances, with 71 as a starter. His ability to pitch in both roles gave his teams some much-needed flexibility.

Challenges, Military Service, and Comeback

Russ Bauers faced plenty of setbacks that derailed what looked like a promising career with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Injuries from accidents and a few questionable choices got in his way. Then, World War II military service interrupted his baseball journey, and coming back after the war wasn’t exactly easy.

Setbacks and Injuries

Bauers often made headlines for off-field mishaps that hurt his career. In early 1938, he burned his hand lighting a match—a small accident, but it messed up his pitching for a while.

On a train trip, he wrenched his left knee wrestling with one of the Waner brothers. That injury got him suspended without pay until he could pitch again. The knee and hand injuries piled up, making things tough for him.

His worst accident happened on December 4, 1939, when he totaled his Buick sedan on icy roads south of Carter, Wisconsin. He lost a lot of blood and suffered a head injury, which had doctors worried.

These injuries led to his decline in 1939. He appeared in just 15 games and won only two. Arm troubles stuck around, and X-rays later revealed a growth that caused his pain. Thankfully, a simple surgery took care of it.

The Pirates’ management grew frustrated with Bauers’ repeated setbacks. Even though he had talent, they started to see him as more trouble than he was worth.

Military Service in World War II

Bauers entered military service on May 31, 1943, which ended his major league career for a while. During training, he pitched for the Camp Grant team in Illinois, so he kept his arm in shape.

In January 1944, he joined the Detachment Medical Depot of the 90th General Hospital in England. His unit followed Allied forces through Europe until VE Day. Bauers learned about Germany’s surrender while he was in France.

The highlight of his military service came in summer 1945, when he played for the Overseas Invasion Service Expedition (OISE) All-Stars. That team had two major leaguers—Bauers and Sam Nahem—plus Negro League stars Leon Day and Willard Brown.

The OISE All-Stars faced a Third Army team in the European Theater World Series in September 1945. In the decisive fifth game, Bauers relieved Nahem with the bases loaded and kept their opponents scoreless for the rest of the game.

Army Staff Sergeant Russell Bauers returned from war on the “Maryville Victory,” arriving in New York City on December 16, 1945.

Return to Major League Baseball

When Bauers came back, the baseball world looked pretty crowded. The 1946 season saw pre-war players, wartime replacements, and lots of new faces all fighting for spots.

The Pittsburgh Pirates released Bauers on March 21, 1946, ending his time with the team that had given him his shot. That happened just three months after he got back from military service.

He signed with the Chicago Cubs after that, but his role was pretty limited. The Cubs released him on October 5, 1948, after he made only a small impact.

From 1949 to 1951, Bauers worked for the St. Louis Browns, but he appeared in just one major league game. On May 6, 1950, he pitched the last two innings of a 12-4 loss to the Philadelphia Athletics.

In 1950, he also spent some time in the Cuban Winter League, still chasing his baseball dream. That last stint with the Browns marked the end of his major league days—a career that had started with promise, but got sidetracked by injuries and things he couldn’t control.

Final Years, Retirement, and Legacy

Russ Bauers’ last years in pro baseball included his brief time with the St. Louis Browns and his exit from the game in 1954. After baseball, he lived a pretty private life. He’d served his country in World War II, and then just settled into civilian life.

Last Major League Appearance

Bauers made his final major league appearance on May 6, 1950, with the St. Louis Browns. That game didn’t exactly end on a high note.

The Philadelphia Athletics beat the Browns 12-4. Bauers came in for the last two innings, gave up six hits and one earned run, walked one, and didn’t strike anybody out.

He had joined the Browns after the Cubs released him in 1948. Though he worked for the Browns from 1949 to 1951, that single game in 1950 was his only major league action in those years.

At 35, Bauers couldn’t shake the struggles that had dogged him late in his career. Control issues and fading stuff limited his chances in the big leagues.

Life After Baseball

After his major league days, Bauers kept playing in the minors until 1954. He also played in the Cuban Winter League in 1950, trying to keep his career alive a little longer.

When he retired from pro baseball in 1954, Bauers pretty much left the public eye. Unlike some ex-players who stick around as coaches or scouts, he went a different direction.

He had married Virginia Geiter of Wabeno in 1941. They’d met at local dances in Townsend during his playing days, and their marriage gave him some stability as he moved on from baseball.

Bauers passed away on January 21, 1995, in Hines, Illinois, at age 80. He was buried at Trinity Lutheran Cemetery in Wabeno, Wisconsin, returning to the place where he grew up and first learned to pitch—just a kid throwing against a log cabin wall.

Impact and Remembrance

Bauers racked up a career record of 31 wins and 30 losses in 129 major league games. Honestly, his 1937 season stands out—he went 13-6 with a 2.88 ERA for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

He played in three different decades, which feels pretty impressive, especially considering he had to pause for military service. Between 1936 and 1950, Bauers appeared in eight major league seasons with three teams.

Career Statistics:

• Teams: Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs, St. Louis Browns
• Record: 31-30
• ERA: 4.42
• Games: 129

Bauers faced the same challenges as many players from his era, with World War II interrupting his career. He served in the European Theater, showing the kind of sacrifice professional athletes made back then.

His story? It’s a familiar one—small-town players fighting their way into the majors with grit and raw talent. Bauers pushed through personal and professional obstacles, just like so many others from that time.