Don Lenhardt

Who is Don Lenhardt?

Donald Eugene Lenhardt is a retired outfielder, first baseman, third baseman, scout and coach in American Major League Baseball. In his playing days, he stood 6 feet 3 inches tall, weighed 195 pounds, and threw and batted right-handed. He was nicknamed "Footsie" by teammates because he often had difficulty finding shoes that fit him properly.

Lenhardt attended the University of Illinois and Washington University in St. Louis, and served in the United States Navy, before joining the St. Louis Browns farm system in 1946. He led the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League in home runs in 1948 and earned a Major League job with the Browns at the start of the 1950 season at age 27. Much-traveled, he would play in the American League for five seasons for the Browns, Chicago White Sox, Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, and the Baltimore Orioles. In 481 games, he batted .271 with 61 home runs and 239 runs batted in. His best season was his rookie campaign, for the 1950 Browns, for whom he reached career highs in homers and RBI.