Gene Fodge

Who was Gene Fodge?

Gene Arlan "Suds" Fodge was a pitcher in Major League Baseball who played briefly for the Chicago Cubs during the 1958 season. Listed at 6 ft 0 in, Weight: 175 lb., Fodge batted and threw right-handed. He was born in South Bend, Indiana.

Fodge was a 1950 graduate of South Bend Central High School, lettering in baseball, basketball and tennis. He was originally signed by the Cubs as an amateur free-agent in 1950, and was assigned to Class-D Janesville Cubs in 1951. He ended with a 12–13 record and a 3.78 earned run average in his first professional season. He then went on to serve in the U.S. Marine Corps for two years during the Korean War.

Following his discharge, Fodge returned to play in 1954 and posted a 5–4 record with a 3.99 ERA in 29 games for Class-A Des Moines Bruins.

Fodge improved markedly with Des Moines in 1955, going 16-10 with a 2.28 ERA in 36 games, including 29 starts. The next season he finished 19-7 with a 4.31 ERA in 44 games for the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League. In 1957 Fodge pitched Double-A ball with the Fort Worth Cats, Memphis Chickasaws and Portland Beavers, going to a combined 8-14 with a 4.30 ERA in 34 games.