Monday, November 27, 2006

George Buickel 1921- 2006

George Buickel, 18-game winner for the1946 Kitty League champion Owensboro Oilers, passed away on October 22. He was 85 years old.

He was born in Boonville, Indiana on Aug. 27, 1921 and served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. After the war, he signed with the Boston Braves organization and was sent to their Class D farm club in Owensboro, Kentucky for the 1946 season. He finished with an 18-4 record, 158 strikeouts, and a 2.58 earned-run average (second best in the league). Mr. Buickel went further in the Braves farm system with Hartford and Fort Lauderdale and ended his pro career in 1951.

Mr. Buickel's most memorable moment in baseball was striking out Ted Williams while pitching for the Army Air Corps team.

A player profile for Mr. Buickel will be posted on my Kitty League site very soon.

Thank you to his son Richard for providing his obituary.