Imagine my pleasure and surprise this evening when I received this email from a Ronnie Ellis in Austin, Texas:

I just stumbled onto your blog from last month on Marvin Gudat. In case you wanted to know what he looked like (or maybe didn't), I just happened to have a photo of his tombstone with picture. I have no relation, but he is buried in the same cemetery, Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Cemetery in Meyersville, TX, where many of my wife's ancestors are.

While doing genealogical research there, I noticed this interesting tombstone and photographed it. As it says, Gone but not forgotten, as he comes up again 50 years after his death.

Thank you, Ronnie! Click here to see a photo of the entire tombstone. Click here to read an article arguing that Marv Gudat's 1934 team, the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League, was the "best minor league team ever." The article says that Gudat was "a line-drive hitter, fast and had an excellent arm ... was frequently injured because of his aggressive style on the field," and once broke up a no-hitter by singling with two outs in the ninth inning. As I noted in my July post, Marvin Gudat only hit one major league home run, but in 2,103 minor league games he batted .306 with 2,211 hits and 214 stolen bases.

Rest easy, Mr. Gudat. You kicked ass and took some names.

+posted by Lawrence @ 8/19/2004 11:32:00 PM