William Eckert
From BR Bullpen
General William D. Eckert (Spike)
- Born January 20, 1909 in Freeport, IL USA
- Died April 16, 1971 in Grand Bahama, Bahamas
The little known fourth Commissioner of Baseball, William Eckert is probably the least known of the men who held the office. When Ford Frick announced his retirement, the short list included Joe Cronin, Lee MacPhail, and Gabe Paul but the owners selected the General Eckert.
Eckert was a West Point graduate who later attended Harvard Business School. At the time of his election, he was the ultimate outsider, having not seen a game in person for ten years.
Among Eckert's moves in office were voiding Tom Seaver's signing with the Atlanta Braves. He was asked to resign in 1969, when the owners lost confidence. He did so and died two years later while playing tennis in the Bahamas.
Source: Baseball: The Biographical Encyclopedia Copyright, 2003.
