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Pete Gray is one of the most unlikely players in big league history. Born in Pennsylvania to Lithuanian immigrants, Gray was a natural right-hander. He suffered an injury in 1923 that resulted in the amputation of his right arm above the elbow.

Gray didn’t let the amputation dampen his love of baseball. Instead he learned how to bat and field with one arm. Gray fielded balls with with the glove on his left hand then quickly discarded the leather, and transferred the ball to his hand – all in one motion. He batted from the left side, swinging the lumber with his back hand. Gray’s speed and sheer will made him a solid semi-pro player.

Soon after the attack on Pearl Harbor Gray tried to enlist in the Army. “If I could teach myself how to play baseball with one arm, I sure as hell could handle a rifle,” Gray is quoted as saying in John Klima’s book on World War II baseball.

Rejected by the military, Gray continued playing baseball. With many pro players away in the war in 1942, Gray signed with the Canadian-American League’s Trois-Riverees Renards. Gray hit .381 in 42 games, earning a promotion to the Memphis Chickasaws of the Southern Association. He played two seasons in Memphis and hit .290.

The St. Louis Browns bought his contract for the 1945 season. He recorded a hit in his April 16th big league debut, a single off of Detroit’s Les Mueller. Nine days later Gray tallied a multi-hit game with a pair singles at Cleveland. On May 20th at Yankee Stadium, Gray had his first three-hit performance in the first game of a twin bill. By the time the day ended, Gray had four hits, two runs and two RBI.

His high-water mark came on June 10th in a doubleheader against the Indians. Gray recorded 5 safeties including his first extra-base hit. His batting average reached its zenith at .256.

Soon pitchers figured out that Gray could not hit the breaking ball. With just one arm, he could not adequately adjust or check his swing. He hit .199 the rest of the way. In his last big league at bat, he reached base on a fielder’s choice against Hall of Fame pitcher Hal Newhouser. The next batter hit a double and Gray came around to score.

In 77 games at the big league level, Gray hit .218 with six doubles, two triples, 13 RBI, and five stolen bases. A video of Gray playing for the Browns can be seen by clicking here.

Gray played three more seasons in the minors before retiring from the game in 1949.

In the collection is this hand-drawn sketch of Pete Gray. The one-armed outfielder added his autograph across the drawing.