Ruffin, 58, catcher for three Negro National League clubs—primarily the Newark Eagles—between 1935 and 1946; selected as an All-Star in his final season. August 15 – Ray Bates, 80, third baseman for the Cleveland Naps (1913) and Philadelphia Athletics (1917). August 16 – Kurt Krieger, 43, pitcher in three games for the St. Louis Cardinals (1949, 1951); one of three Austrian-born players to appear in MLB. August 23 – Doc Gautreau, 69, second baseman who played from 1925 to 1928 for the Philadelphia Athletics and Boston Braves; later a longtime scout. August 23 – Red Smith, 78, backup catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1917 and 1918 seasons. August 25 – Leo Moon, 81, pitcher for the 1932 Cleveland Indians. August 26 – Eddie Rommel, 72, pitcher who won 171 games for the Philadelphia Athletics, and later worked 22 years as an American League umpire. August 31 – Heinie Odom, 69, third baseman who went straight from the University to Texas campus to the 1925 New York Yankees; played one game (on April 22), singled off Hall of Famer Walter Johnson in his only at bat, and played two errorless innings in the field in what would be his only MLB appearance. September September 1 – Ben Spencer, 80, outfielder in eight games for the 1913 Washington Senators. September 2 – Herbert Hill, 79, who pitched two innings in his only MLB game for the 1915 Cleveland Indians. September 7 – Gene Ford, 58, who pitched in five total games, one with the 1936 Brooklyn Dodgers and four for the 1938 Chicago White Sox. September 13 – Leon Riley, 64, longtime minor league outfielder and manager who appeared in four games for the 1944 Philadelphia Phillies; father of Pat Riley. September 14 – Sam Lanford, 84, pitcher who worked in two games for the 1907 Washington Senators. September 14 – Jimmie Long, 72, catcher who had a three-game trial with the 1922 Chicago White Sox. September 15 – Blue Washington, 72, first baseman/outfielder/pitcher for the Chicago American Giants and Kansas City Monarchs (1916–1920) and prizefighter who became a prolific film actor in Hollywood; father of Kenny Washington. September 16 – Ray Shook, 80, catcher who appeared in one game as a pinch runner for the 1916 White Sox. September 17 – Ed Corey, 76, who pitched two innings in his only MLB game for the 1918 White Sox. September