Thomas Judson Saffell (July 26, 1921 – September 10, 2012) was an American professional baseball outfielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Athletics. Early life Saffell grew up in Etowah, Tennessee, playing sports, especially fast-pitch softball. His team won the state tournament and played in a national tournament in Detroit. After completing high school in 1940, Saffell enrolled at Maryville College, where he injured his knee playing football. Saffell signed as a baseball player in 1941 with the Newport Canners in the Appalachian League, but reinjured his knee and was released. He tried out with the Kingsport Cherokees, but was cut after two weeks because of a sore knee, playing 23 games in all while hitting .231. Saffell returned home and worked for a railroad until serving in World War II. He enlisted with the Army Air Corps in late 1942 and joined them in 1943. Saffell flew 61 missions over Europe in a P-47 Thunderbolt, and was discharged in 1946. Career synopsis Saffell played for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Athletics in parts of four seasons spanning 1949–1955. He batted left-handed, threw right-handed, and was a fleet baserunner. He wore #18 and #21 for Pittsburgh. Saffell averaged .238 in the major leagues and .286 in 1,576 minor league contests. He spent time with the Indianapolis Indians and Hollywood Stars. He also served as a pitcher for the television series Home Run Derby. Major and minor league outfielder In 1946, he batted .270 for Class A Charleston of the South Atlantic League. In a month the parent club, the Atlanta Crackers, sent him to the Burlington Bees of the Class C Carolina League, where he hit .370 with 5 homers, 42 RBIs, and 28 stolen bases. Saffell went to spring training with the Crackers in 1947. After three weeks the club sent him to the Selma Cloverleafs of the Class B Southeastern League. He was passed over by Atlanta, which signed All-American football player, Charley Trippi, and gave him a $10,000 bonus. Saffell was recalled by the Pirates from the Indianapolis Indians of the American Association on June 26, 1949. He batted .299 for Indianapolis in 1948 and was hitting .278 for them in 68 games in 1949. He played center field, batted leadoff, third, and pinch hit for Pittsburgh, in the second half of 1949 with a .322 average. Saffell