Alan Strange

Infobox MLB retired
bgcolor1=darkblue
bgcolor2=maroon
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white
name=Alan Strange
position=Shortstop
bats=Right
throws=Right
birthdate=birth date|1906|11|7|mf=y
deathdate=death date and age|1994|6|24|1906|11|7
debutdate=April 17
debutyear=by|1934
debutteam=St. Louis Browns
finaldate=August 16
finalyear=by|1942
finalteam=St. Louis Browns
stat1label=Batting Average
stat1value=.223
stat2label=Home Runs
stat2value=1
stat3label=RBI
stat3value=89
teams=
*St. Louis Browns (1934-1935, 1940-1942)
*Washington Senators (1935)
highlights=
*none

Alan Cochrane "Inky" Strange is a former Major League Baseball shortstop. He was born on November 7, 1906 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As a baseball player, he threw and batted right-handed, and was 5'9" in height and 162 pounds in weight. Strange attended Northeast High School in Philadelphia which has seen it's fair share of alumni-turned-Major Leaguers-Benny Culp, Bill Hoffman, Bert Kuczynski, Jesse Levis and Eddie Stanky all went to that school and became Major Leaguers. After high school, Strange attended Penn State University.

On April 17, 1934, at the age of 27, Strange made his major league debut with the St. Louis Browns. He would go on to hit .223 in 314 career games, mostly with the Browns, although he did spend 20 games in 1935 with the Washington Senators. In the field, Strange had a .960 career fielding percentage.

Strange played his final game on August 16, 1942.

On June 27, 1994, Strange died in Seattle, Washington. He is buried at Calvary Cemetery in Seattle.

Major transactions

*On December 14, 1933, Strange was sent from Hollywood of the PCL to the Browns for Jim Levey and Wally Hebert.
*On June 29, 1935, the Browns sent Strange to the Senators for Lyn Lary.
*On October 3, 1939, the Browns drafted Strange back from a PCL team in the Rule V Draft.

Other facts

*Strange did not play any major league baseball in 1936, '37, '38 or '39.
*Strange got his nickname "Inky" because he worked as a printer in the off-season.
*Strange was a teammate of Harlond Clift for five years-longer than any other teammate.
*"As the Phillies' batboy, Strange saved a bat broken by Rogers Hornsby as a memento. In 1934, as manager of the Browns, Hornsby installed Strange as his shortstop."
*Strange wore three numbers in his career. From 1934-35 with the Browns, he wore 1. In the 20 games he spent with the Senators in 1935, he wore 28. During his tenure with the Browns from 1940-'42, he wore 2.
*Compares statistically to Del Young and Wayne Ambler.

External links

* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/stranal01.shtml Baseball Reference]
* [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/S/Strange_Alan.stm Baseball Library]