The American Association Almanac

Otto “Moonie” Miller, catcher 1924 Indianapolis Indians b. June 1, 1889 @ Minden, Nebraska d. March 29, 1962 @ Brooklyn, New York Lowell Otto “Moonie” Miller waited until he was 35 years old before joining the ranks of the American Association as a member of the Indianapolis Indians, but it wasn’t because he wasn’t busy. Miller began his pro career in 1908 at the age of 19, and after a disappointing year in 1909 with Duluth of the Minnesota-Wisconsin League (D), he could easily have hung up his cleats and gone back to Nebraska. Instead, he was drafted by the Brooklyn Superbas of the National League on Sept. 1 of 1909. He must have taken the bid to play in the majors very seriously, because he won an assignment to play for Brooklyn in 1910. For 13 seasons without fail, “Moonie” donned the tools of ignorance for Brooklyn, who became the Dodgers in 1911 (then the Superbas again in 1913, then the Robins from 1914-22) for his entire career with the exception of three games he played at firs...

Today is the 75th anniversary of the death of a former American Association player from the league’s first season. Fuller, whose full name was Charles F. "Nig" Fuller (but whose real last name was Furrer, according to baseball-reference.com, died in Toledo at the age of 58 on March 1, 1937. He was born March 30, 1878 at Toledo. Fuller played for the 1902 Columbus Senators primarily as a catcher. In his brief career with Columbus, Fuller reported officially for 14 games, getting 14 hits and batting .264, playing in a utility role. There is conflicting information regarding his burial location. Baseball-reference lists Toledo Memorial Park Cemetery, Sylvania, OH as his interrment grounds, whereas Lee’s Baseball Necrology lists Woodlawn Cemetery. Anyone with information regarding this discrepancy please reply or send note to pureout@msn.com.