“Joost to Suder to Fain” is well known to all A’s fans. Sadly, Pete Suder has departed this life shortly following the death of his wife Mimi.
Pete Suder played mostly at second base for the A’s in Philadelphia and Kansas City from 1941 until 1955 with some time off for military service during World War Two.He could and did play all four infield positions at various times but was very proud that he was never “taken out” by a sliding runner while covering second base.
Pete Suder was a private person who rarely left his home in Aliquippa PA (near Pittsburgh). He made an exception for a 1997 A’s reunion at which time he seemed to enjoy himself.Although he never returned to another reunion, he was a willing autograph signer by mail.
Following his baseball career, he was involved in prison work and became a warden.He was a fine player and usually hit around .250 while performing well with his glove as part of the Majeski-Joost-Fain infield that set the double play record in 1949.
Suder’s death leaves 71 surviving players, 14 of whom are over the age of 90.
Farewell, “Pecky”, we will never forget you.
Mike Bires, Times Sports Staff
11/15/2006
ALIQUIPPA – Pete “Pecky” Suder, one of the greatest baseball players in Beaver County history, once said that the most money he ever made in one season was $12,000. But to this day, his name can be found in the Major League record book.
Suder, who died Tuesday at the age of 90, was the second baseman for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1949 when the A’s established a major-league record for turning 217 double plays in a 154-game season.
The combination of shortstop Eddie Joost, Suder and first baseman Ferris Fain was the subject of a poem penned by the Athletics’ publicity director at the time. The poem was titled “Joost to Suder to Fain” and remains a popular item in A’s folklore.
The closest any major-league team has come to that record was in 1966 when the Pittsburgh Pirates – led by the trio of shortstop Gene Alley, second baseman Bill Mazeroski and first baseman Donn Clendenon – turned 215 DPs.
Only 10 teams in baseball history have turned more than 200 double plays in a season, and three of those included the A’s “Joost to Suder to Fain” combo in 1949, ’50 and ’51.
“Pecky Suder is one of the truly great sports stories in Beaver County history,” said Gino Piroli, a weekly columnist for The Times who’s regarded as one of the county’s most astute historians. “He came from a big family – he was one of 13 children. He lived through the Depression. He went on to have a long career with the Philadelphia Athletics. And right in the prime of his career, he spent two years in the military during World War II.
“Pecky wasn’t one to brag about his career,” Piroli added, “but he was proud to be part of that double-play record. I remember talking to him about it over the years. When the Pirates came close (in 1966), Pecky said, ‘I was sweating it out. It’s just nice to be part of baseball history.'”
Born April 16, 1916, in Aliquippa, Suder lived in Aliquippa throughout his 90 years. A 1934 graduate of Aliquippa High School, he played baseball and basketball for the Quips.
After graduating, he was hired in the blooming mill at Jones & Laughlin Steel in Aliquippa but soon quit his job in the mill to play professional baseball. After six minor league seasons – most in the New York Yankees’ farm system – he broke into the big leagues on April 15, 1941 – just one day before his 25th birthday – with the Athletics. He spent his entire big-league career with the A’s. His career ended in June of 1955, the first year the A’s moved from Philadelphia to Kansas City.
A career .249 hitter, Suder’s best season was in ’49 when he batted .267 with 10 home runs and 75 RBIs. He also hit .281 in 1946 and .286 in 1953.
After leaving baseball as a player, Suder remained in the game for a few years as a scout and minor league manager. He later served on the Aliquippa School Board and as warden of the Beaver County Jail. He’s a member of the Beaver County Sports Hall of Fame and the Aliquippa Sports Hall of Fame.
“I guess his heart just gave out,” said Suder’s brother, George “Juke” Suder. “He had pneumonia the last year or so, and never really recovered. Not too long ago he told me, ‘Juke, up until I reached 90, I was in great shape. But when I reached 90, everything went downhill.'”
George Suder, 80, was also an outstanding baseball player as a young man. Although he didn’t make it to the Major Leagues, he played five years in the Athletics’ farm system.
“Some of my best recollections of all were the times I got to play exhibition games against ‘Pecky’ when he played for the Athletics,” George Suder said. “It was a blast playing against my brother. Those were some of the happiest times I ever had.”
Pete “Pecky” Suder was the grandfather of Rick Suder, the former Center High School and Duquesne University basketball star.
©Beaver County Times Allegheny Times 2006
