The Pecan Park Eagle

Tony Malinosky, DOB: 10-07-1909.

Don’t blink. Don’t pause. Just honor Tony Malinosky for what he’s done and now represents while he’s still here. He is the current owner of the most tenuous distinction that any human being can hold in any field for very long. Born on October 7, 1909 in Collinsville, Illinois, and now age 100 years, 7 months, 2 weeks, and 4 days old, Tony Malinosky (5’10.5″, 165 lbs,, BR/TR) is our current holder of the title, “world’s oldest former major league baseball player.”

As a stroke of common irony in these matters, Malinosky was more of a journeyman minor leaguer for seven years (1932-38) as a shortstop/third baseman, but he managed to reach the big leagues for 35 games and 79 official at bats with the 1937 Brooklyn Dodgers in time to hit .228 with only two doubles to show for his extra base hit production. After 1937, Tony played out his last season of professional baseball with three minor league clubs before retiring from the game. His minor league career stats included a .282 batting average with 12 home runs.

Malinosky served in World War II and fought in the battle of the Bulge. He now lives alone in the Los Angeles area after being widowed from his wife of 64 years several years ago. A niece now looks after him on a regular basis, sometimes even taking Tony to ballgames at Dodger Stadium.

Malinosky says he follows the Dodgers on a regular basis and, from recent  interviews I’ve read, he seems to be in very good possession of his faculties about current events and the meaning of his status as “oldest ballplayer” to other people.

When asked the inevitable question about his personal secrets for longevity, Tony is totally practical in his response. “Just keep breathing and be associated with a good doctor.”

After World War, Malinosky worked several years for a company that built jet plane engines. After his retirement, he and his late wife, Vi, spent a lot of time traveling the country as “roadies.” One time in Minneapolis during the late 60s, they happened to hit town at the same time former Whittier College classmates was speaking to a group there. That former classmate just happened to be the then current President of the United States, Richard M. Nixon.

Somehow, Malinosky managed to work his way through security for a brief semi-public reunion with President Nixon. The Chief Executive was all smiles until Malinosky turned to leave. That’s when Nixon pulled Tony aside to whisper a mild admonition in his ear. The next time they met under these kinds of circumstances, Nixon told Tony that he preferred not to be addressed as “Dick” in public. “If we ever meet again under these circumstances, please call me ‘Mr. President’,” Nixon supposedly asked.

In 2005, Larry Dierker and I visited with the then world's oldest former big leaguer, 100-year old Raymond Lee Cunningham of Pearland, Texas,

Malinosky said he regrets never having played a full season in the big leagues, but he looks back with joy at the time he did enjoy at Ebbets Field. The pay was only $400 per month, but Tony had a cheap room he rented and he got by OK on a daily food allowance that went a long way at the corner store White Castle burger shop.

Malinosky’s proudest big league memories were getting singles off future Hall of Fame pitchers Dizzy Dean and Carl Hubbell. Hey! Good for Tony! That’s two more singles off future Hall of Famers than most of the rest of us here will ever be able to claim.

Good luck, Mr, Malinosky! Hope you hang in there with us for a while. Just keep breathing, watching the Dodgers, listening to your niece, and keep getting checked out by your doctors too.

Tags: Baseball, History

This entry was posted on May 18, 2010 at 12:38 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.