On this day in 1947 George Lauzerique was born in Havana, Cuba. He went to high school in New York and the Kansas City Athletics selected him in the tenth round of the 1965 June draft. He was a big leaguer for the first time just two years later, appearing in three games for the A's.
Lauzerique had made just 23 major league appearances when the Seattle Pilots acquired him following the 1969 season, shortly before their move to Milwaukee. The inaugural Milwaukee Brewers were his first and only Opening Day roster.
Lauzerique's first opportunity to pitch as a Brewer came early: On Opening Day 1970 he was called upon to work the fourth and fifth innings after Lew Krausse and John Gelnar combined to allow eight runs in a game the Brewers went on to lose 12-0. As such, Lauzerique is one of just 16 players who can say they played in the Brewers' first game.
Unfortunately, that's about as good as it gets for the Cuban righty. The Brewers were his last major league team and he was still only 22 when his big league career was over.
Lauzerique turns 65 today. With help from the B-Ref Play Index we'd also like to wish a happy birthday to:
- 1973-78 Brewer Tim Johnson, who turns 63. We covered his birthday in this space last year.
- Appleton, Wisconsin native and UW-Madison alum Stu Locklin, who turns 84. Locklin was a member of the 1955-56 Indians.