Axel Lindstrom

Olof Axel Lindstrom

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 180 lb.

• Debut October 3, 1916
• Final Game October 3, 1916
• Born August 26, 1895 in Gustavsberg, Sweden
• Died June 24, 1940 in Asheville, NC USA

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Biographical Information

Axel Lindstrom, one of the few major leaguers born in Sweden, pitched in the majors with the Philadelphia Athletics in 1916. Afterwards, through 1923, he played several seasons at Worcester and continued to play minor league ball through 1930. He won 20+ games three times in the minors in that period.

He is the only major leaguer through 2024 with the first name "Axel".

During one of the seasons that Lindstrom won 20 games, he was a teammate of the young Gabby Hartnett at Worcester, in Hartnett's first minor league season. The book Gabby Hartnett: The Life and Times of the Cubs' Greatest Catcher mentions Lindstrom.

An article about Swedes in baseball says that Lindstrom emigrated to the U.S. when he was eight years old. He pitched professionally through 1932. Afterwards he lived in Manchester, NH and worked as an umpire.