Mel Deutsch

Melvin Elliott Deutsch

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 4", Weight 215 lb.
• School University of Texas at Austin
• Debut April 21, 1946
• Final Game May 7, 1946
• Born July 26, 1915 in Caldwell, TX USA
• Died November 18, 2001 in Austin, TX USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Texas native Mel Deutsch spent seven seasons in professional baseball from 1941 to 1949. The righthander started his baseball career with the Boston Red Sox-affiliated Greensboro Red Sox of the class B Piedmont League in 1941. The big pitcher went 11-4 with a 2.23 ERA while pitching in 20 games his first season in the pros.

Mel spent the next three seasons, all winning years, 1942 to 1944, with the Louisville Colonels of the American Association. He won 29 times with 24 losses over this three-year span with a combined 2.69 ERA. Deutsch's run was stopped in 1945 only by a one-year tour with the United States Army, during World War II.

Mel was back in time to start the 1946 season and appeared in his first game with the Boston Red Sox on April 21st. He appeared in 3 games over the next 17 days, allowed 7 hits and 5 runs in 6 1/3 innings with no decisions and pitched to a major league hitter for the last time on May 7th. He was sent back to Louisville for the rest of the year, winning 5 and losing 8 while appearing in 21 games.

Mel had a 3-1 record in 1947 and was out of baseball in 1948. He came back in 1949 and finished up his minor league run with the Bryan Bombers of the class C East Texas League with a 4-3 record and a 5.60 ERA. His minor league stat sheet shows Mel with a 52-40 won-loss mark and a 2.92 ERA while pitching 161 games.

Melvin Elliott Deutsch passed away on November 18, 2001 in Austin, TX at the age of 86.

Related Sites

• Mel Deutsch at the SABR Bio Project
• BR Minors page