Chicago White Sox: Bud Stewart and his curious 1940 campaign

Former Chicago White Sox Bud Stewart had quite the interesting season in minor league ball in 1940. At least, that is the case if the stats are to be believed.

Chances are, Bud Stewart would normally be lost in baseball history. He had a solid nine year career, four of those seasons spent with the Chicago White Sox. Even though he was unable to truly establish himself as a major league player until he was 32 years old, Stewart had a respectable, albeit overlooked, career.

Even if his time in the majors was rather non-descript, Stewart had an incredible 1940 minor league campaign. It would make sense; he made his major league debut the following year for the Pittsburgh Pirates, appearing in 73 games in a part time role. Yet, that 1940 season, if the statistics are to be believed, was one of the greatest in baseball history.

When one thinks of the great Iron Men in the game, thoughts turn to Cal Ripken, Lou Gehrig, Everett Scott, and Steve Garvey. Yet, for as many consecutive games as those players appeared in, none of them did what Stewart is considered to have done, as he played in two different leagues at the same time.

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Based on the minor league section of his Baseball Reference page, Stewart appeared in 179 games for the San Diego Padres in the Pacific Coast League. He had a .320 batting average, hitting 32 doubles, 12 triples, and six homers amongst his 231 hits for the Padres. Meanwhile, he somehow managed to play another 144 games for the Vancouver Capilanos in the Western International League, where he had a .320 batting average once again, with 41 doubles, three triples, and 17 homers amongst his 189 hits. Yes, that means that Bud had 420 hits in the 1940 season, if the numbers are to be believed.

Chances are, there is some sort of logical explanation for this incredible statistical season. There may well have been another Bud Stewart toiling in the minors at that time, and the two players were intertwined as the sands of time dissipated. After all, how else would he have gotten from a home game in San Diego to a home game in Vancouver, or vice versa?

Yes, minor league salaries were not the greatest at the time. However, the Pacific Coast League was essentially a third major league in their heyday, paying solid salaries. Even then, Stewart likely would not have made nearly the type of money he would have had to earn in order to travel that much, especially as it would have had to be by airplane.

According to his minor league register, Chicago White Sox outfielder Bud Stewart had one of the more impressive seasons known to mankind in 1940. Chances are, this is just a case of mistaken identity.