Peek-A-Boo Veach Explained

Peek-A-Boo Veach
Position:First baseman/Pitcher
Bats:Unknown
Throws:Unknown
Birth Date:June 15, 1862
Birth Place:Indianapolis, Indiana
Death Place:Indianapolis, Indiana
Debutleague:MLB
Debutdate:August 24
Debutteam:Kansas City Cowboys
Finalleague:MLB
Finaldate:July 25
Finalteam:Pittsburgh Alleghenys
Statleague:MLB
Stat1label:Batting average
Stat1value:.215
Stat2label:Home runs
Stat2value:3
Stat3label:Win–loss record
Stat3value:3 - 10
Teams:

William Walter "Peek-A-Boo" Veach (June 15, 1862  - November 12, 1937) was an American Major League Baseball player born in Indianapolis, Indiana. Veach began his career with the ill-fated Union Association in when he joined the Kansas City Cowboys as a pitcher/outfielder. As a pitcher he started and completed all 12 games in which he pitched, resulting in a 3 win and 9 loss record. Three years later he pitched just one game for the Louisville Colonels, a complete game loss. This would be the last game he would pitch in the majors until he returned three years later in, this time as a first baseman, splitting time with the Cleveland Spiders and the Pittsburgh Alleghenys. As a batter, he had career total that included a .215 batting average and three home runs.

Veach acquired his nickname when playing for Kansas City in 1884. It was during this season that his manager Ted Sullivan had set up timing plays to pick runners off first base through the use of signals that Veach would have to wait and look for. Players had caught on to this trick and began calling him Peek-A-Boo because he would be looking around for signals. He was a veteran of the Spanish–American War, so near the end of his life he was admitted into the United States Hospital in Indianapolis.[1] It was here that he died at the age of 75, and is interred at Floral Park Cemetery.[2]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.thedeadballera.com/Obits/Obits_V/Veach.PeekABoo.Obit.html/Dead Ball Era
  2. http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/V/Pveacp101.htm Retrosheet