Former ballplayer enjoyed visiting Pine Brook pupils
BY MARK ROSMAN
Staff Writer

A former major league baseball player who called Manalapan home has died at the age of 82.

The death of Lou Limmer on April 1 was reported by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA). Limmer was residing in Boca Raton, Fla., at the time of his death, according to the JTA.

A News Transcript article published on Nov. 6, 2002, described how Limmer was a member the Pine Brook School, Manalapan, Generation Connection program, an intergenerational partnership in education project directed by teacher Stephanie Cayne-Meiskin.

The program provides a bridge into the school that allows seniors to interact with children, while fostering an inspirational and exciting exchange of ideas.

Last week, Cayne-Meiskin said Limmer's death "is a loss for us. He was a remarkable volunteer, very motivated, and he loved the children. He inspired the kids and they inspired him. It was a very rewarding relationship."

Limmer spent two seasons (1951, 1954) with the old Philadelphia A's of the American League. He played with and against baseball immortals such as Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Jackie Robinson and Joe DiMaggio.

In 1948, Limmer, a 6-foot, 2-inch tall, 190-pound first baseman, broke his neck and suffered temporary blindness after sliding into third base in a Western League game. One year later, he led the American Association in home runs and RBIs.

In 1951 his dream of playing in the major leagues came true as he played the first of two seasons with the Philadelphia A's. That season he was managed by the legendary Connie Mack. He played his second season with the A's in 1954, managed by Eddie Joost. In 209 major league games, Limmer hit .202 with 19 doubles, four triples, 19 home runs and 62 RBIs. He finished with a .988 fielding percentage.

On Sept. 25, 1954 against the New York Yankees, Limmer earned a place in history when he became the last player to homer for the Philadelphia A's before the team moved to Kansas City and then to Oakland.

During one visit with the Pine Brook pupils Limmer told a story about his arrival in the major leagues.

"We were playing the Yankees in Yankee Stadium. I came to bat and (catcher) Yogi Berra knew I was a rookie. I stepped into the batter's box and he threw dirt on my shoe," he recalled.

Limmer said Berra told him, "Get back there and hit, bush," referring to Limmer's status as someone just up from the minor (bush) leagues.

"I got back into the batter's box and got ready to hit, and he threw dirt in my shoe again," he told the Pine Brook pupils.

Limmer said he turned to the umpire and complained. The umpire told him to get back into the box and hit.

"It happens that the first pitch that was thrown to me, I hit a home run," he said. "That was the most exciting thing that happened to me in baseball."

Limmer said he was so excited as he ran around the bases that he almost passed the runner who was on base ahead of him.

As she remembered the impact Limmer had on the children at Pine Brook School, Cayne-Meiskin said, "His baseball stories were engaging and captured the essence of the times. For example, he described the anti-Semitism he encountered as a Jewish ballplayer ... and he spoke about segregation in the South because he saw its effect on his team buddies. When listening to Lou's stories, the students traveled through history and really made a connection to it.

"Yet, one of the most powerful messages Lou gave the kids was 'Do Not Smoke.' He would walk into the room with his oxygen tank and speak frankly about the long-term effects of smoking. He made history come alive for those students. His message was powerful - he told the kids to make a difference. And in his own words, Lou Limmer made a difference in our lives. He was a remarkable teacher," Cayne-Meiskin said.

After leaving baseball, Limmer became involved in the manufacturing of commercial refrigeration equipment for 25 years. At first he worked with his one of his brothers. Later, he opened his own commercial refrigeration business.

This article includes information that appeared in staff writer Dave Benjamin's article about Lou Limmer that was published in the News Transcript on Nov. 6, 2002.