He was a defensive replacement for the Tigers' starting catcher, Red Wilson, also a former Big Ten football star (in his case, at the University of Wisconsin–Madison), in the sixth inning of a game at Griffith Stadium in which the Tigers were trailing the Washington Senators, 6–2.
In the sixth inning of a game against the Washington Senators at Griffith Stadium, the Tigers were behind 6-2 when they substituted their starting catcher, Red Wilson, with another player.  Wilson was a former Big Ten football star from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.