Art Bramhall
| Art Bramhall | |
|---|---|
 Art Bramhall at WIBA radio, 1941 | |
| Shortstop, Third baseman | |
| Born: February 22, 1909 Oak Park, Illinois | |
| Died: September 4, 1985 Madison, Wisconsin | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 18, 1935, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| April 26, 1935, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |
| Teams | |
Arthur Washington Bramhall (February 22, 1909 – September 4, 1985) was an American baseball player. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1935 and also played professional basketball and football.
Early years
Bramhall was born in 1909 in Oak Park, Illinois, and attended Oak Park High School. He then attended DePaul University.[1]
Professional athlete
Baseball
He played professional baseball from 1930 to 1935, including two games in Major League Baseball with the 1935 Philadelphia Phillies.[1] He was known for his fielding, rather than batting. At the time of his promotion to the Phillies, The Capital Times wrote: "Bramhall is a fine fielder, fast and possesses a splendid throwing arm, and if he can hit at a .250 clip he will remain with the Phils all season."[2]
His minor league career included stints with the Springfield Senators (1930),[1] Reading Keys (1932), Harrisburg Senators (1932),[1] Binghamton Triplets (1932),[1] Nashville Vols,[3] and Madison Blues (1934).[4]
Basketball and football
Bramhall also played professional basketball and football, making him one of the few athletes who ever played at the professional level in all three sports.[5] For three seasons from approximately 1930 to 1932, he played professional basketball as a forward for the Chicago Bruins of the American Basketball League.[3][6][7] In 1931, he was described as "one of the best basketball players in the game", the "life of the party" and the Bruins' "super-showman."[6] He also reportedly "travelled on the stage with a basketball act."[3][5] In 1934, he played for the Chicago Circus Clowns, a traveling basketball team that played in full clown suits against local teams.[7]
Bramhall's professional football career is not as well documented, but some sources assert that he played, at least briefly, with the Chicago Bears in the early 1930s.[3][5] The football Bears and basketball Bruins were under the common ownership of George Halas.
Later years
After his career as an athlete ended, Bramhall and his wife operated a restaurant and bar, Justo's, in Madison, Wisconsin, from 1939 to 1971.[5] He was also a sports broadcaster on Wisconsin radio stations in the late 1930s and 1940s.[3][8] Beginning in 1942, his broadcasting career included radio play-by-play for Wisconsin Badgers football games.[9] Bramhall did in 1985 at age 76 in Madison.[5]
References
- ^ a b c d e "Art Bramhall Minor League Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 27, 2022.
- ^ Hank Casserly (April 14, 1935). "Lenahan at Schedule Meet, Seeks Players". The Capital Times. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e "Art Bramhall, Football Coaches on Air Monday". The Capital Times. September 14, 1941. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Art Bramhall To Join Phils Next Spring: Blues Shortstop Signs After Workout in Chicago". Wisconsin State Journal. August 20, 1934. p. 7 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e "Art Bramhall dies at 76". The Capital Times. September 5, 1985. p. 24.
- ^ a b "Chicago Bruins, Thrice Conquerors of Celtics, to Appear Here Next Friday". The Chattanooga News. February 7, 1931. p. 6 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Circus Clowns Battle Servel Five Monday Night". Evansville Press. December 30, 1934. p. 19 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Redskins' Game Tonight To Be Thriller For WHBL Fans". The Sheboygan Press. February 22, 1940. p. 13 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Grid Broadcasts Start Saturday Over WIBA: Art Bramhall Begins Previews This Monday". The Capital Times. September 13, 1942. p. 22 – via Newspapers.com.