Bill Hunter, the last surviving player from both the St. Louis Browns and the inaugural Baltimore Orioles club, has died, the Orioles announced. He was 97.
Hunter touched several pieces of baseball history, beginning his career with the Browns in 1953. That team lost 100 games but included familiar -- and legendary -- names such as Satchel Paige, Vic Wertz, Roy Sievers, Vern Stephens, Marty Marion, Don Larsen and Virgil Trucks.
Many of those players either hadn't begun their prime years or were already through them, but Hunter was just getting started. He was a rookie in 1953 and played in all 154 games, starting 150 at shortstop.
After the Browns moved to Baltimore following the 1953 season, Hunter moved with them, becoming the Orioles' first starting shortstop. He singled in his first at-bat on Opening Day for the second hit in Orioles history.
Hunter moved on to the New York Yankees for the next two seasons after being traded with Larsen and others in what became a 16-player deal. In 1955, Hunter was the club's primary shortstop, playing more games there than 37-year-old future Hall of Famer Phil Rizzuto.
On June 5, 1955, Hunter hit a home run in the 10th inning of a tie game to beat the White Sox in the second game of a doubleheader at the original Comiskey Park. Mickey Mantle also homered for the Yankees in that game.
Hunter played 39 games for the 1956 Yankees, who won the World Series in seven games over the Brooklyn Dodgers. Larsen pitched a perfect game in Game 5.
That was a full-circle moment for Hunter, who signed with the Dodgers prior to the 1948 season before being dealt to the Browns in October 1952.
Hunter finished his career with the Kansas City A's and Cleveland, retiring after playing the 1959 season at Triple-A. He served as the Orioles' third-base coach from 1964-77. He was on the staff for legendary Orioles manager Earl Weaver for nine-plus seasons.
On June 27, the second-to-last surviving St. Louis Browns player, Ed Mickelson, died at 98. Mickelson played seven games for the Browns in 1953.
Hunter is survived by his wife, Bev, sons Greg and Kevin, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.