Veeck, Bill (William Louis Veeck, Jr.), 1914–86, American baseball executive, b. Chicago. The son of an owner of the Chicago Cubs, Veeck began his executive career with the Milwaukee Brewers of the American Association, then owned the Cleveland Indians (1947–49), St. Louis Browns (1951–53), and Chicago White Sox (1959–61, 1976–80) of the American League. He became famous for crowd-increasing gimmicks like the "exploding" scoreboard, assorted giveaways, and the appearance at bat of the midget Eddie Gaedel (1952). Veeck also integrated the American League by hiring Larry Doby in 1947, weeks after Jackie Robinson Robinson, Jackie (Jack Roosevelt Robinson), 1919–72, American baseball player, the first African-American player in the modern major leagues, b. Cairo, Ga. He grew up in Pasadena, Calif., where he became an outstanding athlete in high school and junior college.
..... Click the link for more information. joined the Brooklyn Dodgers of the National League.

Bibliography

See his Veeck—As in Wreck (with E. Linn; 1962, repr. 2001) and The Hustler's Handbook (with E. Linn; 1965, repr. 1989); biography by G. Eskenazi (1988).

Veeck, Bill

in full William Louis Veeck

(born Feb. 9, 1914, Hinsdale, Ill., U.S.—died Jan. 2, 1986, Chicago, Ill.) U.S. baseball-club executive and owner. The son of a sportswriter who was also president of the Chicago Cubs (1919–33), Veeck became co-owner of the minor league Milwaukee Brewers (1941–45) and later the major league Cleveland Indians (1946–48), St. Louis Browns (1949–53), and Chicago White Sox (1959–68; 1976–81). Believing that baseball was a form of entertainment and should not be treated as a business, he introduced many innovations in promotion, was almost always able to improve a team's attendance, and usually bettered its performance.

Veeck, (William Louis, Jr.) Bill (1914–86) baseball executive; born in Chicago. He was the son of William Veeck who owned the Chicago Cubs (1919–33). He lost a leg in an injury in World War II. He was the owner of the Cleveland Indians (1947–49), St. Louis Browns (1951–53), and Chicago White Sox (1959–61, 1976–80). In 1947 he signed Larry Doby as the first African-American to play in the American League. An unabashed promoter, he was responsible for the "exploding" scoreboard at Comiskey Park in Chicago, and in 1952 he sent a midget, Eddie Gaedel, to bat in a game for the Browns. He was elected to baseball's Hall of Fame in 1991.