Whitey Kurowski, known for his white hair, debuted with the St. Louis Cardinals on Sept. 22, 1941 and played for eight seasons before an elbow problem curtailed his career in 1949.
His best season was likely in 1947 when he batted .310 and swatted 27 home runs, scored 108 runs, knocked in 104 RBI’s, which included 27 doubles and a .544 SLG%.
He was a 5-time All Star (1943-1947) that finished with .286 average and 106 home runs and 529 runs batted in while playing 916 games. He was a key part in 3 World Championships (1942, 1944, 1946) with the Cardinals.
In four World Series appearances, Kurowski hit .253 (21-for-83) with one home run and nine RBI in 23 games, as the Cardinals were World Champions in 1942, 1944 and 1946. His only home run in the Series, in 1942, off Red Ruffing, broke a 2–2 tie in the ninth inning of Game Five to clinch the title for St. Louis over the New York Yankees. He also appeared five times in the MVP ballot, in 1942 and from 1944 through 1947.