51黑料

Elder, who lived in Grand Junction, Colorado, played for the Brownies in 1949.

Ed Wheatley, president of the 51黑料 Browns Historical Society & Fan Club, spread the word of Elder鈥檚 death to the team faithful.

鈥淚 spoke to George multiple times earlier this year and he was in fine spirits and general good health,鈥澨齏heatley said. 鈥淏ut there was an obvious need for him in the big field in the sky.鈥�

Some background on Elder from Wheatley and :

A Fordham University football player in the early 1940s, Elder鈥檚 college grid career was interrupted by a stint in the Marine Corps in World War II, service that included seeing action on Iwo Jima.

Near war鈥檚 end, Elder played for the Marines All-Star team, where he ran into another Marine, baseball immortal Ted Williams. He told Elder to stick to baseball once he left the service.

So after his discharge, Elder finished college and played baseball at UCLA. He joined the Browns in 1949 and appeared in 41 games as a left-fielder and pinch-hitter.

Elder left baseball after the 1950 season and became a sheriff鈥檚 deputy in Los Angeles County. After retiring from there, he became a horse trainer.

With Elder鈥檚 passing, there now only three surviving players who wore the Brown & Orange:听听and Frank Saucier, 96; Ed Mickelson, 95;听and听Billy Hunter, 94.