Eddie Mooers

Edwin Hale Mooers

• Bats Right, Throws Right

• Born January 6, 1899 in Richmond, VA USA
• Died November 14, 1989 in Richmond, VA USA

BR minors page

Biographical Information

In his book "Baseball in Richmond," author Ron Pomfrey described Eddie Mooers as "Richmond's Mr. Baseball." Mooers is best remembered as owner of the Richmond Colts from 1932 to 1953. He also managed the club for part of the 1927 season and all of 1937. Mooers played in the minors from 1917 through 1931, including six seasons in his home city. (His obituary reported that he signed his first pro contract in 1915.)

Mooers debuted in 1917 with the Richmond Virginians, hitting a meek .162. He improved to .280 the next year with the Colts. Mooers went to spring training with the Yankees in 1919 as a shortstop but reported with a sore arm. He was with the team for a month after the season opened but never got into a game. The rest of the summer, he batted a composite .216 between the Pittsfield Hillies and Jersey City Skeeters. In 1920, he was with Jersey City, hitting .284 with nine triples and slugging .357. He hit .245/.287/.304 for the 1922 Newark Bears, his only known appearance in Organized Baseball from 1921-1924.

With Richmond in 1925, he batted .298. His big season came in 1926 for the Colts, hitting .309 with a .527 slugging, 37 doubles, 6 triples and 30 home runs. He was 6th in the Virginia League in slugging (five of those ahead of him spent time in the majors), 6th in hits (197), 5th in doubles and 3rd in homers (behind Stanley Stack and Dave Robertson).

In 1927, Eddie remained productive at .329 with 36 doubles, 19 homers and a .519 slugging while fielding .949 at short. He was 6th in slugging, third in dingers and second in doubles (behind Israel Bandrimer). Moving back up to AA (then the highest level of the minors), Mooers batted .297/.352/.457 for the 1928 Baltimore Orioles. He fielded .959 at second base. He was third on the team with 13 home runs despite being on a club loaded with former or future MLB players.

Mooers also spent 1929 with Baltimore, producing at a .285/.325/.423 rate with 14 homers and a .964 fielding percentage at 2B (where he split action with Bernie James). He was fourth on the Orioles in circuit clouts, behind Al Bool, George Loepp and Frank Brower. In his last season as a player, he batted .245 and slugged .329 for Richmond in 1931.

As an owner, he helped Luis Olmo get his start in U.S. professional baseball, but in 1946, he canceled an exhibition game between the Colts and the Montreal Royals rather than let Jackie Robinson take the field. The Colts did not field their first African-American players until 1953. When the International League put a franchise in Richmond for the 1954, Mooers moved his club to Colonial Heights and sold it a year later.

Mooers was in the auto business from 1924 through 1966. He was co-owner of Mooers Motor Car Co. with his brother Willard. Mooers Field in Richmond was named for him.

Related Sites

Mooers obituary, presented in family newsletter