Check out previous Central Illinois Debuts

Carl Vandagrift

Major League Debut May 19, 1914

He was born Carl William Vandagrift on April 22, 1883, in Cantrall, Illinois. He went on to enjoy his time in baseball as he made his major league debut with the Indianapolis Hoosiers on May 19, 1914. Primarily a second baseman, he played in 43 professional games. In his first at-bat, he produced a single. He hit in his first seven games in the major leagues and was batting .417 on June 23rd. Things went south from there and by the end of the season he was hitting a dismal .245 and he had no homers or triples. He did get four doubles but he was just a singles player. That was the end of his professional career.

He moved to Ft. Wayne Indiana and owned and operated a bowling alley in the city. He died on October 9, 1920, due to complications from appendectomy surgery. He was 38 years of age and left behind a wife and six-year-old son.

Career Numbers

Batting average .250
Home runs 0
Runs batted in 9
Teams
Indianapolis Hoosiers (1914)

Where is Cantrall, Illinois?

Cantrall is a village in Sangamon County, Illinois, United States. The population was 139 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Sangamon River State Fish and Wildlife Area is located 4.5 miles (7.2 km) southwest of Cantrall, on the banks of the Sangamon River.