The Daily Standard
Story Archive
By Ike Coate
The Mercer County Historical Society
Bruno Betzel played professional baseball in the early 1900s. He was born in Chattanooga.
Mercer County certainly has its share of athletic excellence with countless boys and girls high school state championships in multiple sports. A number of those athletes went on to professional careers. The list of those is too long to list here, but it would be recognized by most of our readers.
However, one of the names you probably wouldn't recognize was that of "Bruno" Betzel.
Betzel, who was born in 1894 in Chattanooga, played for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1914 to 1918. He started at age 19 and roomed with Rogers Hornsby, a future Hall of Famer.
Known for his baseball smarts and hustle, Betzel's natural traits later led him to be hired as manager of minor league teams for 26 years following his playing career. He then was a scout for the Dodgers, the Giants, and the Reds. Eventually, he was inducted into the International League Hall of Fame in 1957.
During his scouting career, Betzel was instrumental in bringing Jackie Robinson to the major leagues. Robinson was the first African American player to play in the major leagues.
Betzel's real name was Christian Frederick Albert John Henry David Betzel, a name given to him in order to honor his six uncles. The nickname "Bruno" came from the family St. Bernard of the same name. It is also speculated that he played in some exhibition games in 1926-27 with the Celina Carps team against a Lima team that included Babe Ruth.
We know for sure that the 1927 game had Lou Gehrig playing for Celina, and that was the year Ruth hit 60 home runs. Bruno also played on a winter basketball team composed of players trying to keep in shape before the season resumed. They played a game against a Bluffton team and lost 108-0. We think that perhaps they should've stuck to baseball.
Betzel died while on vacation in Florida on Feb. 7, 1965. He is buried in Celina.
It would seem that "Bruno" Betzel certainly made a name for himself in baseball, a name that he would have to add to the six his parents already gave him.
The Riley House has a plaque commemorating Bruno's pro playing career along with a number of various vintage uniforms and gear from multiple sports. The Riley House museum is located at 130 E. Market St. in Celina and is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday and Friday. Admission is free.
