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Frank Angelo Joseph (Creepy) Crespi

Born Frank Angelo Joseph Crespi on Saturday, February 16, 1918 in St. Louis, MO, Creepy was a major league infielder (primarily second base) for the St. Louis Cardinals. His first game with the squad was September 14, 1938, when 20 years old, however his first full season was not until 1941, when he garnered Rookie second baseman All-Star accolades from The Sporting News. The Rookie All-Star shortstop rookie that season was NY Yankee and future Hall of Famer, Phil Rizzuto. Creepy remained with the team until World War II commitments ended his career after the 1942 World Series Championship, won by the Cardinals over the New York Yankees. While he got a few major league at-bats in 1939 and 1940, he played for the Cardinals' Rochester Red Wings minor league club for most of the 1939 and 1940 seasons. He passed away on March 1, 1990 at 72 years old.

Creepy’s nickname is often considered one of the more entertaining monikers in Major League Baseball history. His nickname is so strongly associated with him that he is listed in many baseball reference books simply as 'Creepy Crespi'. Although his baseball career may have been more well-known if not for a freak injury (detailed below), it is that nickname that promises him a place in baseball history.

An affable guy, the nickname was quite opposite his actual demeanor and reputation. So, how did it come about? When asked in an interview, recorded in 1976 with the now legendary and Hall-of-Fame broadcaster Jack Buck, about its origin, Creepy remembered, “I don’t recall for sure, I think some sportswriter said it was the way I 'creep up' on the baseball.” Considered a brilliant fielder, Hall of Famer shortstop Marty Marion called him the best second baseman he ever played with.

Creepy was originally scouted as a catcher. According to Post-Dispatch contributing sports editor Bob Broeg: “Cardinal scout George Silvey saw him playing first base but he was so strong-armed. He was always fast, too, trim and fast. If he hadn’t got hurt, he wouldn’t have had to sit around. He was so versatile – a timely hitter and a great fielder.”  Marty Marion considered Creepy the best second baseman he ever saw.

Affable as he was, he was also determined and stuck to his principles in days long before 'holdout' became a familiar sports term. Humorously perhaps by today’s standards, Creepy was a brief holdout the spring before what would be his last season. Legendary St. Louis sportswriter Bob Burnes recalled the story in his Benchwarmer column as follows (excerpt from the St. Louis Sun, March 7, 1990): “In 1942, by his own admission, Creepy made his “dumbest move”. He was a holdout. Tight-fisted Sam Breadon paid all rookies $3,500, boosted them $500 if they survived. Crespi wanted $500 more than that because “my mothers needs a new refrigerator”. He got the $500 but lost his starting job. He still played in 93 games that season, one in which the Cardinals won both the pennant and the series.

The next year, he was in the service. Playing with the Fort Riley baseball team, Frank broke his leg while chasing a foul ball. During his recovery, orderlies were racing patients, one of them being Frank, down a hall. The orderly pushing Frank’s wheelchair stopped suddenly, throwing Frank out of the wheelchair – which resulted in re-breaking his leg. In treating the injury, a solution calling for 1% alcohol was mistakenly applied at 10%, severely burning his leg. He was lucky to avoid amputation.

Although his baseball career was over, he enjoyed an active post-baseball career, which included a brief stint managing the Rochester Red Wings (at the time, a St. Louis Cardinal farm club), and success as an amateur golfer. In both he achieved success. He later sold securities and cars, and ended up his career working for the former McDonnell Aircraft firm (acquired by Boeing in 1997, a few years after Creepy's passing).

Another interesting part of Creepy’s life is that he did not marry until after he retired! He married at the age of 67, and was married until his death five years later.