Gus Suhr, Longtime Pirates 1B, Dies at 98

.c The Associated Press  
01/17/04 00:39 EST

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) - Gus Suhr, who played more games at first base for the Pittsburgh Pirates than anyone else, has died. He was 98.

Suhr died at his home Thursday, two weeks after his birthday.

Suhr set the NL record of 822 consecutive games played, a streak that ended in 1937 when he attended his mother's funeral. The mark stood until Stan Musial broke it in 1957.

``It's a long life. It was a healthy life and it was a good life,'' his son, Gus Jr., said Friday. ``Everybody should have such a life.''

Suhr Jr. said the family had a lot of scrapbooks and shared stories about his father's life in baseball.

``Those were the days,'' he said.

Suhr hit .279 with 84 home runs and 818 RBIs in the majors from 1930-40. He spent the first 8 1/2 seasons with the Pirates and finished with the Philadelphia Phillies.

Suhr was a hit from the start, batting .286 with 17 homers and 107 RBIs as a rookie. He posted three 100-RBI seasons overall.

An All-Star in 1936, Suhr played 1,339 games at first base for the Pirates.

In 2002, the Pirates honored him at PNC Park as one of 17 former Pittsburgh All-Stars.

Suhr was promoted to the majors after starring for the San Francisco Seals of the PCL. He hit .381 with 51 home runs and 177 RBIs in 1929.

A memorial service was to be held Friday in Scottsdale. He was to be buried in San Francisco.

Suhr is survived by a son, Gus Jr., five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.