Steve Biras

Stefan Alexander Biras (February 26, 1917 – April 21, 1965) was a Major League Baseball second baseman who played for one season. He played for the Cleveland Indians from September 15, 1944, to September 26, 1944.

Biras originally played semi-pro baseball in St. Louis before being signed by the Cleveland Indians.[1] He played in only two games. He debuted on September 15, 1944, against the Detroit Tigers, pinch hitting for pitcher Ray Poat in the fifth inning with Cleveland trailing 5-0. Against Detroit pitching ace, and 1944 American League MVP Hal Newhouser, Biras singled in his first Major League at bat. This game would be Newhouser's 25th victory in a season in which he won 29 games.[2]

Biras' last game came on September 26 in an 8-3 loss to the Washington Senators. Biras came on as a substitute for second baseman Ray Mack, and made one fielding error, one putout and one fielding assist for a fielding average of .667. In his lone at bat in the game, Biras hit a single off of Dutch Leonard, driving in two runners (RBI's).

After the 1944 season ended, he was assigned to the Wilkes-Barre Barons, but refused to report to the team. He instead returned to his semi-pro team in St. Louis, ending his professional career.[1] Biras died on April 21, 1965, in St. Louis, Missouri, at the age of 48.[1]