Lennie Merullo, Last Surviving Cubs Player to Play in World Series, Dies at 98

Lennie Merullo, the last remaining player from the Chicago Cubs' pennant-winning team in 1945, died Saturday at 98 years old in Reading, Massachusetts, after complications from a stroke, per Richard Goldstein of the New York Times.

The team held a moment of silence before Sunday's 2-1 win over the Kansas City Royals to honor the former shortstop:

Merullo remained with the organization after his retirement from professional baseball in 1947, working as a scout from 1950 to 1972. He returned to Wrigley Field last year and threw out the first pitch for Chicago's June 7 game with the Miami Marlins:

He also stopped by the WGN booth:    

WGN's Bob Vorwald added his thoughts about that moment:

Goldstein shared an amusing anecdote about Merullo and a local Chicago sportswriter:

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In the 1980s, Merullo became a good-natured target of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Chicago newspaper columnist Mike Royko, who often cited him in his annual quizzes centering on the futility of past Cubs teams.

One day, Merullo sent a letter to Royko, who ran it in one of his columns.

“I thought you might like to know whatever became of your favorite Cub shortstop,” Merullo wrote. “I’m now 66 years old, the father of four wonderful grown sons, grandfather of three, and still married very happily to my girl-next-door sweetheart. And I’ve spent my entire years in baseball — a very much respected scout here in the New England area and in special assignments throughout the country.”

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Merullo appeared in 639 regular-season games for the Cubs between 1941 and 1947, batting .240 with six home runs and 152 runs batted in. His 22 sacrifice hits in 1942 tied for the league lead. He also had two plate appearances during the 1945 World Series vs. the Detroit Tigers, going 0-for-2 with a strikeout.