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Al Schacht
ALEXANDER “AL” SCHACHT (November 11, 1892 - July 14, 1984) was a professional baseball player, coach, and later restaurateur catering to the New York glitterati. He most famously played as a pitche...view moreALEXANDER “AL” SCHACHT (November 11, 1892 - July 14, 1984) was a professional baseball player, coach, and later restaurateur catering to the New York glitterati. He most famously played as a pitcher in the major leagues for the Washington Senators in the 1920s.
Born in New York City, he compiled a 14-10 won/loss mark (with a 4.48 earned run average) in his three-year MLB pitching career, and was highly regarded as a third-base coach. His ability to mimic other players from the coaching lines, and his comedy routines with fellow Washington coach Nick Altrock, earned him the nickname of “The Clown Prince of Baseball”.
After 11 seasons (1924-1934) as a Senator coach, Schacht broke up his act with Altrock to follow Washington manager Joe Cronin to the Boston Red Sox, where Schacht coached at third base in 1935-1936. He then focused on a solo career as a baseball entertainer.
Following World War II, Schacht went into the restaurant business. His eponymous steakhouse at 102 E. 52nd Street (at Park Avenue) in Manhattan was popular for decades, catering to a clientele of sports stars and stage and screen celebrities. The restaurant’s exterior appears in the 1961 movie Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
Schacht died in Waterbury, Connecticut in 1984, aged 91.view less
Books by Al Schacht
My Own Particular Screwball: An Informal Autobiography G I Had Fun Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings