Rollie Stiles, 100; pitcher for the St. Louis Browns in 1930s faced Babe Ruth

Former St. Louis Brown Rollie Stiles, 100, believed to be the oldest former major leaguer, died Sunday at a nursing home in St. Louis County, Mo., a nursing home spokesman said. A cause of death was not given.

Born Nov. 17, 1906, in Ratcliff, Ark., Stiles pitched for the Browns in 1930, 1931 and 1933, compiling a 9-14 record with a 5.92 ERA. Babe Ruth was among the hitters he faced.

“I had a great game against him,” Stiles recalled in a 2006 interview with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “I held him to three hits.”

Emmett McAuliffe of the St. Louis Browns fan club and a friend of Stiles, recalled him as modest and grateful for his career.

“Everything about him was class,” McAuliffe said.

“He knew he wasn’t the greatest player that ever lived. But he loved the game.”

Stiles played seven seasons in the minor leagues after his major league career ended.

“To be paid to play a boy’s game was a great line of work to him,” McAuliffe said.

The Browns moved to Baltimore and became the Orioles after the 1953 season.

After finishing his playing career, Stiles worked for Procter & Gamble Co., retiring in 1969.

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