Our Arklahoma Heritage: Pat- Seery - From a childhood in Latimer County to a record rarely matched in MLB

Pat Seerey, born James Patrick Seerey on March 17, 1923, in Wilburton carried a piece of small-town Latimer County with him throughout a baseball career defined by raw power and one unforgettable afternoon

. His parents, Marie and James Seerey--a railroad baggage handler--moved the family, including Pat and his brother, to Little Rock during his childhood, around 1934. There, in the heart of Arkansas, Seerey grew up and attended Catholic High School for Boys (now known as Catholic High School), where he starred as a bruising fullback in football and showed early promise in baseball, playing for the Little Rock Boys' Club at Lamar Porter Field and the American Legion's Little Rock Doughboys team.

At 5 feet 10 inches and around 200 pounds (sometimes listed closer to 220 in his playing days), Seerey had a stocky, powerful build that earned him the nickname "Fat Pat" in some circles, though fans more affectionately called him "The People's Choice" for his approachable style and spectacular moments

. He signed with the Cleveland Indians' farm system in 1941 at age 18, debuting professionally with the Appleton Papermakers in the Class D Wisconsin State League. That first season he hit .330 with 31 home runs and 125 RBI in 104 games, showing the kind of power that would define him

. The next year, at Cedar Rapids in the Three-I League, he batted .305 with 33 homers and 92 RBI, earning a fast track to the majors.

Seerey reached the big leagues with Cleveland on June 9, 1943, at just 20 years old, one of the younger players in the league during wartime baseball. He played primarily as an outfielder--left field most often, but also right and center--over seven seasons from 1943 to 1949, appearing in 561 games for the Indians (1943–1948) and Chicago White Sox (1948–1949).

His career line read .224 batting average, 406 hits, 86 home runs, 261 RBI, 236 runs scored, .321 on-base percentage, and .412 slugging (.733 OPS). He drew 259 walks but struck out 485 times, leading the American League in strikeouts four seasons--a reflection of his free-swinging approach that prioritized power over contact.

.The highlight came on July 18, 1948, after Cleveland had traded him to the last-place White Sox in June for Bob Kennedy. In the first game of a doubleheader at Shibe Park in Philadelphia against the Athletics, Seerey hit four home runs in an 11-inning, 12-11 winJuHe went 4-for-6 with seven RBI.

July 16, 1948

The homers: a solo shot off Carl Scheib to lead off the fourth (clearing the left-field pavilion roof), a two-run blast off Scheib in the fifth, a three-run drive off Bob Savage in the sixth, and the game-winning solo homer off Lou Brissie in the 11th.

It was the first four-homer game in an extra-inning contest in American League history and only the fifth overall in MLB at the time (joining names like Lou Gehrig and Josh Gibson in exclusive company). The feat has been duplicated just 21 times ini MLB history.

The game showcased his strength in a wild slugfest, even as his overall 1948 season ended at .231 with 19 homers.

Seerey's time in the majors tapered quickly after that. In 1949, he played just four games for the White Sox (hitless in four at-bats, three walks) before being demoted. He continued in the minors through 1951, bouncing between teams like Los Angeles, Newark, Kansas City, San Antonio, Memphis, Colorado Springs, and Tampa.

His best post-MLB year came in 1950 with Colorado Springs in the Western Association: .300 average, 44 home runs, 117 RBI, 113 runs scored, and an eye-popping 135 walks on just 112 hits, showing pitchers' respect for his power. He tried out with Guelph, Ontario, in 1952 but did not stick, ending his pro career at age 29.

After baseball, Seerey settled in the St. Louis area with his wife, Jeanne, and their four children: daughters Patsy and Jeannine, and sons Mike and Dennis (all of whom later married).

He worked as a custodian for the St. Louis Board of Education, a steady job that supported his family through the years. He lived quietly in Jennings, Missouri, far from the spotlight, and passed away there on April 28, 1986, at age 63 from lung cancer.

He is buried at Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis.

Seerey's legacy rests on flashes of brilliance rather than sustained stardom. His four-homer game remains a singular moment in White Sox history--no other player in franchise annals has matched it--and a reminder of the unpredictable magic in baseball.

From his Oklahoma birthplace in Latimer County to Arkansas fields and big-league diamonds, Pat Seerey embodied the everyman slugger who could, on the right day, leave everyone in awe.