Morris Woodrow Aderholt (September 13, 1915 – March 18, 1955) was a second baseman and outfielder in Major League Baseball from 1939 to 1945. Born in Mount Olive, North Carolina, Aderholt graduated from Wake Forest University and played professional ball for the Washington Senators,

Brooklyn Dodgers The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Association (19th century), American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the ...

and

Boston Braves The Atlanta Braves, a current Major League Baseball franchise, originated in Boston, Massachusetts. This article details the history of the Boston Braves, from 1871 to 1952, after which they moved to Milwaukee, and then to Atlanta. During it ...

from 1939 to 1945. He played a total of 106 games in the major leagues over the five seasons he was active. Aderholt made his professional debut for Washington on September 13, 1939, which happened to also fall on his 24th birthday. On that occasion, he ended up hitting a home run and a single against the Chicago White Sox. Through August 29, 2019, Aderholt is the only major league baseball player to have multiple hits — and the only one to hit a homer — in their pro debut, which was also the player's birthday. Aderholt was described by Dodgers President

Branch Rickey Wesley Branch Rickey (December 20, 1881 – December 9, 1965) was an American baseball player and sports executive. Rickey was instrumental in breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier by signing black player Jackie Robinson. He also creat ...

as the "World's worst third baseman... but he's a natural batsman." He was thus moved to the outfield, where he would be less of a defensive liability. His fielding percentage in was a mediocre .871. After his playing career ended, he went on to manage several minor league teams and also served as a scout for the Senators. Aderholt died on March 18, 1955, after suffering a heart attack during a scouting trip to Sarasota, Florida.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Aderholt, Morrie 1915 births 1955 deaths Atlanta Crackers players Baseball players from North Carolina Birmingham Barons players Boston Braves players Brooklyn Dodgers players Charlotte Hornets (baseball) players Chattanooga Lookouts players Emporia Nationals players Indianapolis Indians players Major League Baseball outfielders Minor league baseball managers Montgomery Rebels players Montreal Royals players People from Mount Olive, North Carolina Roanoke Rapids Jays players Wake Forest University alumni Springfield Nationals players Toronto Maple Leafs (International League) players Washington Senators (1901–1960) players Washington Senators (1901–60) scouts