Gordon Sundin Jr. was an outstanding three-sport athlete at Minneapolis Washburn in the mid-1950s. So good that he helped the Millers to a state first — winning state titles in baseball and basketball in the same school year.
The three-year letter-winner in baseball, basketball and football for Washburn signed a professional baseball contract with the Baltimore Orioles in July of 1955, one month after leading Washburn to the state baseball championship. He was three months shy of his 18th birthday.
Sundin, who spent six years in professional baseball, died on May 2 in Naples, Fla. He was 78.
"Gordie was one of the best all-around athletes to ever come out of Minneapolis," Star Tribune columnist Sid Hartman said.
During that period, photos and stories of Sundin and his Millers teammates frequented the sports pages of the two Minneapolis daily newspapers — the morning Tribune and the afternoon Star.
"He could do it all," Hartman said. "He was all-state in basketball. He was 6-foot-4 and could throw hard. He could have played college football. He was recruited by the Gophers, Notre Dame and Wisconsin."
After pitching in just five minor league games for the York (Pa.) White Roses in 1955 — one of his teammates was future Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson — and missing nearly the entire 1956 season because of arm problems, Sundin made his major league debut with two weeks remaining in the regular season.
On Sept. 19, 1956, Sundin entered a game in the eighth inning in Detroit with the Orioles trailing, 8-1. After facing two batters and walking them both, he was relieved. One of those two baserunners eventually scored. It would turn out to be his only major league appearance.
