Several ball players appearing in the 1952 Topps set put in some acting work during and after their baseball careers. Many portrayed baseball players in films with sports-based plots. Catfish Metkovich acted alongside Red Skelton in a music comedy. Johnny Berardino spent 50 years as a soap opera regular.
“Peanuts” Lowrey was a bit different. His Hollywood debut arrived before he could finish elementary school. Our Gang was a series of comedy shorts following the adventures of a group of kids growing up in a poor neighborhood. The series, popularly known as The Little Rascals, was largely filmed on a property owned by Lowrey’s grandfather. The action at his grandfather’s land attracted the young boy and he soon began making regular uncredited appearances in the films.
Lowrey would continue to drift in and out of the movie businesses whenever actors with baseball skills were needed. He played two characters in 1952’s The Winning Team, a biopic of Grover Cleveland Alexander. In one memorable scene, Lowrey hits Cleveland (played by Ronald Reagan!) in the face with a thrown ball.
Lowrey played baseball for just over a decade, serving in utility roles and playing every position but pitcher and catcher. He produced solid, middle of the pack results, about all you could ask for as a jack-of-all-trades backup.
