Robert Phillip Maier (September 5, 1915 - August 4, 1993) was a Major League Baseballthird baseman for the Detroit Tigers during their 1945 World Series championship season. Born in Dunellen, New Jersey, Maier played only one season in the big leagues, but he spent that season on a championship team. Maier played in 132 games for the 1945 Tigers, batting .263 in 486 at bats with 58 runs, 34 RBIs, 25 doubles, 7 triples, and 7 stolen bases. Though he was the starting third baseman during the regular season, the starting job went to Jimmy Outlaw in the World Series, as Outlaw moved from the outfield to third base to make room for Hank Greenberg who had returned from military service late in the season. Maier appeared in Game 6 of the 1945 World Series as a pinch hitter for catcher Paul Richards. http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN194510080.shtml His one at bat in the World Series proved to be his last in the major leagues, and he hit a single off Cubs pitcher Claude Passeau for a lifetime batting average of 1.000 in the postseson. Maier was replaced as the Tigers starting third baseman by George Kell. Maier died in 1993 in South Plainfield, New Jersey.
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