Joseph Michael "Joe" Erautt (1921-1976), a major league baseball player, was a fan-favorite during the years he played for the Rainiers, Seattle's Pacific Coast League baseball team. Born in Saskatchewan and raised in Portland, his professional career extended for 14 total seasons between 1940 and 1956 (interrupted by his service with the Air Force during WWII), and included almost 1,100 games played in minor league baseball. Mr. Erautt played catcher for the Seattle Rainiers in 1951-1952 and 1954, returning several times after he retired to play in "old-timers" exhibitions games that were wildly popular with local fans.

In this image Joe Erautt poses in his Rainiers' uniform and catcher's gear during team spring training in Palm Springs. Mr. Erautt's younger brother, Edward Lorenz Sebastian "Eddie" Erautt (1924-2013) was also a professional baseball player, pitching for the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals between 1947 and 1953.

Caption information source: "Rainier, Beaver Oldtimers To Play Here Next Friday," The Seattle Sunday Times, August 20, 1961, p. 45.
Caption information sources: http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv49291; and https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=erautt001jos
Caption information also derived from captions written by Post-Intelligencer staff and attached to the back of the photograph.