"The idea is 60 years old, still undefeated and indisputably appealing: Leave the strategy up to the spectators, and they have no one to blame but themselves.

Grandstand Managers Day was a Bill Veeck brainstorm, a promotional stunt he pulled exactly five days after deploying the 3-foot-7 Eddie Gaedel as a pinch hitter for the St. Louis Browns.

It was Aug. 24, 1951, a Friday. The Browns were opening a series against the Philadelphia A's a mere 39?1/2 games out of first place. In an effort to promote these lackluster proceedings, Veeck held a contest allowing fans to vote on the Browns' starting lineup."