Primarily a third baseman during a 12-year career with the Pirates, Cardinals, White Sox, and Reds (along with second go-rounds in Pittsburgh and Chicago), Eugene Lewis Freese was traded to Houston during the 1966 season. He hit .091 in 21 games as an Astro, although he hit .254 with 115 homers over his entire career.

Freese died at age 79 in New Orleans, LA, of natural causes.