Baseball Hall of Fame
Members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY
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- Ty Cobb was born on 18 December 1886 in Narrows, Georgia, USA. He was an actor, known for Somewhere in Georgia (1917), The Baseball Revue of 1917 (1917) and Ty Cobb and Grantland Rice Talk Things Over (1930). He was married to Frances Fairbairn Cass and Charlotte Lombard. He died on 17 July 1961 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
- Walter Johnson was born on 6 November 1887 in Humboldt, Kansas, USA. He was an actor, known for The Baseball Revue of 1917 (1917), Mutual Weekly, No. 35 (1913) and Pathé's Weekly, No. 41 (1913). He was married to Hazel Lee Roberts. He died on 10 December 1946 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA.
- Baseball was a popular sport in its first 30 years, but it had always lacked one thing: a superstar. The 19th century was full of great players who won great popularity, but one thing the period lacked was a superstar the masses could idolize. The sport eventually did find its first superstar in the form of Christy Mathewson, a handsome, college-educated gentleman who stood as the shining star in the brutal world of early baseball.
Matty, as he was known, seemed to have been the embodiment of Frank Meriwell, the virtuous baseball hero in a popular serial of the time. His only character flaw seemed to have been his arrogance, but his performance on the field justified this arrogance. He had a good grasp of the standard pitches, the fastball, the curve ball and the change-up, and he had perfected a reverse-curve ball that made him one of the most dominating pitchers of the era. It is known today as a screwball, but players back them called it a fade-away, for it seemed to fade away from the hitter's line of sight. He threw all of these pitches with pinpoint precision. To top it off, Mathewson had a degree of intelligence that was almost impossible to find in early baseball. He was book-smart, having been educated at Bucknell College, in a sport where many of the players could barely read and write, and was known to have been a terrific checkers player. And he was smart on the field. It was Christy Mathewson who coined the phrase, "You can learn little from victory. You can learn everything from defeat."
Mathewson was a child of a wealthy farmer. He played an active role during his three years in college, and was a star athlete in three sports. During the summers he would play in various minor-league teams. He was purchased by the Giants, but was released after going 0-3 in his first major league season in 1900. He was later signed by both the Philadelphia Athletics (of the brand-new American League) and the Cincinnati Reds. To complicate things, the Reds mysteriously traded Mathewson to the Giants for the burned-out fireballer Amos Rusie. Forced to decide whether to return to the Giants or enter the American League, Mathewson decided to stick with the latter. He was good but not great in his first two full seasons with the Giants. He pitched a no-hitter, but went 34-34. The Giants manager tried to convert Mathewson to an infielder in 1902, but when new manager John J. McGraw arrived, he encouraged Mathewson to give pitching all he had, and Mathewson delivered. He won at least 30 games in the next three seasons (30, 33, 31) and, alongside Joe McGinnity, led the Giants to consecutive pennants in 1904 and 1905. In 1905 he pitched in his first World Series. Having already pitched a no-hitter, he continued his dominance by hurling three complete game shutouts as the Giants easily topped the A's. Mathewson won a career-high 37 games in 1908, but the one win he couldn't get turned out to be the most important. A playoff game was required between the Giants and the Cubs after they were tied in the regular season (after a legendary game that deserves a thread of its own), as he lost 4-2 to Mordecai Brown. The Cubs went on to win the World Series, and never won again: The Curse of the 1908 Giants (that darned Billy goat gets too much credit.)
Mathewson never failed to win at least 20 games in a staggering 12 consecutive seasons (1903-1914). His 300th win came in his 23-win 1912 season. Needing only 11 wins to get to the milestone after 1911, Mathewson won the first ten games quickly. His 300th career victory came on June 13, 1912 against none other than the Chicago Cubs. He was unable to get even with Brown. Instead, he topped staff ace 'Larry Cheney' for a 4-3 victory. Mathewson teamed up with Rube Marquard to bring the Giants another pennant that year, but suffered a rare mental lapse in the deciding game of the World Series and eventually lost to the Boston Red Sox. After a 24-win season in 1914, Mathewson's arm began fading in 1915, and went 8-14 while pitching half as much as he used to. Mathewson was asked to manage the Reds in the middle of 1916, and so Giants management agreed to trade the fading Mathewson to Cincinnati, where he finally got his revenge for the embarrassing loss to Brown in his 373rd and final career win.
Mathewson continued to manage the Reds after his career ended, and he turned the pitiful Reds from a cellar-dweller to a .500 club. In 1918, he was one of many players (and former players) that enlisted in the Army to fight in the Great War. Mathewson was assigned to train recruits how to put on gas masks, and was unfortunately exposed to mustard gas during a drill, and it permanently injured his lungs. After the war, Mathewson went to coach for the Giants, but was bothered by a nasty cough. Doctors discovered that Matty had contracted tuberculosis, a potentially fatal lung disease. Mathewson moved to a sanitarium, where he stayed for a few years to recuperate. As soon as he showed improvement, Mathewson purchased the Boston Braves in 1923 with James McDonough and Emil Fuchs, the former attorney for the Giants. However, the team was always in dire financial straits, and Fuchs was eventually forced to sell the team when not even bringing Babe Ruth over from the Yankess could turn things around. Matty's health steadily worsened, and eventually he had to return to the sanitarium.
His death crushed not only the baseball world, but also the nation, for they had lost one of their earliest and most beloved sports heroes. Nobody was sadder than John J. McGraw, who loved Mathewson as though he was the son McGraw never had. In 1936, Mathewson was one of the first five men that were elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. It may be arguable that there were better pitchers than Matty, but there's no denying that Mathewson was one of baseball's finest gentlemen. - Actor
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Most of Babe Ruth's records have been broken. In 1961, not only did Roger Maris break The Babe's 34-year-old record for most home runs in a season with 61* (2001), but Maris' teammate on the '61 Yankees, pitcher Whitey Ford broke the Babe's 43-year-old record for most scoreless innings pitched in a World Series when the Yankees dispatched the Reds that year in the postseason. (When asked how it felt to have beat the Babe's "other" record, Whitey responded, "It was a bad year for the Babe".)
Though Barry Bonds now holds the record for most home runs in a season (73), most home runs in a career (762), highest slugging percentage, most intentional walks, etc., The Babe still must be considered the greatest player who ever graced the game. In addition to his record 12 home run titles, his 13 slugging titles, his six R.B.I. titles, and his solo batting title (.378 in 1924; The Babe placed in the top five hitters in terms of batting average eight times, including a career high of .393 in 1923, when Harry Heilmann hit .403), The Babe won 18, 23 and 24 games as a left-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox in 1915, 1916 and 1917, and won the American League E.R.A. title in '16. He set his first home run title in 1918, another year the Sox won the World Series, as a part-time position player and part-time pitcher, notching up 11 homers and nine wins. George Herman Ruth likely will remain the sole player in major league baseball history to win batting, home run, R.B.I., slugging *and* E.R.A. titles, plus eat a dozen hot dogs and drink the better part of a keg of bootleg "needle" beer before suiting up for a game.
From 1914 to 1919, The Babe played for the Boston Red Sox, with whom he appeared on three World's Championship teams. Sold to the New York Yankees by Red Sox owner and theatrical impresario Harry Frazee, he led the-then no pennant American League franchise in Gotham to seven A.L. pennants and four World Series titles from 1920-1934. He played out his string with the Boston Braves in 1935; even a washed-up Babe was still able to pole three circuit clouts in one game before calling it quits after 28 games and six in that last season. The following year, he was one of the inaugural inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Yes, the Babe was mighty, and he did prevail more often than naught except over one opponent: Father Time.
The Babe ended his 22 years in the Big Leagues with 2,873 hits good for a career batting average of .342, 714 home runs, 2,217 R.B.I.s, and 2,174 runs scored in 2,503 games. (From his debut in 1914 through the 1918 season, when he was making his transition to becoming a full time position player, Ruth only appeared in 261 ball games as he was considered the top left-handed pitcher in the American League.) In the record books, Ty Cobb scored more runs and Hank Aaron hit more homers and racked up more R.B.I.s (Interestingly, Hammerin' Hank and The Babe ended their careers with the exact same number of runs scored.), but they played in far more games than the The Babe, with 3,035 and 3,298 games, respectively. Among modern players, Rickey Henderson, who surpassed Cobb's record for runs after 25 years in The Show, played in 3,081 games, and Barry Bonds appeared in almost 3,000 games.
No player ever had the impact, both on and off the field, as did the charismatic Babe. When he died of cancer in 1948, the New York Times headline read, "Babe Ruth/Idol of Millions of Boys/Dead".- American baseball player, born in Mansfield (now Carnegie), Pennsylvania. His real name was John Peter Wagner. He played semi-professional ball in Ohio and was given a contract (1896) by the Paterson, New Jersey, club before entering (1897) major-league play with the Louisville (Kentucky) club of the National League, Hans (a nickname also much used) soon anchored himself at shortstop with the Pirates. Wagner, called the Flying Dutchman by his fans, came to be regarded as one of the outstanding players of baseball. He led the National League in batting eight times (1900, 1903-4, 1906-9, 1911) had a lifetime batting average of .329 (batting over .200 in 17 consecutive years), made 3,430 base hits, scored close to 1,800 runs, and played in 2,785 games. Wagner, agile though massively built, excelled at fielding; he also led the National League five times in stolen bases. In 1917 he retired from baseball, but returned to the Pirates as coach (1933-52). In 1936 he was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
- Ban Johnson was born on 5 January 1864 in Norwalk, Ohio, USA. He died on 28 March 1931 in Saint Louis, Missouri, USA.
- Nap Lajoie was born on 5 September 1874 in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, USA. He died on 7 February 1959 in Daytona Beach, Florida, USA.
- Connie Mack was born on 22 December 1862 in East Brookfield, Massachusetts, USA. He was married to Katherine Holahan and Margaret Hogan. He died on 8 February 1956 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
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John J. McGraw was born on 7 April 1873 in Truxton, New York, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Detective Swift (1914), Play Ball (1925) and Breaking Into the Big League (1913). He was married to Blanche Sindall and Minnie Doyle. He died on 24 February 1934 in New York City, New York, USA.- Tris Speaker was born on 4 April 1888 in Hubbard, Texas, USA. He was an actor, known for The Kid from Cleveland (1949), The Baseball Revue of 1917 (1917) and 1915 World's Championship Series (1915). He was married to Mary Frances Cuddihy. He died on 8 December 1958 in Lake Whitney, Texas, USA.
- Cy Young was born on 29 March 1867 in Gilmore, Ohio, USA. He was married to Robba Miller. He died on 4 November 1955 in Newcomerstown, Ohio, USA.
- Grover Cleveland Alexander was born on 26 February 1887 in Elba, Nebraska, USA. He was married to Aimee Alexander. He died on 4 November 1950 in St. Paul, Nebraska, USA.
- Eddie Collins was born on 2 May 1887 in Millerton, New York, USA. He died on 25 March 1951 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
- Charles A. Comiskey was born on 15 August 1859 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He died on 26 October 1931 in Eagle River, Wisconsin, USA.
- George Sisler was born on 24 March 1893 in Manchester, Ohio, USA. He was married to Kathleen Charlotte Holznagle. He died on 26 March 1973 in Richmond Heights, Missouri, USA.
- Lou Gehrig is remembered as baseball's "Iron Horse" and used to own the major league record for the 2,130 consecutive games that he played for the New York Yankees between 1925 and 1939, where he had a .340 career batting average, making him one of the greatest hitters of all time. Henry Louis Gehrig was born in the Yorkville section of Manhattan, New York City on June 19, 1903. His parents, Heinrich and Christina Gehrig, were German immigrants. Of their four children, Lou was the only one who survived to adulthood. Growing up as a mama's boy, Lou lived with his parents until he married at the age of 30. Lou attended New York public schools, including the High School of Commerce, where he excelled in baseball, football and swimming. In his senior year, Lou's school won New York's public school baseball championship. They played Chicago's best high school team at Wrigley Field in 1920. The game was a portrait of what was to come: with the bases loaded and two outs in the 9th inning, Lou crushed a 3-2 pitch over the right field to win the game. To fulfill his parents' dream, Lou enrolled at New York's Columbia University in 1922. Because he had briefly played for a professional baseball club the preceding summer, Lou was barred from athletic competitions at Columbia for a year. After sitting out the year, Lou started on the college's baseball and football squads, earning him the nickname "Columbia Lou." When his father lost his job and his mother fell ill, Lou decided to leave college for a professional baseball career. In June 1923, the New York Yankees signed him to a minor league contract. He was assigned to the team's Hartford, Connecticut, farm club where he played for two seasons. Lou was then inserted into the Yankee lineup on June 1, 1925 substituting for their regular first baseman, Wally Pipp. For the next 14 years, Lou did not miss a single game. Even though Lou made an immediate impression in the majors, leading the American League with 20 triples in his second season, it was in 1927 that this six-foot, 210-pound left-hander blossomed as a slugger. He challenged teammate Babe Ruth for the league's home run title. By the end of the season, Lou had hit 47 home runs to Babe Ruth's 60, earning second place. That year, Lou hit .373 and set a major league record by racking up 175 RBIs. Not surprisingly, Lou was voted the league's Most Valuable Player. He also helped the Yankees to win the 1927 World Series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. True to his form, Lou had almost decided to sit out the entire series to stay by his ill mother's side. For the next 13 consecutive seasons, Lou knocked more than 100 home runs, and slugged 46 home runs with 184 RBIs in 1931. On June 3, 1932, Lou hit four home runs in one game against the Philadelphia Athletics, setting another major league record. In 1933, Lou married Eleanor Twitchell, who helped him withstand the rigors of professional baseball. On the eve of his 2,000th consecutive game in 1938, Eleanor suggested that Lou was getting compulsive about the streak and advised him to end his career at 1,999 games. Despite his wife's good intentions, Lou would not be deterred and appeared there and at 130 more games. During 1939 spring training Lou began to experience weakness and problems with coordination. On May 2, 1939, Lou's consecutive game streak finally ended when he removed himself from the team. Suspecting something more than his training was making him feel worn out, Lou entered the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota for health tests and on June 19, 1939, his 36th birthday, Lou was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a rare incurable muscular disorder which causes the muscular motor functions to degenerate, resulting in atrophying muscles, which in turn can lead to paralysis and ultimately death. New York mayor Fiorello LaGuardia named Lou the city's parole commissioner upon his retirement from baseball in 1939, a job he held until his declining health confided him to his bed in early 1941. Lou Gehrig finally passed away from ALS on June 2, 1941 at the age of 37. His universal renown was so great that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis later became known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.
- Rogers Hornsby was born on 27 April 1896 in Winters, Texas, USA. He was married to Marjorie Bernice Frederick, Jeanette Pennington Hine and Sarah Martin. He died on 5 January 1963 in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
- Kenesaw M. Landis was born on 20 November 1866 in Millville, Ohio, USA. He was married to Winifred Reed. He died on 25 November 1944 in Chicago, Illinois, USA.
- Roger Bresnahan was born on 11 June 1879 in Toledo, Ohio, USA. He died on 4 December 1944 in Toledo, Ohio, USA.
- Hughie Jennings was born on 2 April 1869 in Pittston, Pennsylvania, USA. He died on 1 February 1928 in Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA.
- Wilbert Robinson was born on 29 June 1863 in Bolton, Massachusetts, USA. He died on 8 August 1934 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
- Frank Chance was born on 9 September 1877 in Fresno, California, USA. He was married to Edythe L. Chance. He died on 15 September 1924 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Johnny Evers was born on 21 July 1881 in Troy, New York, USA. He died on 28 March 1947 in Albany, New York, USA.
- Joe McGinnity was born on 20 March 1871 in Cornwall, Illinois, USA. He was married to Mary Redpath. He died on 14 November 1929 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA.
- Joe Tinker was born on 27 July 1880 in Muscotah, Kansas, USA. He was an actor, known for Columbia Panoramics: Tomorrow's Stars (1940), World Series Baseball Game (1906) and Pathé News, No. 20 (1915). He died on 27 July 1948 in Orlando, Florida, USA.
- Rube Waddell was born on 13 October 1876 in Bradford, Pennsylvania, USA. He was married to Madge Maguire, May Wynne Skinner and Florence Dunning. He died on 1 April 1914 in San Antonio, Texas, USA.
- Ed Walsh was born on 14 May 1881 in Plains, Pennsylvania, USA. He died on 26 May 1959 in Pompano Beach, Florida, USA.
- Mickey Cochrane was born on 6 April 1903 in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, USA. He was married to Mary. He died on 28 June 1962 in Lake Forest, Illinois, USA.
- Frankie Frisch was born on 9 September 1898 in Bronx, New York, USA. He died on 12 March 1973 in Wilmington, Delaware, USA.
- Grove was the star pitcher of the late 1920-early 1930 he had a competitive spirit matched by few if any, it was this spirit that enabled grove to capture 300 major league wins mostly for Philadelphia and Boston American league. During a stretch of seven years lefty won at least twenty games while leading the league in era or strike outs. His 1931 season is one of the best as he went 31-4 the last American league pitcher to win 30 plus games in a season until Denny McLain went 31-6 in 1968.
- Carl Hubbell was born on 22 June 1903 in Carthage, Missouri, USA. He was an actor, known for Big Leaguer (1953), Sports Quiz (1944) and Pennant Chasers (1940). He was married to Julia Stanfield and Lucille Harrington. He died on 21 November 1988 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
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Harold Traynor was born on 11 November 1898 in Framingham, Massachusetts, USA. He was an actor, known for Angels in the Outfield (1951). He was married to Eve Helmer. He died on 16 March 1972 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.- Mordecai Brown was born on 19 October 1876 in Nyesville, Indiana, USA. He died on 14 February 1948 in Terre Haute, Indiana, USA.
- Charlie Gehringer was born on 11 May 1903 in Fowlerville, Michigan, USA. He was married to Josephine Stillen. He died on 21 January 1993 in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, USA.
- Jimmie Foxx was born on 22 October 1907 in Sudlersville, Maryland, USA. He was married to Dorothy Anderson Yard and Helen M Heite. He died on 21 July 1967 in Miami, Florida, USA.
- Mel Ott was born on 2 March 1909 in Gretna, Louisiana, USA. He was married to Mildred Rosina Wattigny. He died on 21 November 1958 in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
- Actor
Paul Waner was born on 16 April 1903 in Harrah, Oklahoma, USA. He was an actor. He was married to Mildred. He died on 29 August 1965 in Sarasota, Florida, USA.- Additional Crew
Ed Barrow was born on 10 May 1868 in Springfield, Illinois, USA. He is known for The Pride of the Yankees (1942). He died on 15 December 1953 in Port Chester, New York, USA.- Big Chief Bender was born on 5 May 1884 in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, USA. He died on 22 May 1954 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
- Jerome "Dizzy" Dean is regarded as one of the finest pitchers in baseball history. He took four consecutive strikeout titles, led the National League in complete games pitched for four straight seasons, and won two games for the Cardinals in the 1934 World Series--his brother Paul 'Daffy' Dean won the other two. Dean's career was brought up short in 1937 when he was hit by a line drive that broke his toe. He had to change his pitching style in order to keep off the broken toe, resulting in his causing permanent injury to his throwing arm. He spent the last years of his career with the St. Louis Browns, and retired in 1947 (after pitching a four-inning shutout).
- Al Simmons was born on 22 May 1902 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. He was married to Doris Lynn Reader. He died on 26 May 1956 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
- Perhaps the best major league catcher of the 1930s, Bill Dickey caught for the New York Yankees during the transition from the Babe Ruth/Lou Gehrig era to the Joe DiMaggio era. He was strong and composed at bat and behind the plate. In the 1934 All-Star game, when Carl Hubbell struck out Ruth, Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons and Joe Cronin, it was Dickey who ended Hubbard's streak with a single. Mild mannered off the field, he was a fiery competitor on. On 4 July 1932 he objected to the way Carl Reynolds of the Washington Senators slid into him at home plate. He broke Reynolds's jaw with one punch. The league suspended him for 30 days and fined him $1000. In 1943, Dickey enlisted in the US Navy at age 36. He served until 1945. He returned to the Yankees for the 1946 season, but was slumping. When Joe McCarthy was fired in mid-season, Dickey took over as manager. He resigned after the end of the season and became a coach. His first duty was to refine the talents of Yogi Berra, who was assigned Dickey's #8 jersey. He scouted for the Yankees during 1958 and 1959, then retired for good. Elected to the Hall of Fame in 1954, the Yankees retired #8 to honor Dickey and Berra in 1972.
- Rabbit Maranville was born on 11 November 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA. He died on 5 January 1954 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Frank Baker was born on 13 March 1886 in Trappe, Maryland, USA. He died on 28 June 1963 in Trappe, Maryland, USA.
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Joe DiMaggio was simply the greatest all-around baseball player of his era. As a New York baseball legend, "The Yankee Clipper" succeeded superstars Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig and preceded Mickey Mantle. In his 13 year career from 1936 to 1951 (which was interrupted by three years spent in the Army during World War Two from 1943-45), DiMaggio won three Most Valuable Player awards and was named to the All-Star team thirteen times.
His 1936 Yankees team won the World Series his freshman year, as it did in 1937, '38 and '39. The four straight wins was a record that would be surpassed by the Yankees team of 1949-53, of which "Joltin' Joe was a member for their first three World Championships, retiring after the 1951 season due to incredible pain that he had stoically endured. Ultimately, he played in 10 World Series, of which the Yankees won an incredible nine. (Only Yogi Berra, his teammate from 1946-51, appeared on more world champions, winning 10 rings in 14 World Series.)
DiMaggio is the possessor of what many consider the one batting record that will never be breached: consecutive games hitting. From May 15 to July 17, 1941, he hit in 56 straight games. DiMaggio beat out the great Ted Williams of the Red Sox for the MVP award that year, even though Ted hit .406. DiMaggio also beat Williams for the MVP in 1947, when "The Slendid Splinter" won his second Triple Crown the year after he had led the Red Sox to their first World Series since Babe Ruth was a pitcher and utility outfielder for the BoSox in 1918. It was the tightest MVP contest in history not ending in a tie: DiMaggio racked up 202 points with eight first place votes while "Teddy Ballgame" collected 201 points with three first place votes. Such was the respect for DiMaggio, whose team won the pennant and the World Series, that he won over a Triple Crown winner! DiMaggio was a flawless outfielder, and considered the major cog that made the Yankees winners. He was the consummate team player in an era (the Depression and World War II) in which cooperation was emphasized to beat the economic doldrums and global fascism. Williams, in contrast, was fabled as a non-conformist and individualist derided for "playing for himself", playing to boost his statistics rather than "taking one for the team". He would not shake the negative associations of not being a "team player" and not winning a World Series until after the Youth Revolution of the 1960s made conformity passé and nonconformity the norm.
In the 1940s, he was easily the most popular man in what was then justifiably called "America's National Pastime". His popularity was so great that the U.S. Army would not let him go overseas during the war, lest he be killed or captured, and thus damage American morale. In 1949, DiMaggio signed with the first six-figure contract in the history of Major League Baseball, when the Yankees signed him for $100,000 per year. That year he was hampered by the bone spurs that would end his career prematurely. Despite excruciating pain, an injured DiMaggio came back from the disabled list to face the Red Sox, who had nearly won the pennant the year previously (losing in a one-game playoff to the Cleveland Indians) and were up by one game with two games left to play against the Yankees.
His injuries would limit him to 76 games that year, but he came back for the series. The torrid hitting of DiMaggio led the Yankees over the BoSox in both games, capturing the pennant (and the first of a record five straight World Series titles) for rookie Yankees manager Casey Stengel. In an era of genuine heroes, DiMaggio was the epitome of the genre. Such was his unique status that he retired after a mediocre 1951 season, in which he hit only .263 with 12 homers and 71 RBIs in 113 games (after hitting .301 with 32 homers and 122 RBIs in 139 games the previous year). Joe DiMaggio did not want to become an average player, playing out his string. He wanted to go out a champion, and he did.
DiMaggio played his entire career in Yankee Stadium, the "House that Ruth Built", so called not only due to the Babe's great popularity, but also because the park was tailored to his left-handed power. DiMaggio was a right-handed hitter in a park that was death to righties: left-center field at Yankee Stadium in 1937 was 457 feet deep (whereas now, it is 399 feet deep). As DiMaggio and Ted Williams aged, it became dogma that while Williams was the better hitter, DiMaggio was the better all-around player. However, it is interesting to note that outside of their home ballparks, DiMaggio out-hit Williams.
In 1969, a poll conducted to coincide with the centennial of major league baseball ranked him as baseball's greatest living player. The great Joe DiMaggio, whom many believe was the most perfect and most complete ballplayer of all time, would continue to be legendary, even if he had not married Marilyn Monroe.- Gabby Hartnett was born on 20 December 1900 in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, USA. He died on 20 December 1972 in Park Ridge, Illinois, USA.
- Dazzy Vance was born on 4 March 1891 in Orient, Iowa, USA. He was married to Edyth. He died on 16 February 1961 in Homosassa Springs, Florida, USA.
- Joe Cronin was born on 12 October 1906 in San Francisco, California, USA. He was married to Mildred June Robertson. He died on 7 September 1984 in Osterville, Massachusetts, USA.
- Hank Greenberg was born on 1 January 1911 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg (1998), The Kid from Cleveland (1949) and Major League Baseball on ABC (1953). He was married to Linda Douglas and Caral Gimbel. He died on 4 September 1986 in Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Sam Crawford was born on 18 April 1880 in Wahoo, Nebraska, USA. He was an actor, known for College (1927) and The Glory of Their Times (1970). He died on 15 June 1968 in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Joe McCarthy was born on 21 April 1887 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He was married to Elizabeth (Babe) Lakeman. He died on 13 January 1978 in Buffalo, New York, USA.
- Zack Wheat was born on 23 May 1888 in Hamilton, Missouri, USA. He died on 11 March 1972 in Sedalia, Missouri, USA.
- Max Carey was born on 11 January 1890 in Terre Haute, Indiana, USA. He was married to Aurelia. He died on 30 May 1976 in Miami, Florida, USA.
- He made his first major league start in August, striking out 15 St. Louis Browns. A month later, he set an American League rookie record fanning 17 Philadelphia Athletics in a game. Upon completion of his rookie campaign, Feller returned home to Iowa to finish his senior year of high school - his graduation was covered by NBC Radio.
Feller really began to hit his stride after his 19th birthday, rattling off a string of three straight 20-win seasons. It was during this time that Senators' manager Bucky Harris conveyed the following strategy to his players when facing Feller: "Go on up there and hit what you see. If you can't see it, come on back."
Just days after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Feller put aside his 3-C draft deferment status and enlisted in the US Navy. With this selfless act, he gave up nearly four seasons of baseball in the prime of his career. But Feller had no regrets.
At the conclusion of the war, Feller returned to the game and picked up right where he left off, averaging more than 19 wins a season over the next six years. - Bill McKechnie was born on 7 August 1886 in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor, known for 1949 MLB All-Star Game (1949). He was married to Beryl Bien McKechnie. He died on 29 October 1965 in Bradenton, Florida, USA.
- Jackie Robinson is an American professional baseball player who became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era. Robinson broke the baseball color line when he started at first base for the The Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947. When the Dodgers signed Robinson, they heralded the end of racial segregation in professional baseball that had relegated black players to the Negro leagues since the 1880s. Robinson was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.
- Edd Roush was born on 8 May 1893 in Oakland City, Indiana, USA. He died on 21 March 1988 in Bradenton, Florida, USA.
- Eppa Rixey was born on 3 May 1891 in Culpeper, Virginia, USA. He died on 28 February 1963 in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
- Luke Appling was born on 2 April 1907 in High Point, North Carolina, USA. He died on 3 January 1991 in Cumming, Georgia, USA.
- Miller Huggins was born on 27 March 1879 in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. He died on 25 September 1929 in New York City, New York, USA.
- Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel (The Old Perfessor) was not only one of the most successful managers in baseball history, he was one of the sport's most colorful characters as well. He played 14 years in the major leagues, but it is his managerial career that put him in the Hall of Fame.
After managing the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Boston Braves during several of the two franchises' most hapless years, Casey was picked to helm the New York Yankees in 1949, after a successful stint as manager of the Pacific Coast League's Oakland Oaks. Under Stengel, the Yankees won the American League pennant every year from 1949 through 1960 except for two years: 1954 and 1959.
Despite winning ten pennants and seven World Series victories in twelve years as Yankees skipper, the team forced him out of the cat bird seat after the 1960 season, when the Yanks lost the World Series in seven games. He then became the manager of the new National League franchise in New York, the Mets, which proceeded to lose a record 120 games in their inaugural season in 1962, prompting Casey to ask rhetorically, "Can't anybody here play this game?" After having tasted such great success with the Bronx Bombers, Casey ended his professional baseball career losing over 100 games a year (average: 113) and finishing in last place in '62, '63 and '64. The team was also in last place and on pace for another 100+ loss season in 1965, when he retired after breaking his hip.
Famed for his colorful language, Casey was considered a national institution. You can look it up. - Theodore Samuel Williams was born in San Diego, California, on August 30, 1918. He signed a contract at the age of 18 in 1936 with the Boston Red Sox baseball team. He was assigned to their farm team in San Diego. In 1939 he made his Major League Baseball debut, where he set the record for most runs batted in by a rookie with 145. Ted Williams hit .406 in 1941, placing him with baseball's all-time elite. In 1942 Ted won the American League Triple Crown and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he would serve through 1945. In 1946, on his return to baseball, lead the Red Sox to the American League Pennant. The next year he won his 2nd Triple Crown. In 1957 he became the oldest player in history to win a batting crown. Ted retired as a player in 1960, amd hit a homerun in his last at bat. 6 years later he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He became the manager of the Washington Senators in 1969, and resigned three years later in 1972. He is considered by many to be the best hitter in baseball history.
- Branch Rickey was born on 20 December 1881 in Flat, Ohio, USA. He was married to Jane Moulton. He died on 9 December 1965 in Columbia, Missouri, USA.
- Goose Goslin was born on 16 October 1900 in Salem, New Jersey, USA. He died on 15 May 1971 in Bridgeton, New Jersey, USA.
- Joe 'Ducky' Medwick was born on 24 November 1911 in Carteret, New Jersey, USA. He was an actor, known for The Secret Policeman's Other Ball (1982), Later... With Jools Holland (1992) and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Live: Feelin' Alright (2009). He was married to Isabelle Heutel. He died on 21 March 1975 in St. Petersburg, Florida, USA.
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Roy Campanella was born on 19 November 1921 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Lassie (1954), Roogie's Bump (1954) and 1956 World Series (1956). He was married to Roxie Joynes, Ruthe Willis and Bernice Ray. He died on 26 June 1993 in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA.- Waite Hoyt was born on 9 September 1899 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for A Battery of Songs (1930), The Way It Was (1974) and The Bob Braun Show (1967). He was married to Betty Derie, Ellen Burbank and Dorothy Pyle. He died on 25 April 1984 in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.
- Stan Musial was born on 21 November 1920 in Donora, Pennsylvania, USA. He was married to Lillian Labash. He died on 19 January 2013 in Ladue, Missouri, USA.
- Lou Boudreau was born on 17 July 1917 in Harvey, Illinois, USA. He was an actor, known for The Kid from Cleveland (1949), 1948 World Series (1948) and This Is Your Life (1970). He was married to Della de Ruiter. He died on 10 August 2001 in Olympia Fields, Illinois, USA.
- Earle Combs was born on 14 May 1899 in Pebworth, Kentucky, USA. He was married to Ruth McCollum. He died on 21 July 1976 in Richmond, Kentucky, USA.
- Ford Frick was born on 19 December 1894 in Wawaka, Indiana, USA. He was married to Eleanor Cowing. He died on 8 April 1978 in Bronxville, New York, USA.
- Dave Bancroft was born on 20 April 1891 in Sioux City, Iowa, USA. He was married to Edna Harriet Gisin. He died on 9 October 1972 in Superior, Wisconsin, USA.
- Harry Hooper was born on 24 August 1887 in Bell Station, California, USA. He died on 18 December 1974 in Santa Cruz, California, USA.
- Rube Marquard was born on 9 October 1886 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. He was an actor, known for Rube Marquard Marries (1912), Rube Marquard Wins (1912) and The Baseball Revue of 1917 (1917). He was married to Blossom Seeley. He died on 1 June 1980 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
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Leroy 'Satchel' Paige was born on 7 July 1906 in Mobile, Alabama, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for The Wonderful Country (1959), Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy 'Satchel' Paige (1981) and The Kid from Cleveland (1949). He was married to Lahoma Brown and Janet Howard. He died on 8 June 1982 in Kansas City, Missouri, USA.- Actor
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One of baseball's greatest catchers of all time, Yogi Berra appeared in a record 14 World Series while calling the games for the New York Yankees. Berra proved invaluable to the Yankees as evidenced by his three American League Most Valuable Player awards. Berra was also one of the game's best-hitting catchers, hitting 358 homers and hitting a crisp .285 in his career. Berra also proved his worth as one of the smartest men in the game, managing the Yankees and later the New York Mets. He took both teams to the World Series. Lately however, Berra is more known for his fractured witticisms "It ain't over till it's over." Still, if you were to start an all-star baseball team, Berra would be one of top picks for catcher.- Lefty Gomez was born on 26 November 1908 in Rodeo, California, USA. He was married to June O'Dea. He died on 17 February 1989 in Greenbrae, California, USA.
- Sandy Koufax was born on 30 December 1935 in Brooklyn, New York, USA. He is an actor, known for 77 Sunset Strip (1958), Michael Shayne (1960) and Shotgun Slade (1959). He has been married to Jane Purucker Clarke since 2008. He was previously married to Kimberly Francis and Anne Heath Widmark.
- Early Wynn was born on 6 January 1920 in Hartford, Alabama, USA. He was an actor, known for 1954 World Series (1954), 1959 World Series (1959) and The Ed Sullivan Show (1948). He was married to Lorraine Follin. He died on 4 April 1999 in Venice, Florida, USA.
- Known for his hitting prowess on offense and his strong, accurate throwing arm on defense, Roberto Clemente carved out a Hall of Fame career over his 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Pirates, compiling a .317 lifetime batting average and collecting an even 3,000 hits. He was the National League's Most Valuable Player in 1966 and was voted MVP of the 1971 World Series in which the Pirates defeated the Baltimore Orioles. He was killed in a mission-of-mercy plane crash while attempting to deliver supplies to earthquake-stricken Nicaragua. Clemente was inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame in 1973, only the second player to have had the required five-year waiting period before being eligible waived.
- Monte Irvin was born on 25 February 1919 in Haleburg, Alabama, USA. He was an actor, known for It's My Turn (1980), 1954 World Series (1954) and Collecting America (1990). He was married to Dorinda (Dee). He died on 11 January 2016 in Houston, Texas, USA.
- Warren Spahn was born on 23 April 1921 in Buffalo, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for 1958 World Series (1958), 1948 World Series (1948) and 1957 World Series (1957). He was married to Lorene Southard. He died on 24 November 2003 in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, USA.
- Jocko Conlan was born on 6 December 1899 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He was married to Ruth Anderson. He died on 16 April 1989 in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA.
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Hall of Famer Whitey Ford, a mainstay of the New York Yankees dynasty of the 1950s and early '60s, was one of the greatest clutch pitchers of all time. The 10 time All-Star owned six rings for being on World's Championship squads in his 16 years with The Bronx Bombers. (During his time on the Yankees, he went to the fall classic a total of 11 times.) The left-hander put up a 236-106 career won-loss record with an earned run average of 2.75. His remarkable won-loss percentage of .690, third-best all-time, surpasses other all-time greats like 'Spud Chandler', Pedro Martinez, and Babe Ruth. (An outstanding left-handed pitcher with the Boston Red Sox, the Babe set a record for scoreless innings pitched in the World Series. When Ford broke that record during the '61 Series, the very same year that Roger Maris had broken The Sultan of Swat's all-time single-season record for home-runs, Whitey told the press, "It was a bad year for the Babe.")
Born Edward Charles Ford in Astoria, Queens on October 21, 1928, Whitey came up with the 1950 New York Yankees, going 9-1 and winning a game in the World Series. He spent the following two years in the military, then came back in 1953 to post a 18-6 record and lose one game in that year's fall classic. Though Ford only won 20 games twice in his career (going 24-4 in 1961 and 24-7 in '63), he was a consistent winner and more importantly, seldom lost. (Manager Casey Stengel, who oversaw the teams Ford played on from 1950 to 1960, was the man who developed modern concepts of how to use a bullpen, developing the idea of using top-notch relievers in key, situational roles rather in lieu of the old philosophy of using a broken-down starter as a mop-up man. In an era where a starting pitcher still was expected to finish what he had started, Ford averaged only 11 complete games a year, but he racked up 45 shutouts, putting him in the Top Twenty all-time when he retired.) From 1950 through 1962 (the last year that his Yankee dynasty scored their last World Series victory), he was a sterling 10-5 in the post-season, solidifying his reputation as one of the greatest clutch players in the game's history.
In 1966, he was bedeviled with circulatory problems in his left shoulder, necessitating surgery, and he retired after the 1967 season. At the close of his career, he was a two-time ERA champ and twice led the American League in wins. He had won the Cy Young Award in 1961 in a time where there was only one award given for both leagues. While still a player, Whitey served as the Yankees' pitching coach in the 1964 season under his former teammate (and new manager) Yogi Berra and again in the years 1974-75 under new owner George M. Steinbrenner III. He also served as the Yankees' first base coach in 1968, the year after his retirement.
Whitey Ford was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York in 1974 along with his long-time teammate and best friend Mickey Mantle. The Yankees promptly retired his playing number (#16). Thirteen years later, Whitey was given his own plaque in Yankee Stadium's Monument Park, the ultimate tribute to a Bronx Bomber.- Mickey Charles Mantle was born in Spavinaw, Oklahoma, on October 20, 1931, the son of a minor-league player who never made it to the big leagues and named him after Major Leaguer Mickey Cochrane. Mickey's father and grandfather -- who also never made it to the majors -- taught him how to play baseball, but more importantly also taught him how to be a switch-hitter.
Mickey grew up during the Great Depression, which hit Oklahoma especially hard. Times were so tough that the only way to play sports as a kid was to play with friends; there were no organized leagues around back then. It was while playing baseball with his friends that Mickey's astonishing talent for the game made itself evident. When he got into high school he played baseball, basketball and football and excelled at all three. Some thought that he would become a football player when he grew up, but Mickey had known what he wanted to be since the age of five: a baseball player, and nothing else. A devastating knee injury almost ruined his chances of getting into that -- or any other -- sport, and would be the beginning of the knee problems that would plague him throughout his career.
He was drafted into the minors at age 18, and while in the Yankee farm system his astounding talent was so obvious that he was jumped from the Class C division directly to the Yankee team itself. When he got there he was given #6, because Yankee management thought he would be the next "superstar" and in line with the other Yankee greats: Babe Ruth (#3), Lou Gehrig (#4), Joe DiMaggio (#5). Mick didn't do well, however, and was sent back down to the minors. After a couple of lackluster games he told his dad he was going to quit, but after giving it some thought he decided to stick with it and soon began to hit again. He was recalled back to the Yankee team (and given #7 this time), and that was when the Mickey Mantle of legend was born. He started in right field before DiMaggio left. During the 1951 World Series Mickey stepped into a water drain in the outfield, a serious injury that affected his playing from that point on.
In his 18-year career he set (and broke) numerous records and, as he himself has said, if he had taken better care of himself -- most of his home runs were hit while he was injured -- he would have broken every record in the book. Even his injuries and his penchant for hard drinking were no match for his mind-boggling talent -- he once hit a home run with one arm, and has admitted that many of his homers were hit while he was not only injured but drunk and / or hung over. In his later years he came to regret the chances he had and missed because of his drinking and partying. He even made a public service message to the kids who idolized him, recounting the kinds of things he had done and the mistakes he had made, and telling them, "Don't be like me." It's doubtful if there ever can be anyone like him; someone like Mickey Mantle comes along only once in a lifetime. He died August 13, 1995 at the age of 64. - Earl Averill was born on 21 May 1902 in Snohomish, Washington, USA. He died on 16 August 1983 in Everett, Washington, USA.
- Was one of the all time greats. His career as a manager spanned some 29 years. He had managed such teams as the Washington Senators and The Red Sox and Phillies. He won 2157 games in those 29 years he managed. He even led THE YANKS to the championship in 1947.
- Billy Herman was born on 7 July 1909 in New Albany, Indiana, USA. He was an actor, known for Baseball (1994), 1953 MLB All-Star Game (1953) and When It Was a Game (1991). He died on 5 September 1992 in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA.
- Ralph Kiner was born on 27 October 1922 in Santa Rita, New Mexico, USA. He was an actor, known for The Colgate Comedy Hour (1950), The Life and Times of Hank Greenberg (1998) and Greats of the Game (1985). He was married to Ann Benisch, Diann Shugart, Barbara George and Nancy Chaffee. He died on 6 February 2014 in Rancho Mirage, California, USA.
- Cal Hubbard was born on 31 October 1900 in Keytesville, Missouri, USA. He was married to Ruth Frishkorn and Mildred. He died on 16 October 1977 in St. Petersburg, Florida, USA.
- Bob Lemon was born on 22 September 1920 in San Bernardino, California, USA. He was an actor, known for The Winning Team (1952), The Kid from Cleveland (1949) and 1954 World Series (1954). He was married to Jane McGee. He died on 11 January 2000 in Long Beach, California, USA.