Of course, in a sense, I’ve never really left baseball, because I’ve been a batting coach most of the years since I quit playing. I coached two years with the Phillies, two with the Cardinals, six with Milwaukee, and some with the Red Sox. I took the whole organization, not just the Big League club. When the parent team was at home, I’d usually be there. Then, when they went on the road, I’d start flying to all their minor-league clubs.
Even as a batting coach, you know, my small size has helped me. Because the youngsters figure that, me being small and all, I must know something about how to hit. It’s obvious I can’t strong-back the ball, and yet they know I got over 3,000 hits, over 600 doubles, and all that. So they say to themselves, “Gee, he must know the secret.” And they listen.
So that’s the way it was. Those 24 years that I played baseball—from 1923 to 1946—somehow, it doesn’t seem like I played even a month. It went so fast. The first four or five years, I felt like I’d been in baseball a long time. Then, suddenly, I’d been in the Big Leagues for ten years. And then, all at once, it was twenty.
You know…sitting here like this…it’s hard to believe it’s more than a quarter of a century since Lloyd and I played together. Somehow…I don’t know…it seems like it all happened only yesterday.
John J. McGraw and Honus Wagner: “It seems like it all happened only yesterday.”
Acknowledgments
SO MANY people have gone out of their way to help me with this book that it would be impossible to express here my appreciation to each and every one of them. But I would be woefully remiss if I did not take this opportunity to record my gratitude to Herman Krooss and Bob Kavesh, for thinking that this was worth doing in the first place; to Bill Veeck, for his encouragement very early in the game; to Eliot Asinof and Bob McKenzie, for their enthusiasm in a later inning; to Roslyn Purcell, for her cheerful and efficient secretarial assistance; to Larry Grossberg, of Sonocraft, who was never quite sure what this was all about, but who was always more than willing to take time out to render first aid anyway; and to Fred Lieb, who has forgotten more about baseball in the early days than I will ever know, for his hospitality and his help.
Finally, this whole endeavor, from beginning to end, has been the collective effort of two others besides myself. It could never have gotten off the ground without our first-base coach, Stephen Ritter, who either operated the tape recorder himself or, when there was no alternative, patiently showed me (a number of times) what levers to push to make a tape recorder record on tape. And it could never have been carried through to completion without our third-base coach, Barbara Neuwirth, who did a thousand and one things, including the proferring of much very good advice, most of which was taken and the rest of which should have been.
For the new enlarged edition, special thanks are due to Harvey Ginsberg, Donald Honig, Rolf Preuss, and Joan Raines. Each made a unique contribution toward launching this edition; without them, it never would have gotten off the ground.
Picture Credits
MANY of the pictures in this book were obtained from the personal albums of the players themselves. The sources of the others are as follows:
BETTMANN ARCHIVE image 1, image 2
BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY image 1
BROWN BROTHERS Image 1, Image 2, Image 3, Image 4, Image 5, Image 6, Image 7, Image 8, Image 9, Image 10, Image 11
CULVER PICTURES Image 1, Image 2, Image 3, Image 4, Image 5, Image 6, Image 7, Image 8
EUROPEAN PICTURE SERVICE Image 1, Image 2, Image 3, Image 4 Image 5, Image 6, Image 7, Image 8, Image 9, Image 10, Image 11, Image 12
FREDERIC LEWIS, INC. Image 1
FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHERS GUILD Image 1, Image 2, Image 3, Image 4
HAYWARD BINNEY Image 1, Image 2, Image 3
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD Image 1
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS Image 1, Image 2
NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY Image 1, Image 2
PHOTOWORLD Image 1
THE SPORTING NEWS Image 1, Image 2
UNDERWOOD AND UNDERWOOD Image 1, Image 2
UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL Image 1, Image 2, Image 3, Image 4
WIDE WORLD PHOTOS Image 1, Image 2, Image 3
Searchable Terms*
The pagination of this electronic edition does not match the edition from which it was created. To locate a specific passage, please use the search feature of your e-book reader.
Aaron, Hank, 317
Adams, Charles (Babe), 14, 96
Alexander, Grover Cleveland, 57, 144, 178, 192, 193, 194, 208, 209, 252, 253, 256, 266
Ames, Leon, 95, 124
Andrews, Jay (Doc), 158
Archer, Jimmy, 131, 179, 257
Armour, Bill, 64, 65
Auker, Eldon, 316
Austin, James Philip, 78–90, 81, 85, 90
Bagby, Jim, 236, 237
Baker, Del, 311, 322
Baker, Frank (Home Run), 52, 111, 114, 150, 180, 199, 202
Ball, Neal, 237
Barnes, Jesse, 117
Barnes, Virgil, 117
Barnhart, Clyde, 338
Barrow, Edward G., 145, 243, 244
Barry, Jack, 144, 153, 181, 199, 202
Barry, John C. (Shad), 192
Baum, Spider, 335
Beaumont, Clarence (Ginger), 153, 188
Beck, Zinn, 281, 282
Beckley, Jake, 33, 55, 69
Bedient, Hugh, 144
Bender, Charles Albert (Chief), 111, 114, 121, 153, 180, 181, 198, 200, 201, 202, 208, 224
Bengough, Benny, 245
Bescher, Bob, 153, 189, 191
Blue, Lu, 312
Bonura, Zeke, 319, 329
Boyer, Clete, 338
Boyer, Ken, 338
Bradley, Bill, 2, 9, 10, 11, 79
Branca, Ralph, 269
Breadon, Sam, 253
Bresnahan, Roger, 73, 95, 106, 174, 179, 257, 258
Bressler, Raymond B. (Rube), 198–209, 200, 222, 301
Bridges, Tommy, 316
Briggs, Walter O., Sr., 320, 325
Bridwell, Albert Henry, 15, 95, 97, 124–37, 127, 130, 224
Brouthers, Dan, 33, 52
Brown, Mace, 343, 344, 345
Brown, Mordecai (Three-Fingered), 108, 125, 131, 132, 133, 136, 224
Burns, George J., 95, 260, 261, 270
Bush, Leslie (Bullet Joe), 144, 198, 199, 245
Bush, Owen (Donie), 28, 43, 60, 305, 338
Cadore, Leon, 117
Cady, Forrest, iii, 144
Cagney, Jimmy, 259
Caldwell, Ray, 236
Callahan, Danny, 37
Callahan, Jimmy, 39, 40
Camnitz, Howie, 15
Camp, Walter, 171
Cantillon, Joe, 56, 57
Carey, Max, 139
Carr, Charlie, 9, 12, 13
Carrigan, Bill, iii, 144, 152
Chance, Frank, 99, 107, 108, 136, 153, 185, 271, 272
Chapman, Ray, 235, 236, 243
Chase, Hal, 83, 84, 86, 153, 204, 261, 300, 301, 339
Chesbro, Jack, 26, 40, 56, 69, 82
Cicotte, Eddie, 218, 222, 224, 258
Clarke, Fred, 23, 24, 33, 73, 74, 188, 279
Clarke, Jay (Nig), 43
Coakley, Andy, 153, 167, 189, 191
Cobb, Ty, 21, 28, 40, 41, 42, 43, 47, 57, 59, 60, 61, 62, 73, 89, 90, 105, 124, 125, 129, 139, 159, 204, 205, 235, 236, 242, 261, 268, 273, 275, 276, 314
Cochrane, Gordon (Mickey), 288, 314, 315, 316, 322
Cohan, George M., 198
Collins, Eddie, 117, 153, 181, 199, 202, 205, 261, 267
Collins, Ray, iii, 42, 199, 202
Combs, Earle, 139, 245, 341
Comerford, Dan, 214, 215
Comiskey, Charles A., 39, 151, 152
Compton, Bill, 157
Coolidge, President and Mrs. Calvin, 305
Coombs, Colby Jack, 87, 121, 153, 179, 199, 202
Cooper, Guy, iii
Corcoran, Tommy, 69
Costello, Maurice, 16
&nbs
p; Coveleski, Frank, 117
Coveleski, Harry, 109, 117, 118, 119
Coveleski, Jacob, 117
Coveleski, John, 117
Coveleski, Stanley A., 117–23, 119, 122, 236
Cowper, William, 231
Cramer, Roger (Doc), 324
Crandall, Otis, 95, 106, 164
Crawford, Samuel Earl (Wahoo Sam), 28, 33, 37, 40, 41, 43, 47–69, 68, 89, 129, 159, 195, 261, 332
Crosby, Bing, 325
Crowder, Alvin (General), 316
Curley, Mayor James M., 114, 116
Cuyler, Hazen (Kiki), 285, 338
Daubert, Jake, 179, 203, 204, 219, 222, 301
Dauss, George, iii
Davis, Harry A., 312, 313
Davis, Harry H., 153, 181
DeBerry, John (Hank), 206, 213, 216
Delehanty, Ed, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 40, 65, 69, 79, 332
Delehanty, Frank, 29, 30
Delehanty, Jimmy, 28, 29, 30, 43, 65, 129, 189, 192, 224
Delehanty, Joe, 29, 30
Delehanty, Tommy, 29, 30
Delehanty, Willie, 29
Derringer, Paul, 322
Devine, Joe, 337
Devlin, Art, 95, 153
Devore, Josh, 95
Dewey, Admiral George, 172
Dickey, Bill, 279, 317
DiMaggio, Dominick, 332
DiMaggio, Joe, 139, 271, 279, 319, 329, 345
DiMaggio, Vince, 332
Dinneen, Bill, 238
Donahue, Francis (Red), 35, 36
Donlin, Mike, 94, 124
Douglas, Shufflin’ Phil, 124
Doyle, Larry, 15, 95, 106, 165, 301
Dreyfuss, Barney, 21, 70, 73, 75, 76, 77, 187, 337
Dubuc, Jean, 310
Dugan, Joe, 151, 245
Duncan, Louis (Pat), 301
Durocher, Leo, 275
Egan, Arthur (Ben), 121
Elberfeld, Norman (Kid), 52, 82, 83
Ellard, George, 20
Eller, Horace (Hod), 219, 301
Emslie, Bob, 107, 133
Engle, Clyde, 110, 149
Evers, Johnny, 70, 99, 107, 133, 136, 137, 185
Ewing, William (Buck), 69, 124
Farrell, Frank J., 83
Farrell, James T., 154
Faust, Charles Victory, 102, 103, 104, 105
Feller, Bob, 154, 208, 317, 318, 319, 322
Felsch, Oscar (Happy), 301
Ferguson, Charlie, 84, 85
Fewster, Wilson (Chick), 206, 207, 216
Finneran, Bill, 195
Fitzgerald, F. Scott, 218
Fitzgerald, Mayor John F. (Honey Fitz), 164, 165, 166
Flaherty, Pat, 100
Flanagan, Charlie, iii
Fletcher, Art, 95, 106, 164, 301
Flick, Elmer, 2, 10, 69
Fohl, Lee, 168, 169
Fonseca, Lew, 291, 334, 335
Foster, George, iii, 97, 144
Fox, Pete, 311, 316
Foxx, Jimmie, 279, 319, 327
Francis, Robert, 185
Franklin, Rabbi Leo, 330
Frazee, Harry, 151
Frederick, Johnny, 206
French, Larry, 288
Friel, Bill, 128
Frisbee, Charlie, 6, 7
Frisch, Frankie, 253, 256, 265, 266, 302, 308, 310
Fullerton, Hugh, 70
Galbreath, John, 325, 326
Galloway, Chick, 249
Gardner, William (Larry), 111, 144, 150, 152, 238
Gehrig, Lou, 159, 245, 247, 279, 310, 317, 319, 327, 341, 342
Gehringer, Charlie, 279, 312, 314, 315, 316, 317, 322
Gibson, George (Moonie), 70–77, 71, 179
Glaze, Ralph, 171
Gleason, William (Kid), 52
Gleichman, Gus, 210, 211
Gooch, Johnny, 341
Goslin, Leon Allen (Goose), 279–89, 281, 287, 314, 316, 322
Gowdy, Hank, 285
Graham, Charlie, 140, 141, 142, 292, 293
Graney, Jack, 235
Grant, Eddie, 153
Greenberg, Henry Benjamin (Hank), 306–31, 307, 315, 323, 331
Gregg, Vean, iii
Griffith, Clark, 39, 40, 189, 281, 285, 288
Grimes, Burleigh, 117
Groh, Henry K. (Heinie), 14, 203, 222, 299–305, 304
Grove, Robert (Lefty), 87, 154, 208, 289
Guest, Edgar A., 330, 331
Gustav, King of Sweden, 183
Guthrie, Bill, 283
Hagerman, Rip, iii
Hahn, Archie, 38
Hahn, Frank (Noodles), 69
Haines, Jesse, 252
Haley, Ray, iii
Hall, Charlie, 144
Hamilton, Billy, 172, 173
Hanlon, Ned, 52, 53, 189, 192
Hanson, Howard, 66
Hargrave, Eugene (Bubbles), 257
Harris, Stanley (Bucky), 282, 284, 289, 304, 305, 312, 313, 314
Hart, James A., 39, 40
Hartnett, Charles Leo (Gabby), 251, 343
Hedges, Robert L., 86
Heilmann, Harry, 275, 279, 283
Hennessy, Spike, 291
Herman, Babe (prize fighter), 214
Herman, Floyd Caves (Babe), 198, 199, 210–17, 212, 217
Herrmann, Garry, 128, 129
Herzog, Charles (Buck), 95, 106, 153, 164, 225, 301
Hill, Belden, 158
Hoblitzel, Richard (Doc), 144
Hofman, Artie (Solly), 107, 136
Honig, Donald, 210
Hooper, Harry B., 110, 138, 139–53, 150, 151, 159, 165, 166, 182, 243
Hornsby, Rogers, 157, 252, 253, 255, 265, 266, 273, 279
Howley, Dan, 78
Hoy, William (Dummy), 23, 53, 54, 55
Hoyt, Waite, 245, 248
Hubbell, Carl, 256
Huggins, Miller, 128, 153, 189, 245, 271, 303
Humphries, Jack, 124
Humphries, Rolfe, 124
Hurst, Tim, 55, 56, 82
Ingersoll, Robert G., 48
Jackson, Helen Hunt, 170
Jackson, Joe, 60, 222, 235, 243, 273, 275, 301
Jennings, Hughie, 51, 52, 64, 153, 211
Johnson, Ban, 47
Johnson, Walter, 43, 44, 56, 57, 61, 62, 64, 87, 92, 147, 149, 154, 159, 166, 178, 202, 207, 208, 261, 268, 285
Jones, David Jefferson (Davy), 28, 34–46, 41, 60, 153, 224
Jones, Samuel Pond (Sad Sam), 144, 151, 241–49, 242
Joss, Addie, 36
Joyce, Alice, 16
Judge, Joe, 282, 312
Kamm, William Edward, 290–98, 292, 334, 335, 337
Kauff, Benny, 224
Keeler, Wee Willie, 24, 40, 52, 53, 54, 69, 82, 211
Kelley, Joe, 128, 192, 213
Kelly, George, 228
Kennedy, President John F., 166
Kilduff, Pete, 237, 238
Kilfoyle, John F., 8, 9
Killebrew, Harmon, 246
Killefer, Wade, 225
Kiner, Ralph, 326, 327
Kinney, Walt, 243, 244
Klem, Bill, 116, 175, 196, 197
Kling, Johnny, 179
Knight, Jack, 84
Koenig, Mark, 245, 341
Kopf, Larry, 203, 222, 300, 301
Koufax, Sandy, 87, 125, 139
Kreevich, Mike, 282
Kremer, Ray, 343
Krichell, Paul, 309, 310
Kuhel, Joe, 312
LaChance, George (Candy), 70
Lajoie, Napoleon (Larry), 2, 10, 11, 33, 40, 59, 69, 235, 243, 279, 332
Lake, Fred, 143
Lannin, Joe, iii
LaPorte, Frank, 83
Lapp, Jack, 199
Latham, Arlie, 94
Lazzeri, Tony, 194, 245, 247, 252, 253, 266, 341
Leach, Thomas W., 20–33, 31, 52, 53, 73, 74, 79, 188, 332
Leever, Sam, 26, 73
Leonard, Hubert (Dutch), iii, 144, 151
Lewis, George (Duffy), 144, 146, 149, 151, 152, 337
Lindstrom, Fred,
284, 285, 299, 300, 304, 305
Lobert, John B. (Hans), 185–97, 197
Lombardi, Ernie, 322
London, Jack, 1
Lowe, Bobby, 53
Lowe, Pete, 223, 224
Luque, Dolph, 301
Mack, Connie, 25, 50, 87, 111, 119, 120, 121, 122, 180, 185, 198, 199, 200, 201, 202
Mack, Earle, 198
Magee, Sherry, 194, 195
Mantle, Mickey, 246
Manush, Heinie, 279, 282, 283, 284
Marberry, Fred (Firpo), 316
Maris, Roger, 317
Marquard, Richard W. (Rube), 1–19, 11, 18, 95, 96, 117, 158, 178, 179, 180, 191
Mathewson, Christy, 15, 16, 17, 57, 95, 96, 105, 106, 108, 110, 117, 124, 131, 132, 150, 152, 154, 166, 175, 176, 177, 180, 181, 182, 190, 194, 203, 222, 225, 226, 259, 270, 286
Mathewson, Henry, 117
Mays, Carl, iii, 144, 151, 245, 308
Mays, Willie, 47, 59, 124, 125, 139, 246, 275, 276, 319
McCarthy, Joe, 328
McCormick, Harry (Moose), 106, 107, 108, 132, 136
McElvaine, John, 67
McGinnity, Joe, 94, 100, 107, 108, 111, 176, 189, 190
McGowan, Bill, 280
McGraw, John J., 14, 15, 16, 17, 52, 53, 75, 76, 77, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 100, 101, 102, 103, 108, 109, 111, 118, 131, 139, 153, 172, 174, 175, 180, 181, 185, 189, 190, 191, 195, 196, 211, 224, 225, 226, 228, 229, 230, 254, 255, 256, 261, 271, 301, 302, 304, 308, 346
McGreevey, Mike (“Nuf Sed”), 27
McHale, Marty, 152
McInnis, John (Stuffy), 181, 199, 339, 341
McKechnie, Bill, 222, 224, 225, 342
McKinley, President William, 34
McKinney, Frank, 325
McLean, Larry, 192
McNeeley, Earl, 285
McPhee, John (Biddy), 69
Meadows, Lee (Specs), 267
Merkle, Fred, 95, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 117, 118, 124, 129, 132, 133, 136, 137, 179, 180, 182, 183, 191, 259, 301
Meusel, Bob, 245, 253, 341
Meyers, John Tortes (Chief), 15, 95, 111, 124, 150, 153, 164, 170–84, 173, 181
Milan, Clyde, 60, 61, 64
Miljus, Johnny, 341
Miller, John (Dots), 336
Miller, Otto, 237, 238
Mitchell, Clarence, 237
Mitchell, Willie, 243
Moran, Pat, 203, 219
Moriarty, George, 28, 43, 298, 329, 330
Mulcahy, Hugh, 322
Murphy, Eddie, 199
Murray, Jack (Red), 14, 15, 95, 110
Myers, Hi, 179
Nabors, Jack, 202
Navin, Frank J., 42, 43, 313, 314, 320
Neale, Alfred E. (Greasy), 203, 222, 226, 301
Needham, Tom, 95
Nehf, Art, 249
Newsom, Norman Louis (Bobo), 322
Niekro, Joe, 117
The Glory of Their Times Page 35