1952 Yankees' Old-Timers' Day of the Past: 1951

OLD-TIMERS DAY WITH THE YANKEES
Why McCarthy Quit Coaching Lines
"It was Old-Timers Day at Yankee Stadium. Ed Barrow was there and Joe McCarthy. And Joe Dugan and Whitey Witt and Home Run Baker. Roger Peckinpaugh and Wally Pipp and Benny Bengough. Joe Sewell and Walter Brown and Wally Schang. Red Ruffing and Charlie Keller and Lyn Lary. Marius Russo and Bob Shawkey and Earle Combs and Bud Metheny. And Vernon (Lefty) Gomez.
In the New York clubhouse before the game started, Gomez dominated the gathering. Being Gomez, he simply couldn't help it. He was the one the others were listening to, wherever he happened to be. He didn't fail them, either.
He said to Ed Barrow:
'Remember when you thought I had to put on weight to be a big league pitcher and sent me to a milk farm?'
'I do,' Ed said.
'You said to me: 'Put on twenty pounds and you'll make even the older fans forget Jack Chesbro?'
'I said: 'If I put on twenty pounds they'll forget Gomez.'
'And what happened? I put on twenty and even you forgot me.'
'I forgot you?' Barrow said.
'Well, not exactly,' Gomez said. 'But you sent me to St. Paul.'
There was the year that Lou Gehrig would have led the league in home runs but he missed because Lary, on second base when Lou blew one into the stands with two out, thought the ball had been caught and, having reached third base, headed for the dugout to get a drink of water before taking his position at shortstop. And Gehrig, not having noticed this, rounded third and continued on to the plate- and was called out for having passed Lary on the base line.
'McCarthy was coaching at third base,' Lefty said, recalling the episode.
Just then McCarthy walked into the room. Raising his voice, Lefty said:
'Joe came back to the dugout, steaming.
' 'Of all the dumb ----!' he said. 'Twenty of you sitting on the bench and not one of you had brains enough to yell at Lary that the ball was in the stands.'
'And Ruffing said: 'What was the matter with you, Joe? You were closer to him than anyone else.'
'That,' Lefty said, 'was the last time Joe ever coached at third base- or any other base.'
Then he turned to Joe and said:
'A little while ago, somebody said to me:
' 'You know Joe McCarthy, don't you?'
'And I said: 'Know him? Ruffing and I ---- near pitched him into the Hall of Fame.' '
Benny Bengough, one of the great Yankee catchers, came in and Lefty said: 'You and that Lazzeri.'
'Me and Lazzeri? What about us?'
'The first time Lazzeri saw me,' Lefty said, 'he looked me over and he said:
' 'You were in the Coast League last year, weren't you?'
' 'I said, 'Yes. What about it?'
'And he said: 'That's where you will be next  year.' '
He turned to the others.
'And this Bengough!' he said. 'The first time I ever was in a ball game, Shawkey called me in to relieve. Bengough is down like this, giving me a sign. I can't see it, but I throw him a fast ball. He's looking for a curve and the ball goes over his head, misses the umpire, fortunately, and hits the grandstand and everybody runs. When Bengough recovers the ball there isn't anything he can do but walk out to the box and hand it to me and as he does he says:
' 'Take it easy, kid. Don't be nervous. Pitching up here is just like pitching in the minors except that up here the catcher generally knows what's coming.' '
Yogi Berra, current Yankee catcher, came in and Gomez said to him:
'Too bad about you.'
'What's the matter with me?' Yogi asked.
'I've often wondered,' Lefty said. 'But that's beside the point. I was just thinking you were born too late. I could have made a great catcher out of you just by throwing my fast ball past the hitters.'
It was a nostalgic touch. That was the way it used to be in the clubhouse when Lefty was pitching for the Yankees. Never a solemn moment when the guy was around, even when a pennant race ... or a World Series ... was tight and he was pitching. There was the time when, in a clutch game, he had one out and two on and a tough hitter at the plate and he walked in and beckoned to Bill Dickey. Bill, naturally, thought he wanted to talk to him about the hitter and walked out to him.
'Have you got any bird dog puppies to sell?' Lefty asked.
'What's the matter with you?' Bill asked. 'Have you lost your mind?'
'No,' Lefty said. 'Seriously, a friend of mine asked me last night if I knew where he could buy a couple of bird dog puppies and I said I thought you might have some and I just happened to think of it and ... '
The guy was a great pitcher. He had to be, with the stuff he had and the temperament and the sheer guts.
Nostalgic? So was the sight of Barrow and McCarthy in the Stadium. Not in the clubhouse. Not even on this occasion, arranged as a salute to McCarthy, for when McCarthy ... and before him, Shawkey and Miller Huggins ... were managing the Yankees, Barrow, the general manager, never went into the clubhouse. That was the manager's precinct, he felt.
But now, this day, there were Ed and Joe together again in the Stadium and I was glad I was there to see them because, you see, I remember the time ... "

-Frank Graham, condensed from the New York-Journal American (Baseball Digest, November 1951)

1952 Yankee of the Past: Tommy Henrich

TOMMY HENRICH
HENRICH FIDGETY AS A COACH
No Thought of Trying a Comeback
"You couldn't help spotting the fidgety form of Tommy Henrich in the New York Yankee dugout- he was the guy with the tense and tortured look.
'Sitting around always was kind of tough for me,' observed the popular thirty-seven-year-old Yankee coach, who formally retired last year after eleven historic seasons in the big leagues.
'Sometimes,' he admitted with a faraway look in his light blue eyes, 'I feel like getting there again, for a little while anyway, but don't you go and write that I'm looking to break up any ball games.'
Picking up his faded brown glove, the former outfielder walked out in front of the dugout to throw with catcher Charlie Silvera.
'No sir,' he said, making the first toss, 'I'm too far along to want to jump up there to the plate with the winning run looking to charge in from third. I'll leave that to some of the younger fellows.
'Why, I'd have to go through spring training all over again before I'd be ready to hit in a ball game. You know how it is, you lay off awhile and your timing gets awful rusty.'
Henrich kept throwing to Silvera and occasionally he would grunt from the effort he exerted.
'I think I got my stuff today,' he smiled, gloving the return from the catcher.
'Here comes my blazer!' Tommy called out, then spanked a sizzling fastball into Silvera's poised mitt.
The only time Henrich swung a bat this year was during the early workouts at Yankee Stadium when he 'took a quick turn' just for old time's sake.
What he did he do in the dugout during the actual ball games? Just sat, mostly.
'I helped the outfielders a little,' he admitted in his usual unassuming manner.
'Once in a while Casey (Stengel) would say to me, 'Are the outfielders moved over enough toward left?' Occasionally, I'd move 'em a little bit ... you know, the outfield has to shift around for the hitters ... but Joe (DiMaggio) out there takes care of showing'em where to play, also. He knows a whole lot about where to play all the hitters in the league.'
Henrich signaled Silvera that he had enough and then sauntered out to the mound to relieve Coach Jim Turner, who had thrown the first portion of batting practice.
'C'mon Yogi,' Henrich called eagerly, 'get in there and see if you can hit my curve ball.'
'I can hit your curve ball any day in the week,' replied the deadpanned Berra, stepping up to the plate.'
'Never mind any day in the week; let's see if you can hit it today.'
But that, more or less, was the extent of Henrich's daily activity because when his pre-game chores were done, he shuffled back for the somber loneliness of the dugout.
And there he sat in silent restlessness."

-Milton Richman, United Press (Baseball Digest, November 1951)

1952 Yankees of the Past Alumni Team

Former Yankees on 1952 Spring Training Rosters

MGR - Leo Durocher (New York Giants)
CH - Chuck Dressen (Brooklyn Dodgers)
CH - Bucky Harris (Washington Senators)
CH - Red Rolfe (Detroit Tigers)
C - Sherm Lollar (Chicago White Sox)
C - Clyde McCullough (Pittsburgh Pirates)
C - Gus Niarhos (Boston Red Sox)
1B - Dick Kryhoski (St. Louis Browns)
2B - Jerry Priddy (Detroit Tigers)
2B - Pete Suder (Philadelphia Athletics) (SS)
2B - Billy Hitchcock (Philadelphia Athletics) (SS)
3B - Billy Johnson (St. Louis Cardinals)
SS - Tom Upton (Washington Senators)
LF - Hank Sauer (Chicago Cubs)
CF - Jim Delsing (St. Louis Browns)
RF - Bob Addis (Chicago Cubs)
OF - Cliff Mapes (Detroit Tigers)
OF - Steve Souchock (Detroit Tigers) (1B) (retroactive designated hitter)
PH  - Hank Majeski (Philadelphia Athletics) (3B)
P - Bob Porterfield (Washington Senators)
P - Bill Wight (Boston Red Sox)
P - Mel Queen (Pittsburgh Pirates)
P - Ken Holcombe (Chicago White Sox)
P - Lew Burdette (Boston Braves)
P - Karl Drews (Philadelphia Phillies)
RP - Ellis Kinder (Boston Red Sox)
RP - Monk Dubiel (Chicago Cubs)
RP - Randy Gumpert (Boston Red Sox)
RP - Frank Hiller (Cincinnati Reds)

1952 Yankee of the Past: Bill Wight

"Bill broke even (7 and 7) in wins and losses in 1951. In 34 games he hurled 118 innings, struck out 38 batters and walked 63.
He began in baseball in 1941 with Idaho Falls of the Pioneer League. The Red Sox are Bill's third major league team. He has played for the Yankees and the White Sox."

-1952 Bowman No. 117

"Bill put in three years in the minors and three years in the Navy before he made the majors with the Yankees in 1946. Sent to Kansas City in '47, he won 16 and lost 9 and was recalled at the end of the season. In 1948, Bill was traded to the White Sox and had a 9-20 record.
He came back in '49 to win 15 while losing 13 and in 1950 he had a 10-16 mark. In December of 1950, he was traded to the Red Sox.
Bill sketches for a hobby and is quite good at it."

-1952 Topps No. 177

1952 Yankee Prospects of the Past

BOB ADDIS
"An ex-Marine, Bob got his first big league chance with the Braves at the end of the 1950 season after leading the American Association in batting (.323) at Milwaukee. Before that he hit .314 and .346 for St. Paul in '48 and '49. In 16 games for the Braves in '50, Bob hit .250. In October of '51 he was traded to the Cubs.
In pro ball since 1943, Bob was an All-Ohio sprint man in high school, where he started out as a pitcher but switched to the outfield."

-1952 Topps No. 259


BILLY HITCHCOCK
"Billy has played every infield position during his career. His 1951 batting average of .306 was the best he has ever compiled in either the majors or the minors. Before 1951 he had not topped the .300 mark.
He was in 77 games in '51. He had 68 hits for 89 bases and drove in 36 runs."

-1952 Bowman No. 89

"Philadelphians first saw Billy as a shifty football player for Auburn College in 1937. At Auburn, he captained the football and baseball teams. In the Army in 1943-44-45, Billy was a major in the Air Force.
He broke into pro ball with Kansas City in 1939 and came up with the Tigers in 1942. Billy came to the A's in October of '49 after playing with the Senators, Browns and Red Sox. He hit .273 in 1950 and boosted his average 33 points in '51 to have his best year."

-1952 Topps No. 182


ELLIS KINDER
"Ellis was the relief ace of the American League in 1951. As a starting pitcher in 1949, he led the league's hurlers, winning 23 and losing only 6.
Ellis didn't break into the majors until he was 32 years old in 1946. He pitched for the Browns for two years and was traded to the Red Sox for 1948. In four seasons with the Red Sox, Ellis has won 58 and lost only 27.
A Navy veteran, he made the Major League All-Star Team in 1949."

-1952 Topps No. 78


CLYDE MCCULLOUGH
"Clyde hit .297 for 92 games in 1951. He slammed eight homers and his bat was responsible for 39 runs driven in.
In organized ball since 1935, Clyde has been a major leaguer since the end of the 1940 season. He joined the Chicago Cubs at that time. He was traded to the Pirates in December of 1948."

-1952 Bowman No. 99

"Mac has been in organized ball since 1935, taking time out to serve in the Armed Forces (1944-45). His experience helps wobbly pitchers over rough spots.
After hitting .329 for Binghamton in '37 and .324 for Kansas City in '40, Clyde came up with the Cubs. He was traded to the Pirates in December of '48. His best big league batting mark prior to '51 was .287 in 1946.
In 1942, Clyde hit three home runs in one game. He tied for the lead in double plays by a catcher in 1949."

-1952 Topps No. 218


PETE SUDER
"Pete was the best fielding second baseman in the American League in 1951. He was in 103 games at second, fielding .987, and made but eight errors in 595 total chances.
In 123 games in all, Pete had 108 hits for 131 bases, 18 doubles and 42 RBIs while batting .245.
Pete has been in the majors since 1941, playing only for the A's."

-1952 Bowman No. 179

"The oldest member of the A's, 'Pecky' was the best-fielding second baseman in the American League in 1947 and 1951.
In pro ball since 1935, he got his first chance with the A's in 1941, being drafted from Binghamton where he was voted the Most Valuable Player of the Eastern League. He made the grade and has been in the majors ever since, except for two years in the Army. A top-notch fielder, Pete is a dependable hitter, his best mark being .281 in 1946."

-1952 Topps No. 256


TOM UPTON
"Breaking into organized baseball in 1944 as a Yankee farmhand, Tom spent two years in the Navy, in '45 and '46, and waited until 1950 before making the majors. After a good year at Beaumont in '49, he was drafted by the Browns and played 124 games at shortstop and third base in '50. Last winter the Browns traded him to the White Sox who sent him to the Senators.
He's a college graduate and a trained physical education teacher."

-1952 Topps No. 71

1952 Yankee of the Past: George Stirnweiss

"A great football star at the University of North Carolina, Snuffy has been in the majors since 1942, coming up with the Yankees. He holds two big league records for second basemen- highest fielding percentage (.993) and fewest errors (5)- both set in 1948.
In 1944, Snuffy led the American League in stolen bases (55), runs and hits. In 1945, he led the league in batting (.309), slugging, stolen bases, triples, runs and hits.
Traded to the Browns in 1950, he came to the Indians in 1951."

-1952 Topps No. 217

1952 Yankee of the Past: Bud Stewart

"Bud batted .276 for 95 games in 1951. His 60 hits were good for a total of 101 bases and included six home runs, five triples and 13 doubles. He drove in 40 runs.
Bud began in 1937 with San Diego and hit the majors in 1941. He played with the Pirates, Yankees and Senators before coming to the White Sox."

-1952 Bowman No. 185

"Since coming up to the majors with the Pirates in 1941, Bud has seen big league action with the Yankees, Senators and White Sox and played with Hollywood and Kansas City in the minors. In pro ball since 1937, he had his best minor league year at Kansas City in '47 when he hit .358. His top big league mark was .284 with the Senators in '49.
A UCLA graduate, Bud teaches physical education in Los Angeles and also appears as an extra in Hollywood movies. He's a World War II veteran."

-1952 Topps No. 279

1952 Yankee of the Past: Steve Souchock

"Steve made 91 appearances in 1951, hit .245 and drove in 28 runs. He had 11 home runs, three triples and ten doubles.
He has played both outfield and infield in his career which began in 1939. He first played in the majors for the Yankees in 1946. He was drafted by the Tigers from Sacramento of the Pacific Coast League in November 1950."

-1952 Bowman No. 235

"A product of the Yankees' farm system, Steve came up with the Yanks in 1946 after spending three years in military service. He batted .302 in 46 games, was sent to Kansas City in 1947 and was recalled in '48.
After the '48 season, Steve was traded to the White Sox and hit .234 in 1949. At Sacramento in '50, he batted .291, drove in 99 runs and smacked 30 homers. The Tigers drafted him for '51.
Steve started in pro ball in 1939 and hit .315 at Binghamton in 1942."

-1952 Topps No. 234

1952 Yankee of the Past: Ken Silvestri

"Ken does an important job as the Phillies' bullpen catcher. He got into only four games last year, had two hits and drove in a run.
He began in baseball in 1936 and first played in the majors with the White Sox in 1939. Traded to the Yankees, Ken was drafted by the Phillies from Newark in November 1948."

-1952 Bowman No. 200

1952 Yankee of the Past: Mel Queen

"Mel took part in 39 games in 1951. He won 7, lost 9, and pitched 168 innings. He walked 99 batters while striking out 123.
He was involved in two 3-hit games. The first, against the Reds, was a 10-inning tie game. The second was against the Cubs.
Mel was sent to the minors on May 1, 1952."

-1952 Bowman No. 171

1952 Yankee of the Past: Jerry Priddy

PRIDDY MEMORY
"'If I had to take all the things in my baseball career, shuffle them up and pull out just one that gave me the top thrill, it would be a game that had nothing at all to do with a World Series or any big game like that,' says Jerry Priddy of the Detroit Tigers.
'Remember in 1948 when the Senators sold me to the Browns? I'd only hit .214 in 1947 for Washington and there was a lot of talk going around that I was a trouble-maker. That I was trying to get Ossie Bluege's job as manager and kind of rot like that.
'When I was sold to St. Louis I still hated to leave Washington. I figured the fans were on me and I wanted to prove to them that I wasn't the kind of guy some painted me.
'Anyway, we go into Washington on the Brownies' first Eastern swing in 1948 ... my first time back there. I don't know what kind of reception I'm going to get. I guess I was ready for pop bottles, boos and almost anything.
'Anything, that is, but what happened.
'When they announced me as the hitter, it sounded like everybody in the Washington park ...  and there was a big crowd that day ... stood up and cheered like I was the greatest guy in the world.
'It really hit me. For the first and only time in my life I had tears come to my eyes. I choked up like a baby and had to step back out of the box for them to go away. It was the biggest thrill I've ever got out of baseball.
'I'll never forget it. I won't forget that I stepped back in there and singled on the first pitch, either ...'"

-Lyall Smith in the Detroit Free Press (Baseball Digest, August 1950)

"Jerry batted .260 for 154 games in 1951. His 152 hits included eight homers, six triples and 22 doubles and he drove 57 runs across the plate. Jerry fielded .980 and tied a major league record with five double plays at second base in one game.
He began in 1937 and worked his way up the Yankee chain."

-1952 Bowman No. 139

"When Jerry took part in 150 double plays in 1950, he set a new major league record for second basemen.
Outside of two years of military service, he's been in the big leagues since 1941, playing with the Yankees, Senators, Browns and Tigers. A top-notch fielder, Jerry led American League second basemen in putouts in 1947, '48, '49 and '51 and in assists in 1948, '50 and '51. He had his best seasons at the plate in 1948 and '49, hitting .296 and .290."

-1952 Topps No. 28

1952 Yankee of the Past: Duane Pillette

"Son of Herman Pillette, a former Reds and Tigers pitcher and Pirate scout, 'Dee' came to the Browns from the Yankees in June 1950. Breaking with Newark in 1946, the former Santa Clara University star got his first big league trial with the Yankees in 1949 and had a 2-4 record. He was sent to Kansas City for 1950 and when he was traded the Browns brought him up.
At St. Louis in 1950 he had a 3-5 mark, pitching well at season's end."

-1952 Topps No. 82

1952 Yankee of the Past: Jack Phillips

"The Clarkson College graduate has played first base, third base and shortstop in his pro career, and in 1950 even pitched five innings for the Pirates. 'Stretch' started in the Yankees' system and had a trial in '47. In 45 games as a Yankee in 1949, he hit .308 and was sold to the Pirates in August.
A Navy veteran, Jack hit .232 for the Pirates in 18 games in '49 and boosted his average to .293 in '50. He was sold to the Hollywood Stars in May 1952.
He's a smooth-fielding first baseman."

-1952 Topps No. 240

1952 Yankee of the Past: Cuddles Marshall

"'Cuddles' exchanged his baseball flannels for a military uniform in 1951 and isn't expected to be back in baseball this year.
After posting a 12-9 record at Kansas City in 1945, his second year in organized ball, he joined the Yankees in '46 and had a 3-4 mark. Sent to Kansas City in '47, he was recalled from Newark at the end of the '48 season. With the Yankees in 1949, he won 3 and lost 0. Traded to the Browns, he had a 1-3 record in 1950."

-1952 Topps No. 174

1952 Yankee of the Past: Hank Majeski

"Hank began the 1951 season with the Chicago White Sox. After appearing in 12 games for them, he was traded to the A's from whom he had been acquired by the Sox after the 1949 campaign.
His 1951 batting average (101 games) was .282. Hank had 23 doubles and drove in 48 runs."

-1952 Bowman No. 58

"'Heeney' holds the big league fielding record for third basemen with a .988 mark, set in 1947. Since he started in pro ball in 1935, he's won the batting crowns of the Three-I League with .345 in 1937 and the International League with .345 in 1942.
A war veteran, Hank has seen service with the Braves, Yankees, White Sox and A's. His top years were 1948 when he hit .310 and drove in 120 runs for the A's, and 1949 when he hit .309 for the White Sox."

-1952 Topps No. 112

1952 Yankee Prospect of the Past: Forrest Main

"Forrest came up to the Pirates for the third time in 1952. His previous chances with the Pirates came in '48 and '49.

When Billy Meyer took over the Pirates in '48 one of his first moves was to acquire him because he knew him to be a good reliever in the minors. Forrest played two seasons of minor league ball before being called into military service in 1943. He appeared in 44 games for Kansas City in '47 and 54 games for Indianapolis in '49."

-1952 Topps No. 397

1952 Yankee of the Past: Sherm Lollar

"One of baseball's most traveled young men, Sherm is now with the White Sox, his fourth American League team. With St. Louis in 1949-51, he has also worn the uniform of the Indians and Yankees.
Sherm was in 98 games in 1951, hitting .252 and driving in 44 runs, with eight homers and 21 doubles. He fielded .995."

-1952 Bowman No. 237

"A top-notch defensive catcher, Sherm was traded to the White Sox by the Browns during the winter.
He broke in with Baltimore in 1943, and in '45 led the International League with a .364 batting mark. The Indians gave him a trial in 1946, but he didn't make it. In '47 the Yankees called him up and traded him to the Browns in '49. 1950 was his best year at the plate with .280.
In the winter Sherm is a department store salesman."

-1952 Topps No. 117

1952 Yankee of the Past: Dick Kryoski

"Dick came to the Browns in an early 1952 trade. He hits a long ball, and his left-handed batting stance is expected to send many balls over the short right field wall in Sportsmans Park.
He hit .287 in 119 games for Detroit in 1951. He had 12 homers, four triples and 19 doubles."

-1952 Bowman No. 133

"After serving on the Navy carrier Ticonderoga during World War II, Dick entered organized ball in 1946. Hitting .396 at Wellsville in '46 and .294 at Kansas City in '48, the Yanks called him up. He hit .294 for them in 54 games in '49 and they sent them to Oakland where he finished the season with a .328 mark.
In 1950 he came up again as a Tiger, but was sent to Toledo and batted .333. Recalled by the Tigers in '51, Dick was traded to the Browns in 1952."

-1952 Topps No. 149