Hey, He Can't Do it All By Himself
By: C.G. Morelli
A fourth place finish was all the Boston Braves could muster in ’51. Two games under .500 and 20.5 games behind the pennant-winning Giants, the lowly Braves finished in the middle of the pack (surprisingly there were four even more pathetic teams in the NL that year in Philly, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, and Chicago). But I guess they have a Hall of Fame pitcher with a quirky, unmistakable wind up to thank for small favors.
That iconic hurler was Warren Spahn, and although his workhorse mentality in ’51 could not help the Braves rise to the top, at least it prevented them from becoming that nasty, chewed-up gunk you find stuck beneath the table in a rat-infested diner.
Spahn, and absolute model of consistency during the course of his 23-year career, had a consistently good season for the Bravos. He notched a record of 22-14 with 310.2 innings pitched and an ERA of only 2.98. He helped to stabilize a shaky bullpen by simply not allowing a Boston reliever to step foot on the field when he was pitching. This helped him lead the league in complete games, with 26, and in shutouts, with 7. And the old strikeout king was still in court, collecting 183 K’s to lead the league in that category for the fourth consecutive season.
But, if there’s one thing old Warren Edward learned in 1951, it was that baseball, unlike some of the other major sports, could not be dominated by a single player on his own. Without the consistent production of his teammates, the Braves would be doomed to yet another mediocre finish.
A Great Milestone Deserves Another
By: C.G. Morelli
May 15, 1951 – Thousands flocked to Fenway Park in Boston to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the American League. Past stars and important baseball officials, including Boston Hall of Famers Cy Young and Freddy Parent, and baseball commissioner Ford C. Frick, were all in attendance. The Red Sox were set to take on the White Sox in a Sunday afternoon game.
Most of those spectators, however, were not even aware at the time that they would be witnessing a milestone in the career of a star who, while serving as the face of the Boston franchise for 19 years, provided fans with perhaps the sweetest home run swing the game has ever seen. It was fitting then, that “The Kid,” Ted Williams, thumped his 300th home run over the right field fence at Fenway Park to steal the spotlight on the AL’s special day. Perhaps it was also fitting because Williams was one of the league’s brightest stars.
Though 1951 wasn’t a banner year for Williams in terms of statistics, he still managed to crank out some jaw-dropping numbers, which he added to a list of already-impressive career totals (at the time he was only at the midway point of his Hall of Fame career). He finished the season with 169 hits, 28 doubles, 30 homers, and a .318 batting average. Not bad for an off year, eh? He’d eventually add another 221 dingers to the mini-milestone of 300 he’d achieved on that May day in ’51, bringing his career total to 521, 15th on the all-time list.
Dropo: Has-Been or Never-Was?
By: C.G. Morelli
Walt Dropo of the Boston Red Sox won the AL Rookie of the Year Award and started in the All-Star game in 1950. People were convinced that they were witnessing the beginning of a Hall of Fame career. He finished the 1950 season with a .322 average, 34 home runs, and a league-leading 144 RBI. His destiny seemed chiseled in stone.
But just three days before the start of the 1951 season, Dropo broke his wrist. He would never be the same. A string of injuries plagued his 1952 season and he was eventually traded to the Tigers. He had been struggling mightily in Boston, but he managed to show some signs of life once he arrived in Detroit, clubbing 23 homers and hitting a respectable .279 for the remainder of the season. But his success wouldn’t last much longer than that. Within a few years, Dropo became a forgotten name outside of baseball lore and legend.
The story of Walter Dropo’s life seems to be rooted in the fact that he came close to brilliance, but just couldn’t sustain it. He was 6’5” and weighed 220 pounds, a fact that undoubtedly led to him signing with the Chicago Bears, the New York Knicks, and the Boston Red Sox all at the same time. His father urged him to stick with baseball because he would “live longer.” In July of 1952, Dropo did the unthinkable. In the span of three games, he recorded 12 hits in 12 consecutive at-bats, a record that still stands today. But, more than half a century later, he is scarcely remembered for more than his tragic fall from Rookie of the Year to trade bait in the blink of an eye.
Memorable Moments: The Foxx
Jimmie Foxx, a star first baseman for the Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and Philadelphia Phillies was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1951. Foxx finished his career with 2,646 hits, 458 doubles, 534 homers, 1,922 RBI, and a lifetime .325 average. The “Beast” made his debut in Philadelphia in 1925. Ironically, he finished his career back in Philadelphia in 1945 with the Phillies. He made nine All-Star appearances during that span. Six of those nine All-Star berths came during his tenure as a Red Sox first baseman from 1933-41.
Who Said That???
"All I want out of life is that when I walk down the street folks will say, 'There goes the greatest hitter that ever lived.'"
--Ted Williams
"I don't think Spahn will ever get into the Hall of Fame...he'll never stop pitching."
--Stan Musial
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