Bert Shepard, a one-legged veteran of the war, tries out as a pitcher for the Washington Senators. The symbol of wartime baseball, outfielder Pete Gray of the St. Louis Browns, will field and bat with only one arm.
Bob Quinn gives up his post as general manager of the Boston Braves
1945 – Don Wilson is born in Monroe, LA. He wins 104 games and tosses two no-hitters in eight memorable seasons as an Astro. He was the third baseman on his Little League team in Compton, CA and only began pitching when his cousin got hurt.
1945 – Slugger Jimmie Foxx signs with the National League’s Philadelphia Phillies.
On January 22, 1945, Stan Musial officially enlists in the U.S. Army. Musial will miss the entire 1945 season while serving in World War II. The St. Louis Cardinals replace Musial on the roster by recalling Red Schoendienst from the Rochester Red Wings. @ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IC0gLSAtIC0gLSAtIC0gIiwiYWZ0ZXIiOiIiLCJsaW5rX3RvX3Rlcm1fcGFnZSI6Im9uIiwic2VwYXJhdG9yIjoiIHwgIiwiY2F0ZWdvcnlfdHlwZSI6InBvc3RfdGFnIn19@ Other Resources & Links [et_pb_signup provider=”getresponse” getresponse_list=”Thomas Hannon|zs45L”…
On January 19, 1945, media reports say that Stan “The Man” Musial will enlist in the U.S. military for duty in World War II. Musial will miss the entire 1945 season before returning to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1946.
1945 – The Baseball Writers Association of America again fails to elect a new member for the Hall of Fame this year. Frank Chance, Rube Waddell and Ed Walsh get the most votes but fall short of the necessary three-fourths of the ballots.
On January 7, 1945, in a vicious incident that mars the Cuban League season, outfielder Roberto Ortiz attacks umpire Bernardino Rodriguez in a dispute at home plate. Rodriguez is knocked unconscious and Ortiz is suspended for his actions.
On December 22, 1944, future Hall of Famer Steve Carlton is born in Miami, Florida. “Lefty” will win 329 games during a 24-year major league career with the Cardinals, Phillies, Giants, Indians, White Sox, and Twins.
1944 – Official National League statistics published today show Brooklyn’s Dixie Walker at the top of the hitters with a .357 batting average, ahead of Stan Musial at .347. In an even closer vote than occurred in the American League, the National League Most Valuable Player Award goes to fielding wizard shortstop Marty Marion of the Cardinals, who tallies one more vote than Cubs slugger Bill Nicholson (189). The Cardinals committed only 112 errors and fielded .982, both better than previous records held by the 1940 Cincinnati Reds. Marion is the third different Cardinals player in three years to win MVP honors.
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