Today we are covering August 19 – 25, we are going to be talking about – Jimmie Foxx pitching career, Gooden early excellence, Bill Veek grand stand moment, Yogi Berra and the harmonica, Juan Marichal and John Roseboro fight and the professional pinch hitter Matt Stairs. If you love the history of the game, and…
Major League Baseball Season Recap 1945 World Series – Detroit Tigers AL over Chicago Cubs NL 4 games to 3 World Series MVP – Babe Ruth Award – Awards – Major League Cy Young Award Cy Young Award National League Cy Young Award American League MVP Awards – NL Phil Cavarretta AL Hal Newhouser Major League Rookie of The…
1945 – Five years to the day after shipping Jim Bagby off to Cleveland, the Red Sox reacquire the veteran, in exchange for P Vic Johnson and cash. Boston also sells SS Skeeter Newsome to the Phils.
1945 – The Giants obtain a genuine “phenom,” pitcher/outfielder Clint Hartung, from Minneapolis for $20,000 and three players. Much ballyhooed, Hartung hit .358 in 66 games in 1942 for Eau Claire (Northern League) while winning three games. He was then in the military for the next three years, and will be still playing in the military for the 1946 season. The New York World Telegram’s Tom Meany writes, “Hartung’s a sucker if he reports to the Giants. All he has to do is sit at home, wait till he’s eligible, and he’s a cinch to make the Hall of Fame.”
For the majors, returning servicemen are given increased protection for one year and the limiting of rosters to 25 players will be delayed until June 15th.
At the annual meeting, the major leagues head off the quest of the Pacific Coast League for major league status and grant more territorial protection for the upper minors by creating a new AAA classification for the PCL, American Association, and International League. The Eastern and Texas Leagues are promoted from Class A to AA. The South Atlantic League moves to Class A from Class B.
The Reds sell 1B Frank McCormick to the Phillies.
1945 – Jay Dahl is born in San Bernadino, CA. Signed at age 17 in June of 1963, Dahl starts the “All-Rookie” game for the Colt .45s three months later, allowing seven runs in 2-2/3rds innings. It is to be his only big league game. The lefthander dies on June 20, 1965 in an automobile accident in Salisbury, NC where the Astros have a farm club. His teammate, Gary Marshall, is permanently blinded in the wreck. A female passenger also dies.
November 20, 1945 Rick Monday is born. He was the 1st overall pick in the inaugural player draft in 1965. In 1976 while playing for the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium, he memorably snatched an American Flag away from 2 people who ran onto the field and attempted to burn it. He also…
1945 – The rules are revised for election of modern players to the Hall of Fame. A runoff election is formulated as a way to qualify more players for selection, but it fails to meet its objective as no one reaches the 75 percent requirement in the runoff. Former players Frank Chance, Johnny Evers and Ed Walsh and former manager Miller Huggins come closest.