spring training 1943
|

Teams agree to start the season later than usual and prepare to train in northern areas because of World War II

ByThis Day in Baseball

1943 – Teams agree to start the season later than usual and prepare to train in northern areas because of World War II. Resorts, armories, and university facilities are chosen for training sites. The Boston Red Sox go to Tufts University; the Brooklyn Dodgers will train at Bear Mountain, NY, and the New York Yankees try Atlantic City, NJ. In Chicago, the Cubs and White Sox agree to start the season later than usual and prepare to train in areas north of the so-called Eastman-Landis Line, named after Joseph Bartlett Eastman, head of the United States Department of Transportation, and Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis – an area East of the Mississippi river and North of the Ohio and Potomac rivers. Meanwhile, the St. Louis teams, the Browns and Cardinals are excluded, though they will train in Cape Girardeau, MO.

Branch Rickey and Larry Macphail

Larry MacPhail enters the United States Army for service in World War II

ByThis Day in Baseball

Pinterest Instagram Facebook Youtube On November 1, 1942, Larry MacPhail, president and general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, and one of the brightest innovators in the game, enters the United States Army for service in World War II. When he returns in 1945, he accepts a similar role with the Yankees, where he helps that…

Branch Rickey

Branch Rickey resigns as the Cardinals’ vice president and moves over to the Dodgers

ByThis Day in Baseball

Branch Rickey, the innovator of the farm systems which helped to build a strong Redbird franchise, resigns as the Cardinals’ vice president. Three days later, the Dodgers will announce the Mahatma has been named president of the Brooklyn club, a move that will help to fill the void created by Brooklyn’s general manager Larry MacPhail’s enlistment in the army to serve in World War II.

pee wee reese
|

Pee Wee Reese loses a grandslam due to war time dim-out

ByTom

8/4/1942: The Dodgers were playing the Giants at the Polo Grounds with wartime restrictions in effect that required the lights to be shut off at a predetermined time. Brooklyn scored four runs in the top of the tenth inning, including an inside-the-park grand slam by Peewee Reese, which flew over the head of center fielder Buster Maynard and rolled to the clubhouse area. After a pitching change, a walk and a fly out, the umpires stopped the game in the middle of an at bat by Joe Medwick. The game reverted back to a nine-inning, 1-1 tie. The contest was scheduled for a September 6 makeup. This was the first time a game had ended in a tie under the lights due to the dim out regulations. The game had started at 6:45pm. The only statement made by NL President Ford Frick was to say that he would “urge earlier start times.”

Pete Reiser after crashing into an OF wall at Sportsman's Park chasing an Enos Slaughter 11th-inning fly

In loss to Card’s Pete Reiser suffers concussion

ByThis Day in Baseball

Brooklyn’s lead of eight games has now been cut as the Cards win 3 of 4. The larger blow, however, is a concussion suffered by Pete Reiser after crashing into an outfield wall at Sportsman’s Park chasing Enos Slaughter’s 11th-inning fly. Reiser drops the ball upon impact, and Slaughter scores an inside-the-park homer for a 7 – 6 Cards win. Hitting .379 at the time, Reiser will see his average fall to .310 after the injury. His 20 stolen bases will still lead the National League.

newly marrieds Pee Wee Reese and Pete Reiser are both serenaded with “Here comes the bride” by a fan playing a trumpet

newly marrieds Pee Wee Reese and Pete Reiser are both serenaded with “Here comes the bride” by a fan playing a trumpet

ByThis Day in Baseball

April 17,  1942 newly marrieds Pee Wee Reese and Pete Reiser are both serenaded with “Here comes the bride” by a fan playing a trumpet in their first at-bats during a 7-1 Ebbets Field home opener win over the Phils. @ET-DC@eyJkeW5hbWljIjp0cnVlLCJjb250ZW50IjoicG9zdF90YWdzIiwic2V0dGluZ3MiOnsiYmVmb3JlIjoiTGVhcm4gTW9yZSBhYm91dCB0aGUgdGVhbXMsIHBsYXllcnMsIGJhbGwgcGFya3MgYW5kIGV2ZW50cyB0aGF0IGhhcHBlbmVkIG9uIHRoaXMgZGF0ZSBpbiBoaXN0b3J5IGp1c3QgY2xpY2sgdGhlIHRhZ3MhICAiLCJhZnRlciI6IiIsImxpbmtfdG9fdGVybV9wYWdlIjoib24iLCJzZXBhcmF0b3IiOiIgfCAiLCJjYXRlZ29yeV90eXBlIjoicG9zdF90YWcifX0=@

Mickey Owens drops strike 3

Mickey Owens drops the third strike

ByThis Day in Baseball

VINTAGE BASEBALL MEMORABILIA Vintage Baseball Memorabilia On October 5, 1941, Brooklyn Dodgers catcher Mickey Owen drops a third strike on Tommy Henrich, allowing the New York Yankee outfielder to reach base. Joe DiMaggio followed with a single and Charlie Keller hit a double to drive in Henrich and DiMaggio and take the lead. Bill Dickey…