Boston Bees sell outfielder Debs Garms to the Pittsburgh Pirates

Boston Bees sell outfielder Debs Garms to the Pittsburgh Pirates

1940 – The Boston Bees sell outfielder Debs Garms to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Garms will get only 358 at bats for Pittsburgh but, nevertheless, will lead the National League in hitting with a .355 average. Unlike what is the case in the American League, where 400 at bats are required to be eligible for the batting title, the NL rules state that a player must appear in at least a hundred games: Garms will play in 103. Ford Frick, NL president, will clarify this in September when it is clear that Garms will not reach the 400 at bats. Pirates teammate Virgil Davis will be the nominal runner-up at .326, but will play just 99 games. Garms will drop to .264 in 1941 and he will be out of baseball a year later.

The Phillies and Cardinals swap catchers, with hard-hitting Virgil Davis going to St. Louis and Jimmy Wilson to Philadelphia

The Phillies and Cardinals swap catchers, with hard-hitting Virgil Davis going to St. Louis and Jimmy Wilson to Philadelphia

The Phillies and Cardinals swap catchers, with hard-hitting Virgil Davis going to St. Louis and Jimmy Wilson traded to the ‘City of Brotherly Love.’ Philadelphia makes the deal to have the former Redbird backstop become the team’s player-manager, a position ‘Ace’ will hold for five seasons.