He doesn't look like a guy to mess with.Wally Schang hits home runs from both sides of the plate.
Wally Schang belongs in the Hall of Very Good as he was one of the preeminent catchers of the WWI-Interwar years. Beginning his career in 1913, he played the first four years of his career in Philadelphia as part of Connie Mack's legendary teams, but when Mack started selling them off when money was tight, he was one of the last to go. When he did, the A's sent him to the Boston Red Sox, with whom he began his prime. After excellent 1919 and 1920 seasons, the Red Sox sent him to the New York Yankees, who held on to him for 5 seasons before sending him to the St. Louis Browns. By that point, Schang's career was largely over, but he remained fairly productive for a few more seasons in a limited role.
Schang, however, was not a home run hitter. Even when he played in the Live Ball Era, he didn't hit many home runs, and he maxed out at 8 in 1926. Ten years earlier, he was the first to accomplish something fairly impressive with, you guessed it, the home run. Schang was a bit unusual in that he was a switch-hitter, and on September 9th, 1916, he became the first to hit a home run from both sides of the plate in one game. He wound up hitting a career-best (at that point) 7 home runs that season.
The thing is that this wasn't even the coolest thing about that game. You see, the weather was frightful and oh so not delightful, but 23 people had no place to go so they let it rain, let it rain, let it rain. And so did the Shibe Park groundscrew and the umpires. In an absolute downpour, the Athletics knocked off the Yankees, 8-2, in front of 23 people. 23!
Trivia Time
True or False. Schang is the only player to win a World Series with 3 different franchises.
Wednesday's Answer --> Rico Petrocelli with 40 in 1969.
Apparently, it's fun for professors to give you 100 pages to read for most classes early in the semester. Thus, it's been slow around here, but I'm going to start getting back into it bit by bit with one, maybe two, posts a day as I try to get homework and some other exciting things done.
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3 comments:
False.
I think Don Baylor did it, and I know one more did, but I can't remember the name. Someone in the early 80's.
I believe you're thinking of Lonnie Smith, Ron?
I don't think Don Baylor did it. I know he was on three straight pennant winners from 1986-88, but only one of those teams, the 1987 Twins, won the World Series. I think he saw some time with the 1970 Orioles, but I don't think he played in the World Series.
Ian, dead on. Thanks. Being a Royals/Cardinals fan, I should have known that off the top of my head.
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