A Merkling of the Mind

June 20, 2018

 

“If my drive into the gap gets us a walk-off win, do I really have to run all the way to 2nd base, just to get credit for a double”  ~ Charlie Brown.

2018 American League Batting Average Leaders

 Through Games of 6/19/2018:

# Leaders Team G AB H BA
1 Jose Altuve Astros 75 299 102 .341
2 Mookie Betts Red Sox 55 211 71 .3365
3 Jean Segura Mariners 70 292 98 .3356
4 Mike Trout Angels 74 257 86 .3346
5 Michael Brantley Indians 61 250 80 .320
6 Matt Duffy Rays 58 230 73 .31739
7 JD Martinez Red Sox 61 223 71 .31698
8 Eddie Rosario Twins 69 275 87 .31636
9 Andrelton Simmons Rays 63 231 72 .312
10 Nick Castellanos Tigers 71 290 89 .307

* Astros Players Above Featured in Bold Type.

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The Winning Streak Stops at 12. It pretty much ended when the 400 feet fly ball out to dead center retired pinch hitter Jose Altuve in the bottom of the 9th with the potential tying run on first base in the presence of Josh Reddick and the potential winning run at the plate in the presence of Himself, Altuve the Great. Had the ball gone to dead left, it would have easily cleared the Crawford Boxes as the confetti-unleashing climax to a victory # 13 on the Astros’ club winning streak that now ceases to be.

Mike Stassi followed Altuve and demonstrated the fine art of taking a called strike three on a full count and then Jake Marisnick did what he does so well. He followed his game ending infield pop fly out with a shrug of mock self-surprise and disgust and then walked quietly off to the clubhouse.

The Tampa Bay Rays had done what blind hogs always do eventually, according to former UT football coach Darrell Royal. They sniffed their way up to an acorn of opportunity and consumed it — in the form of a 2-1 victory over the far more talented Houston Astros on their own home turf.

Justin Verlander pitched well enough to have earned a win last night. He also lasted a mighty 120 pitches over 6 and 2/3 innings at MMP. He simply got no support on offense – and not much more than thin help on defense. As much as I like Yuli Gurriel as a hitter and first baseman, his fill-in game for Bregman at third was a wee bit slow-moving and costly. An 8th inning not-so-fast bounder over Gurriel’s upstretched glove tipped its way into shallow left, allowing the Rays to score a man from third for what then held up as the winning run in a 2-1 Tampa Bay victory.

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A Night Before Note Merkles My Mind. 

24 hours earlier, the Astros had won a 5-4 walk-off game over the Rays when Alex Bregman’s smash into the left field gap with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th scored the tying and winning runs from third and second. On his way to second, Bregman was overtaken by Astro player celebrants who wanted to dance and smile and hug. Bregman fell right into the spirit of the jubilant moment and never made it to second base.

Nevertheless, here is how the official scorer’s line accounts for Bregman’s hit at Baseball Reference.com:

2B: Carlos Correa (15, off Matt Andriese); Jose Altuve (19, off Matt Andriese); Alex Bregman (22, off Sergio Romo).

Bregman still got credit for the double, even though he never completed the double with a physical contact with second base.

Would Bregman have received a token credit for a home run, had he knocked the ball out of the park and similarly been prevented from making the trip around the bases by a celebration committee before he reached second base?

I don’t think so.

So, did Bregman get credit for the double by some kind of clear ruling today on such plays? Or was this scoring the result of casual and indifferent attention to the current rule about this kind of play?

The common ground between Alex Bregman and Fred Merkle of the 1908 Giants is that both men failed to complete base running trips to second base because it was obvious they each could make it there without any trouble from a timely response.

With Bregman, the game was won. There was nothing the Rays could do, anyway. With Merkle, however, he needed to touch second base to make his safety confirmed and his team’s win decided. Merkle still didn’t go. The Cubs took advantage and retired him at second on a complicated, much disputed force out at second base. Today, there can be no walk off wins if runners leave the field without closing all the doors on force out situations.

But what about Bregman’s double in Game One with the Rays? Should he really get credit for that 2BH? And, if so, why should a “walk off homer” batter be forced to run and touch all the bases to get credit for a  long ball? If the game cuts a short cut deal with runners who don’t bother completing runs to third and second on plays that end in pandemonium game celebrations?

Just wondering as I Merkle my way to the lunch hour. Who said you have to wait til noon?

 

Upon Further Review

Thanks to comments from Mike Vance and Greg Lucas, plus an even better shot of the “double” via a complete bottom of the 9th watch on YouTube, I am now convinced that I may been victimized for multi-tasking other column work with simultaneous live baseball game watching in this instance and, in this matter, failed to see it, clear as day.

The celebrating teammates caught up with Bregman between second and third, not between first near second. It doesn’t show him actually touching second base, but you can see by his gait and the third base line that appears ahead of him that he is sauntering in the direction of third base by the time the party starts.

Hope the hypotheticals posed above don’t plant any ideas with Commissioner Manfred. I would hate to see “walk-off homer” jogs around the bases eliminated as another baseball time-saving device.

Please forgive me too. I will try to be more observant next time.

 

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Bill McCurdy

Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher

The Pecan Park Eagle

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Altuve Takes Batting Lead; Gets Night Off.

June 20, 2018

Here….Comes….Altuve!

2018 American League Batting Average Leaders

Through Games of 6/18/2018:

# Leaders to 6/18/18 Team G AB H BA
1 Jose Altuve Astros 74 298 102 .342
2 Jean Segura Mariners 69 288 98 .3402
3 Mookie Betts Red Sox 54 209 71 .3397
4 Mike Trout Angels 73 256 85 .332
5 Michael Brantley Indians 60 246 79 .3211
6 Eddie Rosario Twins 68 271 87 .3210
7 Andrelton Simmons Angels 62 227 72 .317
8 JD Martinez Red Sox 69 260 82 .315
9 Matt Duffy Rays 57 226 71 .314
10 Nick Castellanos Tigers 70 287 89 .310

* Astros Players Above Featured in Bold Type.

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Res Ipsa Loquitur! ~ The Thing Speaks for Itself!

For the first substantive counting period in the early season, Jose Altuve has taken his accustomed seat in the MLB BA Game of Thrones. Propelled by a 3 hits for 4 at bats night against Tampa Bay on Monday, Altuve now rests tonight at .342,  atop an old familiar listening chair to other echoes of news that 1.5 plus million fan votes as second baseman for the AL have now been cast for him in this year’s July All Star Game.

 

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Bill McCurdy

Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher

The Pecan Park Eagle

 

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Astros Not Close to Win Streak Record

June 19, 2018

John McGraw, Manager
New York Giants
McGraw’s 1916 Giants hold the regular season MLB record for most consecutive wins without a loss at 26.

With 12 straight regular season wins now in the can, the 2018 Houston Astros are still 14 wins shy of tying the all time regular season wins record of 26 established by the 1916 New York Giants. Last year’s 2017 Cleveland Indians did get close enough to take the 2nd spot on the list with 22, but most of the Top Ten clubs, except for the #5t 2002 Oakland Athletics with 20 wins, were teams from fifty plus years ago to earlier 19th century times.

Four of the Top Streak teams, including the #1 leading Giants, had tie games that interrupted, but did not perish their win streaks along the way, since ties don’t count in baseball, but that always bugged the perfectionist that never truly dies within me. I just don’t like the idea that the 1916 Giants had to play 27 games to win 26 games in a row.

Here’s the tabular picture of the Regular Season Top Ten Consecutive Game Winners in MLB History:

RANK WINS TEAM SEASON RECORD
1 26a New York Giants 1916 86-66
2 22 Cleveland Indians 2017 102-60
3t 21a Chicago White Stockings 1880 67-17
3t 21 Chicago Cubs 1935 100-54
5t 20 St. Louis Maroons 1884 94-19
5t 20 Providence Grays 1884 84-28
5t 20 Oakland Athletics 2002 103-59
8t 19a Chicago White Sox 1906* 93-58
8t 19 New York Yankees 1947* 97-57
10t 18 Chicago White Stockings 1885 87-25
10t 18a Boston Beaneaters 1891 87-51
10t 18 New York Giants 1904 106-47
10t 18 New York Yankees 1953* 99-52

The streak pattern above is based upon regular season games only. The two utilized codes apply only to the teams denoted:

a = Denotes streaks that contain unofficial tie(s) not included in the win totals that did occur during the period of the streak at least once.

* = Denotes streak seasons in which a team won the World Series.

Data Notes: Beneath the 13 above tabled teams that currently hold the lead as the Top Ten consecutive regular season game winners, 17 other clubs follow to fill the #s 14 through 21 spots that fill the (undisplayed here) second ten consecutive wins record teams for regular season play. All these clubs have either 17 or 16 as Regular Season consecutive win totals.

For further details, check out the far more detailed “Regular Season” list at this link:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Major_League_Baseball_longest_winning_streaks

If there are any Regular Season clubs that then follow with Regular Season straight win streaks that total 15 to 13, they are not shown at this reference site.

And that brings us to the 2018 Houston Astros, who currently find themselves sitting on a 12 regular season win streak total following that exciting bottom of the 9th, 5-4, comeback win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night, June 18, 2018.

An Uprising of Baseball Hearts. Following the fortunes of one’s hometown baseball club may be painful and difficult for years, — and all of a sudden — and seemingly out of the blue – along comes a fine collection of field and front office talent, in combination with a club owner whose wisdom for what works best through others seems to surpass the fiery needs of raw ego that some powerful people have for inhaling all personal credit and – voila – we “suddenly” have a World Series winner in town that apparently hungers for more.

Keep it up, Jim Crane. Keep it up, Jeff Luhnow. Keep it up, Reid Ryan. Keep it up, A.J. Hinch. Keep it up, Jose Altuve. Keep it up, Justin Verlander. Keep it up too, all of you other Houston Astros. Keep it up, Mike Acosta, and all other spirited members of the Houston Astros administrative family. And keep it up too, all of you other wide and deep orange and blue to the core Houston Astros fans.

Peace. Love. And “Play Ball, Astros!” Our time is at hand.

Our time is now.

 

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Bill McCurdy

Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher

The Pecan Park Eagle

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AL 2018 Batting Title Race Heats Up

June 18, 2018

Jose Altuve, 2018
Building Up for A Run at 4th Batting Title

 

2018 American League Batting Average Leaders

 Through Games of 6/17/2018:

# Leaders to 6/17/18 Team G AB H BA
1 Jean Segura Mariners 69 288 98 .3402
2 Mookie Betts Red Sox 54 209 71 .3397
3 Jose Altuve Astros 73 294 99 .337
4 Mike Trout Angels 72 253 83 .328
5 Eddie Rosario Twins 78 261 87 .321
6 Michael Brantley Indians 59 241 77 .320
7t Andrelton Simmons Angels 61 223 71 .318
7t Matt Duffy Rays 56 223 71 .318
9 JD Martinez Red Sox 69 260 82 .315
10 Nick Castellanos Tigers 70 287 89 .310

 * Astros Players Above Featured in Bold Type.

Thanks to Baseball Reference.Com for keeping these

kinds of basic charts up-to date and easy to use.

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If This Were a Horse Race

If this were the Belmont Stakes, we might look for the top four horses now crowding each other at the far side back track turn to be the competition for the AL batting championship after the pack clears the final counter-clockwise turn and comes pounding down the long stretch. It will take speed, strength and a reserve of determination on hand for the winner to emerge, come September.

Mr. Altuve, who bears far more physical resemblance to a jockey than he does to the thoroughbred actual athlete he truly is, will need to be up to the expected charge of the now healthy big fish that is on his tail and expected to hang in there through the rest of the run — and right up to the finish line.

It’s time to “justify” your growing reputation as a champion among champions, Jose! You can do it, if you can save and even build upon the stamina reserve you are going to need in three months.

 

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Bill McCurdy

Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher

The Pecan Park Eagle

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Curt Walker: A Timeline into Father’s Day

June 17, 2018

Happy Father’s Day 2018, Everyone!

16.5 years after the fact, Rob Zimmerman (R) receives the induction plaque awarded to his great-grandfather, Curt Walker, by the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame in December 2001.
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Photo by Bob Dorrill

If they asked me, I could write a book. But they didn’t ask. So, we will settle for a small column on the rich subject of Curt Walker as a timeline into the even taller topic of how culturally bound up the game of baseball was to so many of us when it came down to having a good father figure available when it came down to having a working father figure present in our lives — in some form, or forms — during our critical early time as innocent, but loving-needful boys and girls.

I had to look no further than my own father and his childhood experience to see the waves of paternal need placed into motion in my dad’s life by the loss of his own father early in life. In May 1913, at the age of 2 1/2, and as the 3rd oldest of four children born to William and Elizabeth McCurdy of Beeville, Texas — and only boy — my grandfather William McCurdy died of TB, leaving his family in the hands of my very strong grandmother, but without his presence as a model paternal presence. Grandad was the founder. publisher, editor, and principal writer of The Beeville Bee, the town’s first newspaper.

As a result, Dad got shipped off to boarding school almost as soon as his school age days began. It was there that he discovered his skill and affinity for baseball, a game he also played on the sandlots of Beeville every summer that he was home. It was an interest among the boys of Beeville that found strong reenforcement in the fact that three other slightly older town boys had played their ways to the big leagues by 1925.

Melvin Bert Gallia (YOB: 1891; MLB: 1912-1920), Curt Walker (YOB: 1896; MLB: 1919-1930), and Lefty Lloyd Brown (YOB: 1904; MLB: 1925, 1928-1937, 1940) were the native Beeville trailblazers to big league ball. Because of his own enjoyment of hitting, and also influenced by the fact that he shared the same BL/TR outfield post, easily converted Dad into becoming a big fan of Curt Walker, a condition which apparently worked fine for Walker, who became something of a 14 years older big brother figure to Dad as the two men’s friendship grew over time.

The presence of baseball gave Curt Walker and my dad the basis for a relationship that would last a lifetime. From the late 1920s summer times of Dad and his buddies going down to the Western Union or the Beeville Bee-Picayune offices to get the late afternoon scores for the Cincinnati Reds because that was Curt Walker’s team — to all the cups of coffee they shared later as grown men regular customers of the American Cafe — baseball was healing cultural water that brought new strength to areas of life that could hurt so bad.

Rob and Stacy Zimmerman of Charleston, SC included Houston on their family roots tour of South Texas to participate in the induction materials luncheon ceremony at the Jax Bar and Grill on Shepherd, held as part of our June SABR meeting.
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Photo by The Pecan Park Eagle

We owe a debt of gratitude this Father’s Day to Rob and Stacy Zimmerman of Charleston, South Carolina. Had Rob’s pursuit of information, lost and found, about Curt Walker, the man who turned out to be his great-grandfather, we may have lost the opportunity forever to have been reminded of why baseball is so important to the strength and structure of American culture. Had Stacy not been the patient life partner to Rob that she very obviously is, he might have been inclined to have abandoned the pursuit after we almost got together for a transfer of these awards to him years ago.

To that, I must say this about our newly found brother and sister, with a salute to the service they have each put forth in commitment to the rest of us:

“Nothing can stop the U.S. Air Force ~ especially when its aims are supported by patience and resilience!”

A tight framed 8×10 bust of Curt Walker from this September 1919 photo of his brief stay with the Yankees at the tail end of his rookie season was also presented to the SC couple during the ceremony, along with a few other historical goodies and a round of Curt Walker stories. – Photo compliments of the National Baseball Hall of Fame Library Collection, Cooperstown.

In addition to the 2001 Curt Walker Induction plaque from the Texas Baseball Hall of Fame. Rob Zimmerman accepted possession on Saturday, June 16, 2018, of an 8×10″ tightly framed facial profile of 23 year old Curt Walker dressed out as a 1919 New York Yankee. He also received a replica copy of Curt Walker’s 1926 Cincinnati Reds cap, a signed copy of Curt Walker’s Louisville Slugger bat, and a few books to read on Houston baseball history.

December 15, 2001. The Curt Walker Louisville Slugger bat was signed by Will Clark and all the other living fellow inductees from 2001, plus MLB stars likes Bobby Brown and Texas League icon Bobby Bragan. (Photo by Bob Dorrill.)

The room of our Saturday meeting overflowed with love, appreciation, and good feelings yesterday. And that’s as it should be. Today, Ron and Stacy are in Beeville, where my brother John McCurdy will show them where Curt Walker once lived – and then take them to Glenwood Cemetery to see where Curt Walker is buried.

Baseball is the great uniter of different people, even rivals, who are bound together – even in difference – to the importance of historic connectivity – and our shared commitment to the great game of baseball as the saving grace of us all.

Peace. Love. And Play Ball!

And Happy Father’s Day too!

 

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Bill McCurdy

Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher

The Pecan Park Eagle

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Posted in Baseball, Cooperstown, culture, History, Houston | 3 Comments »

Beer Added to Astros Future OF Commitments

June 15, 2018

Seth Beer, OF
Clemson Tigers
1st Round Draft Pick
Houston Astros 2018

Beer Added to Astros Future Outfielder Commitments

Along with the prospective outfield talent that Kyle Tucker already appears to be, and on top of the fact that the ever flexible and productive Marwin Gonzalez and sporadically hard-hitting and always hustling Josh Reddick are both still available with some apparent gas left in each of their tanks, — to say nothing about the also already on the scene good bat and athletically skilled Tony Kemp, — the Astros aren’t taking any chances on not having several possible answers for their near and distant futures at every position on the field.

Here’s how the Astros release message expressed it relative to their long range needs for power-hitting outfielders, especially along the two down the line positions :

The Houston Astros have signed 2018 first-round MLB Draft selection OF Seth Beer today. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The announcement was made by Astros Assistant General Manager, Player Acquisition, Mike Elias.

“Seth Beer has been college baseball’s premier slugger for the past three years; his resume speaks for itself,” said Elias. “We feel his productivity will translate well to the professional game and see him as a potential impact bat for our lineup. We are delighted to add Seth to what is already one of baseball’s strongest farm systems.”

Both Beer and Elias will be available to credentialed media today at 5:45 p.m. on the fifth floor of Union Station at Minute Maid Park. Media should enter Union Station on Crawford Street utilizing the employee entrance, where an Astros Communications staff member will assist with entry.

The Astros drafted the 21-year-old junior out of Clemson University with the 28th overall pick in the draft. In 2018, Beer hit .301 (68×226) with 11 doubles, 22 home runs and 54 RBI while posting a 1.098 OPS (.642 SLG/.456 OBP) in 63 games for the Tigers. He walked 54 times, compared to just 36 strikeouts this season. 

For the past three seasons (2016-18), Beer has been one of the top hitters in the nation, displaying considerable power and outstanding patience. He combined for 56 home runs and 180 walks, while striking out just 98 times. In 2016, his first season on campus, Beer had an historic season, becoming the first freshman ever to win the prestigious Dick Howser Trophy after hitting .369 with 18 HR, 70 RBI and 62 walks while striking out just 27 times (1.235 OPS). Beer won several other awards that season, including ACC Player of the Year and All-American honors.

Beer had another stellar season as a sophomore in 2017, hitting .298 with 16 HR, 53 RBI and 64 walks with just 35 strikeouts (1.084 OPS). That summer, he was selected to play for the USA Collegiate National Team. 

ABOUT SETH BEER
Position: Outfielder
Bats/Throws: Left/Right
Height/Weight: 6-3/195
Age: 21
College: Clemson

~ Italicized Excerpt from MLB Media News, Wednesday, June 13, 2018

 

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Bill McCurdy

Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher

The Pecan Park Eagle

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A Brewster McCloud Review by Wayne R. Roberts

June 12, 2018

Brewster McCloud Soars Again
In the Astrodome, 1970.

A Brewster McCloud Review

By Wayne R. Roberts

Thank you, Wayne, for including me as a recipient of an e-mail that was really an Astrodome and Houston history column that cried out loudly for publication. ~ i.e., Welcome to The Pecan Park Eagle as another fine contributing author! ~ Bill McCurdy, Publisher.

I’ve been waiting for 12 years to get Brewster McCloud from Netflix but for some reason they haven’t carried it.  I was tipped that it is now available on Amazon in a new remastered DVD and ordered it.

In the event you haven’t seen it I’ll spare telling the plot of this surrealistic film made in Houston in 1970 by legendary director Robert Altman.  Never his most popular flick, it apparently was done immediately after MASH and uses many actors that appear  over ad over in Altman movies: Bud Cort, Sally Kellerman, Michael Murphy, John Schuck, and Stacey Keach and introduces Shelley Duvall who Altman discovered in early film preparation when she was a clerk in the Greenspoint Mall Foley’s.  It also includes Margaret Hamilton who was the wicked witch in, yes, The Wizard of Oz.

Not particularly politically correct (was Altman ever?), it is a must for those who lived in Houston at that time.  For me, the shots in Astroworld are breathtaking—made in the area in which I groundskept, though not when I was there.

Quickly, here’s what I took away in this first viewing in 20 years, in no particular order:

  • Houston skyline, whoa, was it different
  • The Medical Center sure was smaller
  • Chase scenes occur in the South Main, Loop 610, OST area and the cow pastures and fields are shocking
  • Brewster lives in the bomb shelter in the Dome
  • Incredible behind the scenes shots of the Dome
  • On the radio: Hudson & Harrigan and KILT news
  • 1970 Houston Chronicle
  • Drive along South Main includes Ye Olde College Inn
  • North Main includes the old M&M Cotton Exchange (now UH-Downtown)
  • Love Street/Allen’s Landing
  • Astroworld Hotel exterior and rooms
  • Astrodome gift shop, Domeskeller, The Countdown Cafeteria
  • Houston Zoo
  • Game shots of the Astros from the screen where you passed to go from the outfield bleachers to the Mezzanine (or tried to sneak through)
  • Weingarten’s in Montrose
  • Mecom Fountain
  • Pre rehab buildings along Montrose Blvd
  • Uncrowded freeways—many many driving scenes of downtown and SW Houston, OST-Fannin area chase scenes
  • Humble and Esso gas stations
  • Brays Bayou
  • Allen Parkway at early Tranquility Park (I think that’s its name)

For us old-timers, this is a must watch.

This is worth a more elaborate McCurdy report after you see it!

 

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Bill McCurdy

Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher

The Pecan Park Eagle

 

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Posted in Baseball, culture, History, Houston | 2 Comments »

Maxwell Kates: About Bobby Shantz

June 11, 2018

THE SLOW BOAT TO MISSOURI

Bobby Shantz’ Improbable Journey from Washington to St. Louis

Author Maxwell Kates

By Maxwell Kates

 

Bobby Shantz Throws the First Pitch.

It’s a well known fact that on April 10, 1962, Bobby Shantz threw the very first pitch in Houston major league history, a strike one curve to Lou Brock of the Chicago Cubs. It proved to be a 11-2 complete game victory for the diminutive southpaw, the first big league win in the State of Texas.

(Editorial Apology. And pass the “E” to me. As the knows-better editor here on the pertinent facts about the original opening day in the life of our Houston MLB franchise, I take responsibility for the scoring error reaching print originally as 5-0. I also want to thank Tom Hunter for what he does so well. And that is – pointing out the obvious and not so obvious publication errors in baseball history. We’ll try, as always, to do better in the future here at TPPE.)

Shantz recently remarked that he would have liked to have spent more time with the Colt .45s. In actual fact, he pitched only two additional games for Houston, a no-decision at the Polo Grounds on April 17 followed by a 2-1 loss to the Milwaukee Braves at Colt Stadium on April 27. Shantz was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for John Anderson and Carl Warwick on May 7, thereby ending his tenure both with the Houston Colt .45s and as a starting pitcher. What you may not know, Bobby Shantz was a gnat’s eyelash away from joining the Cardinals two seasons earlier.

Robert Clayton Shantz was born on September 26, 1925 in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. After a tour of duty in the Second World War with service in the Philippines, Shantz in 1947 signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Athletics. He reached the varsity club in 1949 and in 1952, enjoyed the season of his career. Posting a record of 24-7, Shantz maintained a slash line of 152 strikeouts against 63 walks, 27 complete games, and a 2.48 earned run average. Not only did Shantz win the American League’s Most Valuable Player Award, he also starred in an RKO Pictures short entitled “Bobby Shantz.”

Bobby Shantz Movie Poster.

Injuries derailed Shantz’ progress until 1955, by which time the Athletics had moved to Kansas City. He was an impressive fielding pitcher per se, winning the first of eight consecutive Gold Glove Awards in 1957 as a member of the New York Yankees. Leading the junior circuit with an earned run average of 2.45, Shantz pitched in his first World Series, a losing effort to the Braves. He also pitched in the 1960 World Series, limiting the Pirates to one hit in his first five innings of relief work in the epic Game 7 before being responsible for three Pittsburgh runs in the bottom of the 8th. The Yankees tied it up in the top of the 9th before losing the World Series on Bill Mazeroski’s walk-off home run.

Shantz joined the defending World Champions in 1961 in a trade with the Washington Senators after they selected him first overall in the expansion draft. In slightly less than two years, he embarked on an odyssey from New York to Washington to Pittsburgh to Houston to St. Louis. This is when Shantz nearly went directly to the Cardinals from the Washington Senators.

That Old Man River Just Keeps Rolling Along.

Almost immediately, St. Louis general manager Vaughn P. ‘Bing’ Devine approached Ed Doherty, his counterpart in Washington, to express interest in Shantz. Devine wanted to use Shantz as a setup man for Lindy McDaniel. The Senators demanded 1st baseman Joe Cunningham in return, but when Devine refused to trade him, offered a package of three players instead.

Meanwhile, after being outscored in the World Series 60 runs to 27, Pittsburgh wanted to shore up their mid-relief as well. General manager Joe Brown envisioned Shantz as a potential set-up man for Elroy Face and offered the Senators a package of three players of his own. Washington’s manager was Mickey Vernon, a popular player and batting champion for the original Senators who served as a coach for Brown’s Pirates in 1960. Vernon was particularly impressed by power hitting 1st base prospect R C Stevens, who became a catalyst in any trade talk for Bobby Shantz. After including outfielder Harry Bright and pitcher Bennie Daniels, the deal became official – Shantz was going to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Bobby Shantz as a Pittsburgh Pirate, 1961.

Stevens hit 37 home runs while driving in 109 runs for the Pirates’ Pacific Coast League affiliate at Salt Lake City. Teammate Harry Bright, meanwhile, walloped 27 home runs with 119 RBI.  Neither one of them lived up to their potential as members of the Washington Senators. Stevens played in 33 games with no home runs and two RBI during his swan song in the major leagues. Bright offered two respectable seasons for Washington, batting .273 with 17 home runs and 67 RBI in 1962 before he was traded to Cincinnati after the season. Daniels, meanwhile, posted a record of 27-60 with an earned run average of 4.14 in parts of five seasons with the Senators.

Now, what about those three players the Cardinals were offering for Shantz?

Bobby Shantz as a St. Louis Cardinal.

The first of the players offered was Washington’s choice of pitcher Ron Kline or outfielder Walt Moryn. While Moryn had only one season left, Kline pitched respectably for another decade in the big leagues – five years, ironically enough, with the Washington Senators.

The second player was a choice of minor league prospects or veterans from Ed Bauta, Willard Schmidt, Dean Stone, John Glenn, or Ben Mateosky. It would be easy to see why Washington might not have been over the moon about any of them.

Not This John Glenn.

The third and final player was a 25 year old right-handed pitcher from Nebraska who split the 1960 season between the rotation and the bullpen. After posting a record of 3-5 in 1959, he went 3-6 with an earned run average of 5.61 in 1960. Clashing frequently with Cardinals’ manager and Houston resident Solly Hemus, it was easy to see why St. Louis was eager to trade this pitcher.

That’s right. Congratulate yourself if you guessed it was Bob Gibson.

Bob Gibson

Would Gibson have emerged as the eminent pitching superstar in a Washington uniform? We’ll never know for sure. For one thing, he would not have known the benefit of the all-star cast who behind him for the Cardinals. Secondly, it was only after Hemus was replaced as manager by Johnny Keane that Gibson was moved into the starting rotation permanently. By 1962, Gibson’s earned run average was lowered to 2.85 as he struck out 208 batters. Two years later, Gibson went 19-12 with a 3.01 earned run average, striking out 245 before pitching a complete game victory over the Yankees in Game 7 of the World Series. He was on his way to writing his own ticket to Cooperstown as a first ballot Hall of Famer.

Joining the Cardinals in May 1962, Shantz remained a Cardinal until June 1964 when he was traded to their archrivals, the Chicago Cubs. After ending the season with his hometown Phillies, he ended his 16 year career in the major leagues. Shantz still lives in the Philadelphia area and, at 92, he is the oldest living player ever to appear in a Houston Colt .45s uniform.

Bobby Shantz Today.

 

 

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Bill McCurdy

Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher

The Pecan Park Eagle

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Frank Mancuso Shows Up in “Mystery” Card

June 11, 2018

No matter how far they go back in time, or out in reach over the wide world of athletic competition, the new Houston Sports Hall of Fame will be impossibly pressed to find any two candidates more qualified to fit the requirements of any serious honor along these lines than Gus and Frank Mancuso.

gus mancuso

Gus Mancuso. Gus was born in Galveston (12/05/1905) and Frank was born in Houston (05/23/1918) in Houston. The Mancusos both grew up in Houston; both learned how to play baseball in Houston as future MLB quality catchers; both lived out their lives in Houston as contributing citizens (Gus was a longtime post-playing days sports reporter and Buffs game telecaster for Channel 13, Franks served as a City Council member for the east end for thirty years); both men died in Houston, Gus on 10/26/1984 at near age 79 and Frank on 08/04/2007 at 89 years; and both are buried at Forest Park Lawndale Cemetery, just across Griggs road to the south and the neighborhood we remember today as Pecan Park.

frank mancuso

Frank Mancuso. Both Mancusos were catchers with World Series experience. Gus played at the MLB level for 17 seasons (1928-1945), batting a career .265 and a high of .366 over 71 games in 1930. Frank played 4 big league seasons (1944-1937) with a .268 high for 1945. In 1944, Frank caught for the St. Louis Browns in their only appearance in a World Series. He batted .667 in the ’44 Series against the Cardinals.

The Mancusos lived for family and the future of our young people. Our good fortune at the McCurdy household at 6646 Japonica Street was to have lived only five doors away from the home of the mother of Gus and Frank Mancuso. She lived at the corner of Japonica and Flowers Street.

What a sweet lady she was! I don’t know how often they went shopping togehter. I just remember that our mom took the mother of Gus and Frank with her when she needed to go to the grocery store, any time that she both needed and wanted a ride.

What a sweetheart both those moms were. Many years later, Frank used to tell me stories of his childhood and how his mom had collected all kinds of cloth that she sewed into shirts for Gus and him. I can see my own mom doing the same thing, had she ever needed to do so.

Doing with little. Or doing without. They were both ways of life in Pecan Park, but we had plenty to eat. And meals were cooked at home each night. In the name of love. What else do you need?

Back to baseball. Partially.

Frank Mancuso spent much of his late career time in the early 1950s with the Houston Buffs. We street kids tried not to bother him whenever our paths happened to cross those of either brother. Most of my passing contact was with Frank, who was also quiet and smiling, always, or so it seems now, with a happy nod of the head to each of us that waved or smiled or acknowledged him in person as one of our local heroes.

When the time comes, and we are done with the “no-brainer” business of inducting all the famous Houston sports figures who have proudly worn # 34 in our city’s behalf, it will be time to consider the Houston figures who’ve given their heart, soul, and passion in our behalf as either apple core Houstonian athletes or as centurions of Houston Sports Glory.

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Note About the Mancuso Card Used Here. On the heels of Shaun Bejani’s recent appearance before the Larry Dierker Chapter of SABR to stir interest in supporting his grandfather Frank Mancuso and  great-uncle Gus Mancuso for future induction into the new Houston Sports Hall of Fame, I had a totally unrelated call from my cousin, Jim Hunt,  about a card he found among some old belongings as he worked on his own ancient baseball collections.

“Cousin Jim” knew nothing about the renewed interest in the Mancusos because of the new Houston sports hall, but he also happens to be a big Mancuso supporter, so, I’m sure he will back any serious effort to make that happen, when the time comes.

When the Time Comes. Therein lies the rub. Nothing bizarre about it. It’s just how it is. If the Gus and Frank Mancuso cases were totally dependent upon the availability of living testimony to their absolute worthiness of the honor, we are already past the time that those who played ball with either man could speak up in their behalf’s. And now it may take another ten to fifteen years for the local Hall to go through the next wave of “hot ticket” Houston names to get into the more historical group that now includes the Mancusos. By that time, and as my old friend, the late Arthur Richmond of the New York media, the Mets, and Yankees loved to say, the rest of us Mancuso in vita fans will have gone “Bye, Bye, Babylon!”

Best Hope. If someone could get to the HSHOF induction planning committee early enough to include, at least, one or two veteran choice inductee selections annually from the start, it could lay the groundwork for doing this thing right and making the inclusion of deceased, but no less deserving people available for eternal honors coming true during the lifetimes of their families and a few close friends. Perhaps, important catalytic people like Mike Acosta of the Astros and local Historian Mike Vance could help with this issue, if they are involved in the plan’s formulation. They are each historians of great ability and integrity, the kind of people we need involved in getting the Houston Hall off to a great start.

The Frank Mancuso Card Shown Here. I can’t be sure, but I could not reach him for confirmation or disclaimer prior to going to publication today, but I have a hunch that we may be looking at the work of an old friends and writing/working colleague of mine from back around the turn of the century.

Ronnie Joyner, a talented artist, writer, book producer, and musician may have done this card and the series it came from. It looks very similar to the work he did on a card series on the 1944 St. Louis Browns. Whenever I get an answer from Ronnie, I will post it here as an addendum to this original version of the column.

Meanwhile, enjoy what you see.

The card is a front-and-backer of Frank Mancuso, and obviously one that came out no earlier than late 1957 or early 1948, based on the backside data display – which is all about Frank’s four seasons (1944-1947) in the big leagues with both the Browns and Senators. “337” is the time reference number here. That’s the total number of big league games that Frank Mancuso played during his entire MLB career.

The card is listed as #101 in this series. We could not Google our way to any easy answers.

Thank you.

The Pecan Park Eagle

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Addendum #1: E-Mail Response from Artist Ronnie Joyner, Sun., 6/10/2018, 8:30 PM.

One New Mystery Replaces Another. This just in …. About 8:20 PM CDT, Sunday, 6/10/2018. …. The following e-mail from Ronnie Joyner explains the new short-lived mystery of the Washington Senator Frank Mancuso “one-of-a-kind card”. Looks like my intuition was working well on this one.

Now I’ve got a personal mystery on my hands:

How did my elder cousin Jim Hunt gets his hands on a copy of this “rare” custom-made card of Frank Mancuso? Jim Hunt did not personally know either Frank Mancuso or Ronnie Joyner, nor did I know of this custom card’s creation earlier than tonight’s Joyner e-mail to have somehow supplied my cousin with a copy years ago. It just had Ronnie’s style written all over it. That’s mostly what I had going for me in speculation.  That hunch, plus the material feel and look of the card did not appear as aged as any other card I’ve seen from the late 1940s.

The most logical explanation is that the Mancuso card may have been included with some things that Joyner sent to me years ago that then got passed on by me to my cousin Jim Hunt earlier without inventory or knowledge of the Mancuso card’s inclusion. So, for now, at least fifteen to twenty years later, it comes back to me from my also aging cousin as something that seems new to each of us. But really maybe isn’t.

Please forgive us. The Octogenarian Trail is not always the most level street to travel.

Ronnie Joyner’s Note. 

Hey Bill,

          First, thanks for writing! I have not forgot about sending you my 1957 Dodgers book and some info on my band’s CDs. I’m just behind on my correspondence! 
          About Frank’s Senators card, you’re right — I created that for Frank back in 1995 or thereabouts. There was no series — just a one-off of Frank. I thought the number “101” looked cooler than no number, so that’s why I did that. It was a quickie production.
          Frank asked me to make a card of him, and my own passion for the Senators inspired me to selfishly depict him in a Nats uniform. Once he saw it he politely said he loved it, but everyone down in his neck of the woods knew him as a Brownie — so could I do another one of him in a Browns uniform? So that’s what I did. Frank was the best.
          I’ll be in touch, Bill. Thanks!
Ronnie (Joyner)
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Addendum # 2: E-Mail from SABR Colleague Bill Hickman, Mon., 6/11/2018. 8:23 AM

Hi, Bill –

I have that card, and it’s autographed by Frank.  See below.
My notes say that it was created for the Washington Senators Historical Society sometime during the 1990’s. My guess is that I picked it up at one of their meetings.
                  Bill Hickman
Mancuso Sens Card SIgned

 

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Bill McCurdy

Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher

The Pecan Park Eagle

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Here He Comes ~ To Save The Day!

June 9, 2018

 

American League BA Leaders Thru 6/08/18 *

# Leaders to 6/09/18 Team G AB H BA
1 Mookie Betts Red Sox 48 184 66 .359
2 Jose Altuve Astros 65 264 90 .341
3 Juan Segura Mariners 60 253 86 .340
4 Andrelton Simmons Angels 59 215 71 .330
5 Nick Castellanos Tigers 62 252 83 .329
6 Michael Brantley Indians 51 207 67 .324
7 Manny Machado Orioles 62 240 76 .317
8 Matt Duffy Rays 47 187 59 .316
9 Eddie Rosario Twins 60 238 75 .315
10 J.D. Martinez Red Sox 60 229 72 .314

 * Astro Players in Bold Type. **

** (And his family name starts with an “A”)

We agree with a comment posted this past week by Wayne Chandler. In effect, we Astro fans all want one thing first when it comes to our wonderful Mr./Senor Jose Altuve. We want him to stay happy, healthy, and humble about his major contributing role in the ultimately highest levels of baseball success they have achieved in 2017 and continue to seek in 2018, with all the important help he’s getting from all our other club’s great players.

We would simply add a thought that we feel certain that Wayne Chandler and all other serious Astros fans might also be cool with as a no-brainer. ~ If Altuve can achieve all those basic groundings to the core reasons for his hitting success ~ and still also win another (4th) batting championship, to boot, we shall have no problem joining the crowd that wants to lead his cheers.

Go for it, Jose, but only as the bi-product of how your natural ability, attitude, life style, and understanding that school is never finished in the game of baseball ~ all of these things come together to help you achieve at levels that few others ever reach.

And best wishes to all of you Astros for a strong finish Saturday and Sunday in the home of the Texas Rangers.

 

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Bill McCurdy

Principal Writer, Editor, Publisher

The Pecan Park Eagle

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Posted in Baseball | 1 Comment »

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