5/25 Through the 1940’s: Casey Comes Home; Babe's #714; Game Stories; HBD Martin, Chet, Jimmie, John & Jim

• 1863 - RHP John Hofford was born in Philadelphia. His MLB career consisted of two short stays with the Alleghenys in 1885-86, posting a 3-9/4.16 line in 12 starts. Though he didn’t play the field, John was pretty handy with a stick, hitting .262 with five runs, five RBI, four extra-base hits and even stealing a couple of sacks in his dozen outings. Hofford was a minor league hotshot; the Alleghenys got him from the Southern League’s Augusta after the season ended in 1885 where he had slashed 38-13/0.59 with 389 strikeouts.
• 1906 - Martin Dihigo was born in Matanzas, Cuba. Best known for his play in the Mexican League, he spent time in the Negro Leagues and in 1927-28, he played with the Homestead Grays. Dihigo was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1977. The multi-talented Dihigo played all nine positions as a pro, usually as a pitcher or second baseman. He’s the only player ever to be inducted to the American, Cuban, Dominican, Mexican and Venezuelan Halls of Fame.

Martin Dihigo (photo via National Pastime Museum)

• 1906 - IF Chester “Chet” Williams was born in Beaumont, Texas. Chester’s beginnings are misty; he also has Lake Charles, New Orleans and rural Mississippi cited as birthplaces. But his Negro League career is certain when the infielder played from 1931-39 for the Pittsburgh Crawfords. It was tough at first to make a name for himself (and that was literally true - when he joined the team, other infielders on the roster were Bobby Williams, Harry Williams and Bucky Williams! He, Harry and Buck stayed together throughout his Crawford years.) He overcame that, earning several All-Star spots with the Crawfords and was a starter for the 1935 championship club, considered by many to be the best Negro League team ever assembled. Chet turned down an offer to skip to the Dominican in 1937 (though many of his teammates did take the money), but he did jump ship in 1940 to play in the Cuban League. He returned locally in 1941-42 to play for the Homestead Grays and retired after the 1943 campaign. Known as a free spirit, he opened a Lake Charles night spot after he hung up the spikes and on Christmas Day, 1952, he was shot to death in the club.
• 1910 - OF Jimmie Crutchfield was born in Ardmore, Missouri. He played for the Pittsburgh Crawfords from 1931-36 (with a brief stop with the Homestead Grays in 1932), jumping when the Crawfords offered him $150 per month, after he was pulling down just $90 per month with the Indianapolis ABCs. The lil’ guy (he was 5’7”) combined speed, defense and clubhouse leadership, and according to the StateMaster Encyclopedia “Teamed with Ted Strong and Cool Papa Bell, they formed what is considered the best outfield in the Negro Leagues. During this time, his performance earned him three appearances in the East-West All-Star game.” He played until he was 45, eventually retiring and taking a job with the Post Office.
• 1919 - Casey Stengel, who had been traded to Pittsburgh by the Brooklyn Dodgers, returned to Ebbets Field and his old fans gave him the raspberries. Bowing to the grandstand in a seventh-inning at bat, he doffed his cap to the 18,000 present, and out flew a sparrow (described as "irate but much relieved") that he had somehow corralled. That prank lightened the crowd, and was the highlight of Stengel’s day as he went 0-for-4 against Sherry Smith in a 5-0 loss.

Jim Marshall (photo via Sports Memorabilia)

• 1931 - 1B Jim Marshall was born in Danville, Illinois. Jim spent five years in MLB as a bench 1B/OF, closing out his career in 1962 as a Pirate with a .220 BA. He played in Japan for three years after that and returned stateside to manage farm clubs for the Cubs, Expos, A’s, Yankees and White Sox. He also got a couple of big league managing gigs in between minor league jobs with the Cubs (1974-76) and Oakland (1979). He’s now a senior advisor for the Arizona Diamondbacks.
• 1935 - Babe Ruth hit his 714th and final home run off Guy Bush at Forbes Field in an 11-7 Boston Braves loss to the Pirates, a career record that would stand for almost 40 years before Hammerin' Hank claimed the crown. The Bambino went 4-for-4, hitting three home runs (the first off Red Lucas, the next off Bush) and driving in six runs. The final drive, launched in the seventh inning, cleared the right field roof, the first time that feat was ever done. Per local lore, the Babe’s ball landed on Joncaire Street and from there, its fate is debated although it did eventually make its way to the Hall of Fame for display. But the Bambino couldn’t outpace Tommy Thevenow and and Pep Young, who combined to chase eight runs home.
• 1940 - The Bucs broke an 18-for-21 losing spell with a 12-7 win over the Cubs at Forbes Field. Arky Vaughan had a HR, triple, four runs scored and three RBI to lead the Pirate charge. Although he was roughed up, Joe Bowman went the distance for the win. Despite the dismal streak, the Pirates did end up with a 79-74 record at season’s end.
• 1947 - Pittsburgh got two very different pitching performances in splitting a twin bill against St Louis at Sportsman Park. Hank Behrman, who the Bucs had recently obtained from Brooklyn, gave up two homers in a 10-5 loss, making it five gopher balls surrendered in the 12-⅓ IP as a Pirate. He gave up one more in his next 12-⅓ frames, but was returned to Brooklyn with a 0-2/9.12 line. The Pirates then snapped a three-game losing streak with a 2-1 win in the nightcap as 39-year-old lefty Fritz Ostermueller fired a three-hitter, back by an Eddie Basinski homer and Frankie Gustine RBI knock.