Not everyone loves Barney – Dreyfuss, that is. On this date (May 25) in 1919, Casey Stengel famously gave Pittsburgh Pirates’ owner Barney Dreyfuss the “bird.” It has been reported that Stengel – a former Brooklyn Robin (Dodgers) – was aiming this bit of wildlife sarcasm at the Brooklyn fans. Here, however, is the tale of that day, as told by someone who was there – one of Casey’s Pittsburgh teammates. After the video, BBRT will also share some Stengel trivia and, of course, quotes.
With that out of the way, here’s piece of trivia to, perhaps, stump your friends.
What New York outfielder – and future Hall of Famer – hit Yankee Stadium’s first-ever post-season inside-the-park and over-the-fence home runs? (Both game winners, by the way.)
Nope, it wasn’t Babe Ruth, although he was there. The batsman was New York Giants’ center fielder Casey Stengel – and here’s the story.
Photo by The Library of Congress
On October 10, 1923, Yankee Stadium hosted its first-ever post-season game. Appropriately, the first World Series in “The House that Ruth Built” featured a six-game Yankees’ victory and three round trippers by the Babe himself. However, New York Giants’ outfielder Casey Stengel nearly stole the show.
In Game One, Stengel (playing center field and batting sixth) Casey Stengel (one-for-two with a walk at the time) came up in the top of the ninth with the score knotted at four apiece, two out and no one on. Stengel hit a drive to deep left-center and dashed around the bases – losing a shoe along the way – to score the winning run (and record the first post-season home run in Yankee Stadium history).
The Series then went to the Polo Grounds for Game Two (the home sites would alternate game-by-game for this all-NY World Series), where Ruth would poke a pair of home runs as the Yankees prevailed 4-2. Then back to Yankee Stadium, where Stengel hit the second-ever post-season home run in that ballpark – a seventh-inning, over-the-fence shot that provided the winning tally in a Giants’ 1-0 victory. The Yankees went on to win the Series four games to two.
By the way, Stengel, who hit .339 in 75 regular-season games for the Giants that season, hit .417, with two homers and four RBI in the Series.
Here, before we look at some Stengel quotes, are a few tidbits about “The Ol’ Perfessor.”
- Stengel was a solid athlete. At Central High School in Kansas City, Missouri, he played football, basketball and baseball (pitcher/third base/second base).
- Stengel had intended to be a dentist – and actually attended dental college.
- In his first MLB game (September 17, 1912, with Brooklyn), Stengel collected four singles and a walk – and stole two bases – in five plate appearances.
- In 14 MLB seasons (Dodgers, Pirates, Phillies, Giants, Braves), Stengel hit .284, with 60 home runs, 535 RBI and 131 stolen bases. Although often platooned (he played 100 or more games in just seven seasons), he hit .300 or better in four campaigns and, in 1914, led the NL in on-base percentage (.404). He also notched double-digit triples in five seasons.
- Stengel managed in the major leagues for 25 seasons (Dodgers, Bees/Braves, Yankees, Mets) – running up a 1,905-1,842 record.
- In the 12 seasons from 1949 through 1960, Stengel managed the Yankees to 10 American League pennants and seven World Series Championships.
Now, how about a few of those famous/infamous Stengel quotes.
- He (Lyndon B. Johnson) wanted to see poverty, so he came to see my team (1964 New York Mets).
- He’d fall in a sewer and come up with a gold watch. (About Yogi Berra.)
- He threw the ball as far from the bat and as close to the plate as possible. (About Satchel Paige.)
- Being with a woman all night never hurt no professional baseball player. It’s staying up all night looking for a woman that does him in.
- There comes a time in every man’s life, and I’ve had plenty of them.
- Good pitching will always stop good hitting and vice-versa.About Casey Stengel
“Casey (Stengel) knew his baseball. He only made it look like he was fooling around. He knew every move that was ever invented and some that we haven’t even caught on to yet.”
Sparky Anderson
More Stengel quotes:
- This club (1969 New York Mets) plays better baseball now. Some of them look fairly alert.
- All right everyone, line up alphabetically according to your height.
- Most people my age are dead at the present time. You can look it up.
- They told me my services were no longer desired because they wanted to put in a youth program as an advance way of keeping the club going. I’ll never make the mistake of being seventy again.”
- Never make predictions, especially about the future.
My Favorite Casey Stengel Quote
When you are younger you get blamed for crimes you never committed and, when you are older, you begin to get credit for virtues you never possessed. It evens itself out.
Primary Resrouces: Baseball-Reference.com; Society for American Baseball Research; Baseball-Almanac.com
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