1950

DOUGHBOYS · Post by **DOUGHBOYS** » Wed Jul 27, 2011 9:06 am

I'm going to try something new with the old.

I get PM's from folks wanting to hear more of the past, so I'll pick a year, in this case 1950, which was requested by a PM'er and just run with it.

In these years, I won't do the mundane stuff like World Series winners or stuff that is generally well known, but focus on some players, events, or peculiarities that happened during that year, with a bit of a fantasy flavor.

Feel free to request a year in a reply or PM me a year and I'll do my best.....

If 1950 were a fantasy year, it would go down as one of the worst.

Ralph Kiner was the only player to have even 40 home runs. He hit 47. Next best was Al Rosen with 37. Rosen's home runs was the most ever by a rookie.

But, Rosen would not win rookie of the year honors.

That trophy went to Walt Dropo who hit 34 home runs and set a rookie record of his own with a league leading144 rbi.

It was Joe DiMaggio's last good year.

He hit 32 home runs and batted .301 in leading the Yankees to another World Championship.

This was the era of speed not used as a weapon. Dom DiMaggio led the American League with 15 steals. Setting a record for fewest steals to ever lead a league

Sam Jethroe led the National League that year with 35 thefts. He would win the N.L. rookie of the year award. Incredibly, he was never thrown out. The 35 attempts would also lead the league, illustrating how the stolen base was an ugly step-child for Managers.

Nobody in the league reached double digits in caught stealing.

Among the top 10 hitters in batting were names like Hoot Evers and Al Zarilla and Johnny Hopp....yeah, I've never heard of them either.....

Billy Goodman won the batting title in 1950. He is the only batting champion to not have a regular position. There was doubt throughout the last part of the season that Goodman would reach the required amount of at bats to even win the title.

THE utility guy.

With most hitters not rising to the occasion, the pitchers must have had a great time, right?

Well, not so much.

The stat blowing me away is two pitchers with over 300 innings pitched and 39 with over 200 innings, yet not one pitcher had over 200 strike outs.

And it's not a just missed situation.

Warren Spahn had 191 k's. Ewell Blackwell 188.

No other pitcher had over 170 strike outs.

Early Wynn led A.L. pitchers with a 3.20. The highest E.R.A. ever to lead a league.

But, there was one pitcher who was fantasy gold.

Jim Konstanty won the Most Valuable Player award. One of the least known players to win an MVP. But, MVP voters got this one right.

Konstanty led the league in saves with 22. Unlike closers of today, his job was not defined by the ninth inning.

Konstanty threw 151 innings and was involved in 74 games that year. Besides the 22 saves, he also led all relievers with 16 wins.

With so many innings pitched, he also qualifed for the E.R.A. title in the National League, and won it with an E.R.A. of 2.66. His WHIP was 1.05

To top off his year, Konstanty was called upon to start game one of the 1950 World Series. He hadn't started a game during the regular season. He pitched eight innings and lost the game to the Yankees, 1-0. The Phillies, in their first series in 35 years, would be swept by the Yankees.

Konstanty was the first reliever to ever receive the MVP.

Before 1950, most baseball fans did not know Jim Konstanty. Even Phillies fans. He was just another guy in the bullpen.

After 1950, Konstanty was again a nobody. His record was 4-11 with a 4.05 in '51 and he would never come close to his achievments in 1950 again.

He was a one hit wonder before the phrase was coined.

Other oddities and happenings in 1950....

The St. Louis Browns were drubbed by the Boston Red Sox 29-4. The beating was one of the worst in baseball history. Boston leadoff hitter, Clyde Vollmer came to the plate eight times in eight innings. The Red Sox set records for runs scored, extra base hits, and total bases in one game.

Shortly afterwards, the Browns hired a hypnotist. The hypnotist was hired to rid the ballplayers of their defeatist attitude.

The Browns would finish 58-96......

The New York Giants received a report from their Caribbean scout recommending the signing of Cuban pitcher Fidel Castro.....

Gil Hodges hit four home runs in one game.

Later,, he was on base three times for three Roy Campanella home runs......

In 1949, Jackie Jensen scored a touchdown in the Rose Bowl.

In 1950, he played in the World Series......

Yogi Berra had 192 hits. Most for a catcher.

That record would be broken by Ivan Rodriguez in 1999......

Called up in the middle of the season, the Yankees have another good looking prospect.

Whitey Ford.

Ford finishes the year at 9-1......

The All Star game went 14 innings.

Only five pitchers were used by the National League.

The American League used six pitchers.....

Ted Williams broke his elbow in that All Star game (nowadays, I'm positive it would not be called a broken elbow) and he would not come back to the Red Sox till September.

Red Sox fans say it cost them the pennant.....

The Korean war broke in 1950. As with World War II, Williams would be called to duty again and miss two more years of ball.

Williams missed three years to World War II and two years to the Korean War. He still posted these numbers-

521 home runs

2654 hits

1839 rbi (13th on the all time list)

1798 runs (16th on the all time list) ....

TOXIC ASSETS · Post by **TOXIC ASSETS** » Wed Jul 27, 2011 10:58 am

You picked a good year. Phillies "Whiz Kids" went to the series that year but the Yankees were just too good in those days. 1950 was their 2nd straight WS title and right in the middle of maybe their biggest dynasty ever as they would win the WS every year between 1947 and 1953, except for 1948. 6 titles in 7 seasons, probably never to be matched again as there are simply too many teams now.

DOUGHBOYS · Post by **DOUGHBOYS** » Wed Jul 27, 2011 11:29 am

Just as an addendum, there is no truth to the rumor that Castro was not signed due to inclination to overthrowing.

Who says sports has nothing to do with the real world?

[ July 27, 2011, 05:30 PM: Message edited by: DOUGHBOYS ]

Ryan C · Post by **Ryan C** » Wed Jul 27, 2011 8:15 pm

Originally posted by TOXIC ASSETS:

You picked a good year. Phillies "Whiz Kids" went to the series that year but the Yankees were just too good in those days. 1950 was their 2nd straight WS title and right in the middle of maybe their biggest dynasty ever as they would win the WS every year between 1947 and 1953, except for 1948. 6 titles in 7 seasons, probably never to be matched again as there are simply too many teams now. Ah yes - "48, the last year the Indians won the series! They finished second to the Yanks in "52 and '53 before making it back to the series in "54.

Great stuff Dan!