Dizzy Dean

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Dizzy Dean

“Me and Paul (Dean) will probably win forty-five games.” (they won forty-nine) -Dizzy Dean

“The doctors x-rayed my head and found nothing.” –Dizzy Dean

“The good Lord was good to me. He gave me a strong body, a good right arm, and a weak mind.” –Dizzy Dean

“It ain’t bragging if you can do it.” -Dizzy Dean

With the possible exception of Yogi Berra, has baseball ever had a more zany, colorful, or more quotable character than Dizzy Dean?

Jay Hanna “Dizzy” Dean pitched 12 seasons in the major leagues for the Cardinals, Cubs and Browns. Over his career, Dizzy went 150-83 with a 3.02 ERA and 1163 strikeouts. Career highlights include four All-Star selections; four consecutive strikeout titles (1934-37); two-time major league wins leader (1934-35); National League leader in shutouts four consecutive years (1934-37); ace pitcher for the 1934 World Series champion Cardinals; three-time 20-game winner; the National League MVP award winner (1934); and the last player in the National League to win 30 or more games.

Dean was best known for leading the 1934 St. Louis Cardinals’ “Gashouse Gang.” He went 30–7 with a 2.66 ERA, and then started and won two games in the World Series. He followed this with 28-12 (3.04) in 1935, and 24-13 (3.17) in 1936. The Cardinals were the southernmost and westernmost team in the major leagues and the “Gashouse Gang” became de facto “America’s Team.” Southerners, such as the Dean brothers and Pepper Martin, became folk heroes in Depression-ravaged America, who saw in these players – dirty and hustling rather than handsome and graceful – a spirit of hard work and perseverance, as opposed to the haughty, highly paid New York Giants.

Much like later sports legends Joe Namath and Muhammad Ali, Dizzy liked to brag about his prowess and make public predictions. In 1934, Dizzy predicted, “Me an’ Paul are gonna win 45 games.” On September 21, Diz pitched no-hit ball for eight innings against the Brooklyn Dodgers, finishing with a three-hit shutout in the first game of a doubleheader, his 27th win of the season. Paul then threw a no-hitter in the nightcap, to win his 18th, matching the 45 that Diz had predicted. “Gee, Paul”, Diz was heard to say in the locker room afterward, “if I’d a-known you was gonna throw a no-hitter, I’d a-throw’ed one too!”

Dean was known for antics which inspired his nickname. In Game Four of the 1934 World Series, Dean was sent to first base as a pinch runner. The next batter hit a potential double play groundball. Intent on breaking up the double play, Dean threw himself in front of the throw to first. The ball struck him on the head, and Dean was knocked unconscious. The famous headline the next day said, “X-ray of Dean’s head reveals nothing.” Although the Tigers went on to win the game 10-4, Dean recovered in time to pitch in Game Five which he lost. After the Cardinals won Game Six, Dean came back and pitched a complete game shutout in Game Seven to win the game and the Series for the Cardinals.

After his playing career, he became a popular television sports commentator, known for his home-spun humor and mangling of the English language which endeared him to his fans. An English teacher once wrote to him, complaining that he shouldn’t use the word “ain’t” on the air, as it was a bad example to children. On the air, Dean said, “A lot of folks who ain’t sayin’ ‘ain’t,’ ain’t eatin’. So, Teach, you learn ’em English, and I’ll learn ’em baseball.”

Despite having what amounted to only half a career, in 1999 he ranked Number 85 on The Sporting News’ list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was nominated as a finalist for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. Dean’s #17 was retired by the Cardinals,and he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953.

-Gary Livacari

Photo Credits: First photo found on Don Stokes’ Old-Time Baseball Colorizations FB page:https://www.facebook.com/Don-Stokes-Old-Time-Baseball-Colorizations-923346241033508/?fref=photo; Others from the Leslie Jones Boston Public Library Baseball collection; and public domain.

Information: Excerpts edited from the Dizzy Dean Wikipedia page, read more at:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dizzy_Dean; and from the Brainy Quotes web page:
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/d/dizzy_dean.html

Statistics from Baseball-Reference.com, Dizzy Dean page.

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