Baseball History: The Hot Stove 75 Years Ago

With no television, baseball history and lore was discussed while gathered around a real hot stove 75 years ago. And fans of the game had a lot to talk about in the winter of 1937.

There was the rebirth of the New York Yankees dynasty led by manager Joe McCarthy. The team won its first World Series without the great Babe Ruth in 1936 led by American League Most Valuable Player Lou Gehrig and a 21 year old rookie outfielder named Joe DiMaggio.

The New York Giants had lost in the Series to the Yankees. Afterward, player/manager Bill Terry decided that his playing days were over. It was left to those around the hot stove whether the move would make him a better manager or not.

As for 74 year old Philadelphia Athletics manager Connie Mack the question was whether or not the game had passed him by. Going into his 40th year at the helm and after a 53-100 finish in 1936 the answer seemed obvious to many. It had.

One thing that did not pass Chicago White Sox shortstop Luke Appling in 1936 was the ball as he batted .388 to lead the American League. Not too many broken bats went into his hot stove. Nor Paul Waner’s of the Pittsburgh Pirates as he led the National with a .373 average. Little brother Lloyd logged a solid .321 average of his own. No wonder they were called ‘Big Poison’ and ‘Little Poison’ respectively.

Those who were in Pittsburgh’s Forbes Field on July 10, 1936 couldn’t wait to talk about seeing Chuck Klein of the Philadelphia Phillies become the first man in National League history to hit four home runs in a game. Those who saw it on July 17, 1936 would make the hot stove hotter by saying that what Klein did was nothing compared to Jimmie Foxx of the Boston Red Sox hitting a ball clear over the left field roof at Comiskey Park. Double X’ had stepped in for, but not replaced, The Babe as baseball’s strong man.

Two pitchers that everyone had trouble hitting the long ball off of finished first and second in the voting for National League MVP. Carl Hubbell of the Giants beat out Dizzy Dean of the St. Louis Cardinals. Even then, playing in New York may have had its advantages.

The colorful Dean was part of the hot stove discussion in 1937 for another reason. Commissioner Ford Frick vowed to enforce the balk rule and pitchers such as Diz were none to happy about it.

An 18 year old kid from Van Meter, Iowa hadn’t really pitched long enough for the balk rule to matter. Bob Feller had made his major league debut with the Cleveland Indians in 1936. On September 13, 1936 he struck out 17 Philadelphia A’s. 1937 would be his first full season in the majors. But first he had to go back home and finish high school.

This was thought to be quite admirable among the public and warmed the hearts of many around the hot stove 75 years ago.