Chronicle Commentary: May 14, 1941
Today’s front page announces the retirement of former St. Louis Cardinals pitching legend Dizzy Dean. Largely washed up by 1938, the Chicago Cubs bought his contract from the Cardinals in 1938 for the monumental sum of $135,000. By 1941, the former ace of the “Gas House Gang” had nothing left. Six years later, however, he comes back for one last game in 1947 for the St. Louis Browns. Dean was a sportscaster and remarked during one game that “I can pitch better than nine out of the ten guys on this staff!”
Management took him up on it.
After six years off, the 37-year-old threw four innings, allowing three hits and no runs. He even went 1-for-1 at the plate, hitting a single. But he pulled a hamstring running the bases, and returned to the announcer’s booth. “I said I can pitch better than nine of the ten guys on the staff, and I can. But I’m done. Talking’s my game now, and I’m just glad that muscle I pulled wasn’t in my throat.”
Dean was one of four modern era pitchers to win 30 games, and he led all of baseball in strikeouts from 1932-35. He was a fair batsman too, hitting .225 over his career and was the first pitcher to get two hits in the same inning during the World Series.
His brother Paul also pitched for the Cardinals, and the Dean duo accounted for an incredible 49 wins in 1934 and 47 in 1935. Dizzy and Paul each won two games during the Cardinals’ World Series victory over the Detroit Tigers in 1934.