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Birthday Tribute to the 1937 MVP and Triple Crown Winner, Joe “Ducky” Medwick!
“When Joe Medwick dies, half the National League will go to his wake just to make sure that S-O-B is dead!” –Unnamed teammate of Joe Medwick
Let’s take a moment to remember Joe “Ducky” Medwick on the anniversay of his birthday, November 24, 1911. Here’s a few words about a terrific hitter who was the 1937 MVP and also the ’37 Triple Crown winner: Joe “Ducky” Medwick.
As the above quote testifies, Joe Medwick was not real popular among his teammates. He was known as a hard-nosed, self-centered guy with a terrible temper. As a member of the famed “Gas House Gang,” he brawled more often with his own teammates than with opposing players.
Medwick may not have been popular, but he was a magnificent hitter. Remembered mostly for his great years with the Cardinals from 1932-40, Medwick also played for the Dodgers, Giants, and Braves. Over his 17-year career (1932-48), the 10-time All-Star hit .324, with 2471 hits, 1198 runs, 205 home runs, 1383 RBIs, and a .362 on-base percentage. Although a known free swinger, he struck out only 551 times in 8143 plate appearances.
Joe had a career year in 1937, his MVP-Triple Crown year. It’s one of the greatest offensive years in baseball history and he remains the last National League player to win a Triple Crown. He led the league in batting average (.374), hits (237), doubles (56), runs (111), home runs (31), RBIs (154), slugging (.641), OPS+ (182), and total bases (406). In addition, he compiled a .414 on-base percentage. Medwick led the National League for three consecutive years in RBIs and doubles (1936-38). He holds the National League record for doubles in a season (64), and the Major League record for most consecutive years with 40 or more doubles (1933-39). He was a star player on the 1934 “Gas House Gang” World Series champion Cardinals and was also a member of the 1941 pennant-winning Dodgers.
Medwick suffered a horrendous beaning in 1940. He was rendered unconscious and nearly killed by a fastball thrown by former Cardinal teammate, Bob Bowman. It happened six days after he was traded to the Dodgers along with Curt Davis. Unlike Ray Chapman, who died from a beaning by Carl Mays in 1920, Medwick survived the beaning but suffered a severe concussion and was never the same player. Dodger manager Leo Durocher had to be restrained from going after Bowman, yelling that he had hit Medwick on purpose.
Medwick’s wildest moment in baseball occurred in Game Seven of the ’34 World Series. In the sixth inning Medwick tripled off the centerfield fence, sliding hard into third with spikes high. Whether he accidentally or deliberately spiked Tiger third baseman Marv Owen isn’t known. Punches were thrown. Umpire Bill Klem broke up the struggle and neither player was ejected. Angry Tiger fans reacted by pelting Medwick with garbage and anything else they could get their hands on. Fearing for Medwick’s safety, Commissioner Landis summoned the umpiring crew, Medwick, and Cards’ Manager Frankie Frisch to his box and decided to remove Medwick from the game. He‘s still the only player ever to be thrown out of a game “for his own personal safety.”
Joe Medwick was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1968. In 1999, he was named #79 on The Sporting News’ list of Baseball’s Greatest Players; and was nominated the same year as a finalist for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. The Cardinals inducted Medwick among 22 former players in the Cardinals’ Hall of Fame for the inaugural class of 2014
-Gary Livacari
Photo Credits: Sports Illustrated, The Baseball Book; The Leslie Jones Boston Public Library collection; and public domain
Background information: Excerpts edited from the Joe Medwick Wikikpedia page, and from the Dead Ball Era “Bad to the Bone” web page. http://www.thedeadballera.com/BadBoneMedwick.htm
Check out my two books, both now available on Amazon in e-book and paperback: “Paul Pryor in His Own Words: The Life and TImes of a 20-Year Major League Umpire”and “Memorable World Series Moments.” All profits go to the Illinois Veterans Foundation
