Whitey Herzog
By Adam Foldes
In the annals of baseball dating back to when it first became a game played by professionals, the great teams have always taken on the persona of their managers. This includes the old Chicago White Stockings of the National League led by their first baseman-manager Adrian “Cap” Anson, and continues with managers such as Ned Hanlon of the Baltimore Orioles in the 1890s, and a couple of Hanlon’s protégés, John McGraw with the New York Giants and Hughie Jennings of the Detroit Tigers.
Toward the middle of the twentieth century, there were Mel Ott with the New York Giants, Leo Durocher’s Dodgers and Giants, and Al Lopez’s “Go-Go” White Sox of the late ’50s.
Since free agency began, two managers have stamped their game on their teams and largely contributed to their success. They were Alfred Manuel “Billy” Martin, famous for Billyball, and Whitey Herzog, whose Whiteyball focused on speed, pitching, and defense.
Dorrel Norman Elvert Herzog was born on November 9, 1931, the second of three boys, to Edgar and Lietta Herzog in New Athens, Illinois, 40 miles east of St. Louis. Edgar worked at the Mound City Brewery and Lietta worked in a shoe factory.
To help make ends meet and make some extra money, young Dorrel, or “Relly” as he was called, dug graves, worked at the Mound City Brewery, delivered baked goods, and delivered newspapers.
Young Herzog would sometimes skip school, hitchhike on Route 13 to Belleville, and then take a bus to Sportsman’s Park, home to the Browns and Cardinals. Herzog would not only watch his idols Stan Musial, Vern Stephens, and Enos Slaughter but would snatch up batting practice balls by sneaking into the ballpark early. He would bring the balls back to the New Athens sandlots, sell some and keep some to play with.
At New Athens High School, Herzog, a left-handed thrower and batter, was a first baseman, pitcher, and outfielder. He also played guard on the basketball team. During his senior year, Herzog led the Yellow Jackets to the regional playoffs and had interest from colleges including the University of Illinois and St. Louis University. As a junior he batted .584, was named a second-team all-stater, and led the team to a spot in the championship game against Granite City. (New Athens lost, 4-1.) He was named second team all-state in baseball.
After graduating in 1949 Herzog bypassed college and signed a contract with the New York Yankees. Another Yankees recruit that year was Mickey Mantle. Herzog was recommended by scout Lou Maguolo and cross-checked by Tom Greenwade.
In his first year in the minors, playing for the Yankees’ Class-D Sooner State League team in McAlester, Oklahoma, Herzog hit .279; the following year he hit .351. While at McAlester he acquired the nickname Whitey, bestowed on him by a sportscaster in the McAlester because his light blond hair resembled that of a pitcher on the Yankees, Bob “White Rat” Kuzava.
In 1951 Herzog hit a combined .276 for Class-C Joplin and Class-B Piedmont. The next season, 1952, after playing for Quincy in the Three-I League and Beaumont in the Double-A Texas League, he reached Triple A with Kansas City in the American Association. After the season, with the Korean War still raging, he was drafted into the US Army and spent two years in the Corps of Engineers.
The same year Herzog joined the Army, he married his high-school sweetheart, Mary Lou Sinn. As of 2018, they had been married 66 years and had three children, Debbie, Jim, and David.
While stationed at Fort Leonard Wood in Waynesville, Missouri, Herzog got his first experience running a ballclub, when he managed the company baseball team.
Discharged from the Army, Herzog played in 1955 for the Yankees’ Triple-A team in Denver. In 149 games he hit .289 with 21 home runs and 98 runs batted in.
After his success in 1955, Herzog hoped to spend the 1956 season with the Yankees. He made the majors, but with the Washington Senators. On April 2 Herzog was traded to the Senators in a seven-player deal that saw pitcher Mickey McDermott and shortstop Bobby Kline head to the Yankees.
For the Senators in 1956, Herzog played in 117 games, all in the outfield except for five at first base. The 5-foot-11, 182-pound Herzog batted .245 with 4 home runs and 35 RBIs. In May of 1958 he was sold to the Kansas City Athletics. Before the 1961 season the Athletics traded him to the Baltimore Orioles, and after the 1962 season the Orioles traded him to the Detroit Tigers. Over the next six years, Herzog bounced back and forth between the majors and the minors and played with three other American League clubs, the Kanas City Athletics, the Detroit Tigers, and the Baltimore Orioles. He appeared in 634 career games, batting .257 with an on-base percentage of .354, and with 25 homers and 172 RBIs.
After batting only .151 in 52 games for the Tigers in 1963, Herzog retired as a player. Of his playing career, Herzog was known to say that baseball had been good to him once he stopped trying to play it.
Herzog scouted for Kansas City in 1964 and was a coach in 1965 under Mel McGaha and Haywood Sullivan. In 1966 he Following the 1965 season, Herzog left the Athletics organization and was hired by the New York Mets organization. His first position in 1966 was third-base coach under Wes Westrum, on a team that went 66-95 and finished in ninth place ahead of only the Chicago Cubs. They finished 28 1/2 games behind the pennant-winning Los Angeles Dodgers.
The following year Herzog was named the Mets’ director of player development but also got his first taste of managing in professional baseball, when at 35 he guided the Florida Instructional League Mets for 50 games. Over the next six years, Herzog oversaw a number of players who played important roles in the pennant-winning Mets teams of 1969 and 1973, including Jerry Koosman, Gary Gentry, Jon Matlack; John Milner, and Wayne Garrett as well as players who had successful careers on other teams including Amos Otis, Nolan Ryan, and Ken Singleton. After seven years in the Mets organization Herzog, who disliked Mets Chairman M. Donald Grant, left the organization upset when the Mets passed him over for manager in 1972 after Gil Hodges died. (First-base coach Yogi Berra got the job.)
Herzog quickly rebounded. On November 2, 1972, at the age of 40, he was named the manager of the Texas Rangers, replacing Ted Williams. Team owner Bob Short said general manager Joe Burke believed Herzog would help develop the team’s young talent.
On April 7, 1973, Herzog made his managerial debut with the Rangers with a 3-1 loss to the White Sox. He did not get his first win until April 12, 4-0 over the Kansas City Royals.
The 1973 Rangers were a somewhat dysfunctional team. In the June amateur draft, the team drafted pitcher David Clyde number one overall ahead of future Hall of Famers Robin Yount and Dave Winfield. As part of the contract Clyde signed, he was to make two major-league starts before going to the minors. He pitched fairly well in the first couple of starts, but then batters began to get to him. Herzog was unable to get Bob Short to agree to send Clyde to the minors to get his footing. Herzog later said it was “a travesty.” Teammate Tom Grieve called it “the dumbest thing you could ever do to a high-school pitcher,” and said Short had effectively ruined Clyde’s career.
At 138 games into the season with the Rangers sitting at 47-91, Herzog was fired and replaced by Billy Martin, who had recently been fired by the Detroit Tigers. Short knew Martin from his time as a Twins executive while Martin was manager. Short had allegedly once quipped to Herzog that he “would fire his grandmother for the chance to hire Billy.” A few days after his ouster, Herzog said, “I’m fired. I’m the grandmother.” Herzog was not the only member of the Texas Rangers staff to be fired late in the 1973 season; General Manager Joe Burke was also let go.
The following year, 1974, Herzog stayed in the American League West, becoming the California Angels’ third-base coach under manager Bobby Winkles. Herzog became the interim manager for four games after Winkles (30-44) was fired. After Dick Williams became the manager, Herzog stayed on as coach the rest of the year.
During the 1975 baseball season, Kansas City Royals GM Joe Burke was sensing that something was wrong despite the team being 50-46. He sensed a divide between team manager Jack McKeon and the team. On July 24, he fired McKeon and hired Herzog as manager on a deal worth $50,000 through the end of the 1976 season.
Herzog inherited a solid Royals team with players like George Brett, John Mayberry, Paul Splittorff, Hal McRae, Frank White, Freddie Patek, Cookie Rojas, Doug Bird, Amos Otis, Dennis Leonard, and 39-year-old Harmon Killebrew. He managed the Royals to a second-place finish, seven games behind the Oakland Athletics.
Starting with his tenure with the Royals and continuing with the Cardinals, Herzog implemented a system of baseball well suited to the turf of both Royals Stadium and Busch Stadium and the antithesis of winning baseball via home runs. “Whiteyball” was predicated on great fielding, line-drive hitting, speed on the basepaths, and solid pitching.
The 1976 season was a turning point in Herzog’s managerial career. “Whiteyball” worked especially well on Royals Stadium’s artificial turf. The team hit only 65 home runs, 11th in the American League, but George Brett and Hal McRae finished 1-2 in the AL batting race with batting averages of .333 and .332 respectively, and the team had eight players with 10 or more stolen bases, led by Freddie Patek (51 SB’s). On the pitching side, the Royals had four pitchers with 10 or more wins and Mark Littell and Steve Mingori each had 10 or more saves.
This team led the Royals to their first AL West title with a record of 90-72, edging out Oakland by 2½ games. The 1976 American League Championship Series pitted the Royals against the Yankees, with the teams splitting the first four games. In the pivotal Game Five at Yankee Stadium, with the Royals down by three in the eighth inning, George Brett hit a game-tying three-run home run off Grant Jackson. But in the bottom of the ninth inning, Yankees first baseman Chris Chambliss hit a home run off Littell to win the pennant.
The next year, 1977, the Royals were paced by a career year by Al Cowens, who batted .312 with 23 home runs and 112 runs batted in. Combined with strong pitching that included 20-game winner Dennis Leonard, the team won 102 games and finished eight games ahead of the Texas Rangers. The ALCS was a rematch against the Yankees. The Royals took a two-games-to-one lead and seemed poised to advance to the World Series when an issue arose with first baseman John Mayberry, who after dropping a foul ball, was pulled by Herzog and never played for the Royals again. After the Royals lost Game Four, 6-4, Herzog refused to play Mayberry in Game Five, despite the pleas from his teammates, and the Royals lost, blowing a 3-2 ninth-inning lead.
In 1978 the Royals won 90-plus games for the fourth year in a row and finished 92-70, five games ahead of the Rangers and Angels. In their third consecutive matchup with the Yankees, the Royals lost again, in four games.
The 1979 Royals finished with 85 wins, good enough for second place, three games behind the California Angels. This step back cost Herzog his job. The firing had less to do with on-field performance than the fact that there had been friction between Herzog and Royals owner Ewing Kauffman. Herzog got a $50,000 bonus each year if the Royals drew 2 million fans, which they did in 1978-1979, but Herzog felt that Kauffman and the front office did not really want to improve the team through free agency. (The next season, under Jim Frey, the Royals won the AL West with a record of 97-65, swept the Yankees in the ALCS, and lost to the Philadelphia Phillies in six games in the World Series.)
In June of 1980 Herzog moved east on I-70 to take over the beleaguered St. Louis Cardinals from Ken Boyer, with the team’s record at 18-33 and having gone 5-22 over the previous 27 games. Under Herzog the Cardinals were 38-35. On August 17, he was promoted to take over for John Claiborne as the Cardinals GM; his successor as manager was Red Schoendienst.
After the season Herzog acquired Bruce Sutter and Darrell Porter, who had played for him for three years in Kansas City. He also demoted Red Schoendienst to coach and took over the dual role of general manager and manager, the first person to serve in both roles since Connie Mack was GM and manager (and owner) of the Philadelphia Athletics in 1950.
The 1981 season was interrupted by a 50-day players strike. When the games resumed in August, the season was split into two halves, with each half’s winner advancing to the playoffs. This ended up hurting the Cardinals, who had the best overall record in the NL East, 59-43, but finished second in both halves, to Philadelphia and to Montreal.
The 1981 offseason saw the acquisitions of Lonnie Smith, Steve Mura, Willie McGee, and Ozzie Smith, as well as the re-signing of Joaquin Andujar. These acquisitions along with the players already in place led the 1982 Cardinals to a 92-70 season, edging out the Phillies by three games. They swept the Atlanta Braves in the National League Championship Series. Three games into the season, Herzog gave up his position as GM to focus on managing. He was replaced by Cardinals assistant GM Joe McDonald, three games into the 1982 season. On April 10, 1982, the stress of being general manager and manager was beginning to take away from Herzog’s abilities on the field so he turned over the general manager duties to McDonald, who had been hired by the Cardinals in 1981 as an executive assistant and assistant GM. McDonald had not only worked with Herzog when they were both with the New York Mets, but McDonald had previous GM experience with the Mets as he had been their GM from 1975-1980.
The 1982 World Series presented a stark contrast between the Cardinals and the Milwaukee Brewers, known as Harvey’s Wallbangers after manager Harvey Kuenn. Milwaukee led the AL with 216 home runs. The Cardinals hit only 67 homers, last in the NL, but their team batting average was .264, tied for second, and the led the league with 200 stolen bases. The Series went the full seven games, with the Cardinals coming back after going down three games to two, to win Game Six, 13-1 and Game Seven, 6-3, giving the Cardinals their first World Series championship in 18 years, and Herzog his first.
The Cardinals were unable to repeat and finished the 1983 season 79-83, fourth in the NL East. The major event of the season came at the June 15 trade deadline, when the Cardinals shocked the baseball world by trading former MVP and reigning Gold Glove winner Keith Hernandez to the New York Mets for Rick Ownbey and Neil Allen. Herzog said he made the move because the Cardinals needed more pitching, and that the plan was to bring Andy Van Slyke up from Triple A and move George Hendrick to first base. It was later discovered that the trade was due to the longtime personality conflict between Hernandez and Herzog. There were rumors of Hernandez’s cocaine use, which turned out to be true. This also affected Joaquin Andujar and Lonnie Smith, leading to the trade.
After finishing in third place (84-78) in 1984, the Cardinals went to the World Series in both 1985 and 1987.
In the 1984-85 offseason George Hendrick was part of a four-player trade for John Tudor and first baseman Jack Clark was acquired from San Francisco. This trade was done to stabilize the first-base position for the Cardinals. Also, 1985 saw the emergence of left fielder Vince Coleman, who stole a rookie-record 110 bases en route to Rookie of the Year honors and also led to the trade of Lonnie Smith to Kansas City.
The 1985 season in the National League East came down to a battle the last couple of weeks of the season between the Cardinals and the New York Mets. The Cardinals ended up with a record of 101-61, edging out the Mets by three games. They were led by Jack Clark’s 22 home runs, and also stole 314 bases; besides Coleman’s 110 steals, Willie McGee contributed 56 and Tommy Herr and Ozzie Smith each had 31. Pitchers John Tudor and Joaquin Andujar each won 21 games and Jeff Lahti, Ken Dayley, and Todd Worrell combined to save 35 games, to make up for the loss of Bruce Sutter who had signed in the offseason with the Braves.
In the NLCS, against the Dodgers, with the series tied at two games apiece, and the score 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth, Ozzie Smith hit a solo home run off LA’s Tom Niedenfuer to win the game, 2-1. The call from Jack Buck — “Go crazy, folks, go crazy, it’s a home run” — was ranked by mlb.nbcsports.com as number 21 of the 32 best calls in sports history. Two days later, in Dodger Stadium, Jack Clark hit a three-run home run in the ninth inning off Niedenfuer to capture the pennant for the Cardinals. The win came at a cost: Before Game Four, Vince Coleman’s leg was fractured in a freak accident with the tarp at Busch Stadium.
With both teams from Missouri, the 1985 World Series was known as the I-70 Showdown Series and the Show-Me World Series, The Cardinals faced Herzog’s former team, the Royals. Many of the Royals’ leaders that year were holdovers from the Herzog era. The Royals had won 10 fewer games than the Cardinals, and St. Louis was the heavy favorite.
The Cardinals won the first two games, 3-1 and 4-2, and Kansas City took Game Three, 6-1. After John Tudor shut out Kansas City, 3-0, the Royals staved off elimination by winning Game Five, 6-1. Game Six was one of the most memorable games in World Series history. The game was scoreless through seven innings. In the bottom of the ninth, with St. Louis leading 1-0, Herzog called on rookie closer Tim Worrell to give the Cardinals their second championship in four years. The leadoff batter, pinch-hitter Jorge Orta, hit a bouncer to Jack Clark, who threw to Worrell covering first base. Orta was called safe on the play by umpire Don Denkinger. Replays showed that Orta was out by half a step, but in the days before instant replay, Denkinger chose not to overrule himself and the call stood. The Cardinals proceeded to self-destruct. Steve Balboni hit a popup in foul territory that neither Darrell Porter nor Jack Clark could come up with; he subsequently singled. After Jim Sundberg’s bunt forced Orta at third, a passed ball moved the runners up to second and third. Hal McRae was then intentionally walked. Pinch-hitter Dane Iorg singled to right and the tying and winning runs scored, to force a seventh game. After the drama of Game Six, Game Seven was anticlimactic as the Royals’ Bret Saberhagen shut out the Cardinals, 11-0, to win the World Series. The only drama in Game Seven was that Herzog became the first manager since Billy Martin (in 1976) to be ejected from a World Series game.
The next season the Cardinals slumped to a record of 79-82, 28½ games behind the first-place New York Mets, the only positives being that both Ozzie Smith and Willie McGee captured Gold Gloves and pitcher Todd Worrell earned Rookie of the Year Honors.
During the 1986-1987 offseason, the Cardinals, in an effort to improve their catching, traded catcher Mike LaValliere and outfielder Andy Van Slyke to the Pirates for four-time All-Star Tony Peña. This trade along with the 35 home runs from Jack Clark, the 109 stolen bases of Vince Coleman, and a pitching staff that had four winners of 10 or more games, helped the Cardinals improve by 16 wins and narrowly overtake the Mets and Expos. In the NLCS the Cardinals came from a three-wins-to-two deficit to defeat the San Francisco Giants in seven games and advance to their third World Series in six years.
Herzog’s Cardinals faced the Minnesota Twins in a World Series played entirely on artificial turf (as had occurred in 1985). The Twins came back from a three-games-to-two deficit and won Game Six, 11-5, and Game Seven, 4-2.
Over the next couple of years the Cardinals slumped. In 1988 they finished with a record of 76-86 in fifth, ahead of only the Philadelphia Phillies, and 25 games behind the East-leading New York Mets. In 1989 they improved by 10 games to finish 86-76, but finished seven games behind the Chicago Cubs.
The 1990 season proved very difficult for Herzog and the Cardinals, and culminated in his resignation when the Cardinals, with a 33-47 record, were in last place in the National League East.
The end of Herzog’s Cardinals tenure also ended his managerial career, with a record of 1,281-1,125, a .532 winning percentage. He had a postseason record of 26-25, with the one World Series championship in 1982, three AL West titles, three NL East titles, and three National League pennants.
Herzog’s departure from the Cardinals did not end his career in baseball. In 1992, after holding various positions with the California Angels, he was named general manager. Over the next two years, the Angels fell short of expectations, finishing 72-90 in 1992 and 71-91 in 1993. In January 1994 he resigned, citing the opportunity to do other things. He had spent 45 years as a player, coach, manager, and general manager.
As recently as 2018, Keith Hernandez, despite having been traded by Herzog, had nothing but the highest praise for Herzog’s managerial and overall baseball acumen. “He was a great manager, best I ever played for,” Hernandez said.
Herzog was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2010. On a more local note, the baseball field at New Athens High School was renamed Whitey Herzog Field in honor of Herzog, who donated money to have the field renovated.
Herzog took the talent of his teams and where they played, to their full capacities. He took two teams from smaller markets to great heights.
Herzog died at the age of 92 on April 15, 2024.
Ken Holtzman
By Rich Puerzer
Upon his arrival in the major leagues, Ken Holtzman was promoted as the new Sandy Koufax. A hard-throwing, left-handed Jewish pitcher, Holtzman quickly became the ace of the Chicago Cubs staff and one of the best pitchers in the majors. He enjoyed a fine career, spending his best years with the tumultuous and talented Oakland A’s. Holtzman was known as something of a thinking man’s ballplayer – he was quoted as having read Proust’s Remembrance of Things Past in the original French, and was a staunch union advocate and player representative during the nascent years of free agency. Holtzman’s pitching career had a rocky ending and he retired at the age of 33, but he is remembered today as a very good, if still underestimated pitcher.
Kenneth Dale Holtzman was born on November 3, 1945, in St. Louis. Henry Holtzman, his father, was in the machinery business while his mother, Jacqueline, was a homemaker. Ken grew up in the St. Louis suburb of University City. He graduated in 1963 from University City High School, where he had an overall pitching record of 31-3. Holtzman then entered the University of Illinois, where he studied business administration and played baseball. Holtzman was selected in the fourth round of the 1965 amateur draft by the Chicago Cubs. The 6-foot-2, lanky left-hander was 19 years old and was in his sophomore year at Illinois. He was given a reported bonus of $65,000. Holtzman joined the Cubs organization, but later graduated from the University of Illinois with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and later earned a master’s degree.
Holtzman joined the Treasure Valley Cubs (Caldwell, Idaho) in the Rookie Pioneer League. He started four games for the team, winning each and allowing only 21 baserunners in 27 innings while compiling an earned-run average of 1.00. He was quickly promoted to the Wenatchee (Washington) Chiefs of the Class A Northwest League. There Holtzman started eight games and went 4-3 with an ERA of 2.44 in 59 innings. In his 86 innings of minor-league work, he struck out 114 batters. Based on his success in the minors, albeit at the Class A level, Holtzman was called up to the Cubs. He made his major-league debut on September 4, called in to pitch the ninth inning with the Cubs down 6-3 to the San Francisco Giants. He promptly gave up a home run to Jim Ray Hart before retiring the side. Holtzman pitched in three games for the Cubs in 1965, and demonstrated that he would contend for a spot in the starting rotation the following season.
Cubs manager Leo Durocher wanted to put Holtzman into the starting rotation for the 1966 season. Holtzman later reflected that “[Durocher] gave me a chance right away at age 20.” After an early-season relief appearance, he made his first major-league start on April 24 in a matchup against Don Drysdale and the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Holtzman pitched six shutout innings and got the win in the 2-0 Cubs victory.
Despite a lineup featuring three future Hall of Fame players, Ernie Banks, Ron Santo, and Billy Williams, the 1966 Cubs were a terrible team. They won only 59 games and finished in the basement of the National League. In spite of the Cubs’ poor season, Holtzman’s rookie-year performance was not bad. He led the team with 11 wins and 171 strikeouts in 220⅔ innings pitched and showed great promise. One highlight was a late-season matchup between Holtzman and his boyhood idol, Sandy Koufax. Holtzman faced Koufax on Sunday, September 25, in a game that drew 21,659 fans to Wrigley Field. (In Holtzman’s previous outing, four days earlier, the attendance at Wrigley was 530.) The 24th was Yom Kippur and neither Holtzman nor Koufax was in uniform as they both observed the Jewish holy day. The Cubs scored two runs in the first inning against Koufax, and Holtzman was stellar on the mound. He went into the ninth inning with a no-hitter before giving up singles to Ducky Schofield and Maury Wills. Holtzman got the complete-game 2-0 win, striking out eight Dodgers.
The 1967 season was an unusual one for Holtzman. He got off to a very good start, winning his first five decisions and posting an ERA of 2.33. He was then called up by the Illinois National Guard for a six-month tour of duty. Holtzman was sent first to Fort Polk in Louisiana and later to Fort Sam Houston in Texas. While in Texas, Holtzman learned that he would be allowed to get weekend passes so he could return to the Cubs to pitch. To help him prepare, the Cubs sent former catcher and coach (as a part of the “College of Coaches” approach that the Cubs took in 1961 and 1962) El Tappe to Texas to work with Holtzman when he was off duty.
Beginning in mid-August, Holtzman was granted weekend passes, and flew to wherever the Cubs were playing. He pitched in four games, August 13 and 20 and September 3 and 30. He was extremely, and perhaps surprisingly, effective in each outing, winning all four. All told, he posted a record of 9-0 and an ERA of 2.53 for the season. Holtzman regressed a bit in the 1968 season, which was again disrupted by military duty, including in August when his unit served guard duty during the stormy Democratic National Convention in Chicago. He was able to start 32 games and pitch 215 innings, and posted a record of 11-14 and an ERA of 3.35.
The 1969 campaign was both a breakthrough and heartbreaking season for Holtzman and the Cubs. He got off to a great start, including a span in mid-May of 33 innings without allowing a run. By June 10, Holtzman had a record of 10-1 and the Cubs held a seven-game lead in the National League East. His best performance of the season came on August 19, when he pitched a no-hitter against the Atlanta Braves and pitcher Phil Niekro. Holtzman was aided by a wind that blew in from center field and kept a seventh-inning drive by Henry Aaron in the park; left fielder Billy Williams caught it at the wall. Holtzman faced Aaron again with two out in the ninth inning, and induced a groundout that ended the game. The game was unique in that Holtzman did not strike out a single batter in the game.
For the Cubs, this game was unfortunately one of the final highlights of the season, as they went on to lose what seemed an insurmountable lead and the division to the “miracle” New York Mets. During their September swoon, Holtzman was not terribly effective on the mound; he went 1-5 as the Cubs collapsed. He finished the season with a record of 17-13 and a 3.58 ERA.
In 1970 Holtzman was the number-two pitcher in the Cubs rotation, with Fergie Jenkins as the team’s ace. The Cubs had another good season, but finished second in the division again, this time behind the Pittsburgh Pirates. Holtzman finished the season again with 17 wins, posting a record of 17-11 and an ERA of 3.38. He struck out 202 batters, the only time in his career he exceeded 200 strikeouts in a season. This was likely a result of pitching 287⅔ innings. In 1971 Holtzman fell out of favor with manager Durocher.
Between interruptions to his season for military duty and criticism from Durocher, Holtzman grew unhappy. Durocher rapped Holtzman in the press for not using his fastball enough and relying too much on his curve. He insinuated that Holtzman was not making his best effort. Allegedly, Durocher also made anti-Semitic slurs about Holtzman. Holtzman struggled throughout the season, but did have one exceptional game. On June 3 he tossed his second no-hitter, this time against the Cincinnati Reds in Riverfront Stadium. He struck out six and walked four in the 1-0 win. His opponent on the mound was Gary Nolan, and the run he gave up was unearned. Aside from the no-hitter, the season was a difficult one for Holtzman. He finished with a record of 9-15 and an ERA of 4.48.
After absorbing the criticism of Durocher, Holtzman asked for a trade. While he had had a poor season, he was still only 25 years old and had not suffered any injuries. The Cubs followed through on his request, and on November 29, 1971, Holtzman was traded to the Oakland A’s for outfielder Rick Monday. The trade took Holtzman from the hapless Cubs to an Oakland A’s team on the cusp of greatness.
With the addition of Holtzman, the 1972 Oakland A’s had a pitching staff that was even stronger than it had been in 1971, when the A’s won 101 games. Holtzman joined fellow left-hander and 1971 Cy Young Award winner Vida Blue, as well as Catfish Hunter, and Blue Moon Odom in the A’s pitching rotation. Because of Holtzman’s struggles in 1971, A’s owner Charlie Finley cut his pay from $56,500 in 1971 to $53,250 for 1972. But Holtzman had a much better chance to succeed in Oakland. Because of the players’ strike, which delayed the opening of the 1972 season, and Vida Blue’s contract holdout to start the season, the pitching rotation was not set at the start of the season. As a result, Holtzman ended up as the Opening Day pitcher. He faced the Minnesota Twins on April 15, pitching a strong eight innings before giving way to reliever Rollie Fingers with a 3-2 lead. Fingers blew the save and the win for Holtzman, but the A’s came back to win in 11 innings.
Holtzman was a highly effective pitcher all season long. He was named to the American League All-Star team, although he did not pitch in the game. Holtzman had a fine September and October, winning his final five decisions of the season. He finished with a record of 19-11 and an ERA of 2.51. In the League Championship Series, against the Tigers, Holtzman started Game Three, with the A’s having won the first two games. He gave up two runs in the fourth inning, and was pinch-hit for in the fifth. The A’s offense could not do much against Tigers starter Joe Coleman, and the A’s ended up losing, 3-0.
Holtzman had better luck in the World Series. He pitched Game One, matched up against Gary Nolan of the Cincinnati Reds. Holtzman pitched well enough against the potent Reds offense to get the win, with relief help from Rollie Fingers and Vida Blue. Holtzman also started Game Four, facing Reds starter Don Gullett. Holtzman pitched well before leaving the game with a 1-0 lead in the eighth inning with two outs and Dave Concepción at third. Reliever Vida Blue lost the lead, but the A’s prevailed, scoring two runs in the bottom of the ninth. Holtzman pitched once more in the Series, making a relief appearance in the eighth inning of Game Seven. With the A’s leading, 3-1, Holtzman relieved Catfish Hunter after Hunter allowed a leadoff single to Pete Rose. Holtzman gave up a double to Joe Morgan, putting the tying runs on base. Holtzman was then relieved by Rollie Fingers, who allowed Rose to score on a sacrifice fly by Tony Perez. But Fingers allowed no other runs and finished off the game, and the World Series.
After his and the A’s success in 1972, Holtzman was given a raise by the penurious Charlie Finley, to $66,500. The 1973 season was another great one for Holtzman. He had a very strong first half, going 7-0 in May and putting together a record of 10-2 with an ERA of 1.56 by June 1. He hit a rough patch in June, going 1-6 for the month. Nevertheless, he was named to the All-Star team, and pitched in the game, relieving teammate and starter Catfish Hunter with one out in the second inning. After getting Johnny Bench to ground out, he give up a single to former Cubs teammate Ron Santo, then induced Chris Speier to ground out. Holtzman then gave way to a parade of relievers in the exhibition. He steadied his season in July and finished 1973 as a 20-game winner, with a record of 21-13 and a 2.97 ERA.
Holtzman pitched Game Three of the American League Championship Series against Orioles starter Mike Cuellar in Oakland with the series tied at 1-1. It was one of the most thrilling postseason games ever played. Holtzman gave up a solo home run to Orioles first baseman Earl Williams in the second inning, then matched Cuellar in shutting down the opposition. The A’s tied up the score, 1-1, in the eighth inning, and both Holtzman and Cuellar continued to pitch as the game went into extra innings. Holtzman continued to shut down the Orioles through 11 innings before Bert Campaneris hit a game-winning home run in the bottom of the inning. Holtzman pitched 11 innings, giving up only three hits and one walk, and pitching through three errors by the A’s to earn the 2-1 win.
In the World Series, against the New York Mets, the A’s leaned heavily on Holtzman, who started Games One, Four, and Seven, matched up against Mets starter Jon Matlack in each game. In Game One Holtzman gave up one run in five innings and got the win. In Game Four, he gave up a three-run home run to Rusty Staub in the first inning, then walked John Milner and gave up a single to Jerry Grote, and was taken out after getting only two outs in the first inning. A’s manager Dick Williams did not lose faith in Holtzman, however, and started him in Game Seven. Holtzman pitched well and also helped himself at the plate. In the third inning of the scoreless game, Holtzman doubled and later scored on a Campaneris home run that was a part of a four-run rally. Holtzman pitched 5⅓ innings, and got the win as the A’s won their second World Series in a row.
The next season, 1974, was another great year for both Holtzman and the A’s. Before the season, Holtzman won his arbitration case, securing a $93,000 contract, $13,000 more than Finley had offered. Holtzman was again the number three starter in the A’s rotation behind Hunter and Blue, although all three hurlers would have been the ace on many other teams. He finished the season with a record of 19-17 and an ERA of 3.07, helping the A’s to their fourth consecutive postseason appearance. The A’s faced the Orioles again in the League Championship Series. After the A’s lost the first game of the five-game series, in Oakland, Holtzman faced Dave McNally in Game Two. Holtzman pitched brilliantly, throwing a complete game and shutting out the Orioles, 5-0. He allowed five hits and two walks, with only one Oriole batter getting as far as second base.
Holtzman continued his dominant pitching against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first all-California World Series. The pitching matchup for Game One of the Series was Holtzman and Andy Messersmith. Holtzman pitched 4⅓ innings and allowed one unearned run before giving way to Rollie Fingers, who picked up the win. In addition to his pitching, Holtzman doubled off Messersmith in the fifth, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a bunt single by Campaneris. It was the second run of the game for the A’s, who went on to win by a score of 3-2. Holtzman and Messersmith faced off again in Game Four, and again Holtzman helped himself at the plate, this time hitting a home run in the third inning of the scoreless game. He pitched 7⅔ innings and allowed two runs before handing over a 5-2 lead to Fingers. Holtzman earned the win, the fourth and final World Series victory of his career.
After the season Holtzman had acrimonious contract negotiations with Finley. They again went to arbitration, with Finley offering $93,000, the same as Holtzman earned in 1974, and Holtzman asking $112,000. After the arbitration hearing, much to the chagrin of Holtzman, Finley went public with a statistical analysis of what he deemed Holtzman’s shortcomings. Finley won the case. The dealings with Finley greatly frustrated Holtzman, who spoke of retiring and joining a Chicago investment firm, perhaps even before the end of the season.
Although his record was 3-6 at the end of May, Holtzman had a fairly strong start to the 1975 season, allowing three runs or more in only two of his first 12 starts. On June 8, against the Tigers, he came tantalizingly close to pitching his third no-hitter. In the fourth inning, Holtzman walked a batter, who was immediately erased by a double play. Then, after 8⅔ hitless innings, the 27th Tiger to come the plate, weak-hitting shortstop Tom Veryzer doubled to break up the no-hitter. Holtzman proceeded to strike out the next batter, Ron LeFlore, and won the game, 4-0. Holtzman pitched effectively for the remainder of the season, finishing with a record of 18-14, and an ERA of 3.14.
In the postseason for the fifth consecutive year, the A’s faced the Boston Red Sox in the League Championship Series. Holtzman pitched Game One, matched up against Red Sox ace Luis Tiant. The Red Sox took a quick lead, scoring two unearned runs in the first inning. Then in the seventh, Dwight Evans and Rick Burleson doubled off Holtzman, knocking him from the game, as the Red Sox scored five runs in the inning. Holtzman was charged with the loss as the Red Sox won the game 7-1. After an A’s loss in Game Two of the series, Holtzman was called upon to start Game Three on just two days’ rest. He pitched valiantly, but in the top of the fourth the Red Sox scored an unearned run to take the lead. Then in the fifth, the Red Sox knocked Holtzman from the game and went on to win, 5-3, and sweep the series.
After the 1975 season, major-league players and owners were negotiating a new contract and agreed to suspend the arbitration process. As a result, Finley offered Holtzman and eight other A’s contracts with 20 percent pay cuts, the maximum allowable cut. Holtzman and several other players chose to remain unsigned and report to spring training in an effort to become free agents after the season. He was becoming increasingly disenchanted with Charlie Finley’s negotiating tactics and his approach to his players. On April 2 Holtzman was freed from Finley. In a blockbuster deal, Holtzman, Reggie Jackson, and minor-league pitcher Bill Von Bommel were traded to Baltimore for pitchers Mike Torrez and Paul Mitchell and outfielder Don Baylor. Holtzman pitched well for the Orioles, holding an ERA of 2.86 in mid-June. However, his stay in Baltimore ended abruptly. At the trading deadline, June 15, he was a part of a ten-player trade between the Orioles and the New York Yankees. Holtzman, along with pitchers Doyle Alexander, Grant Jackson, and Jimmy Freeman, and catcher Elrod Hendricks were traded to the Yankees for catcher Rick Dempsey and pitchers Scott McGregor, Tippy Martinez, Rudy May, and Dave Pagan. Holtzman provided a solid left-handed starter for the Yankees. However, the Yankees had traded to their division rivals several players who would later star for the Orioles.
The trade reunited Holtzman with Catfish Hunter, and for a time it was thought that Vida Blue would also be a Yankee. But Finley’s sale of Blue to the Yankees was disallowed by Commissioner Bowie Kuhn. Holtzman stepped into the Yankee pitching staff, but was not nearly as strong as he had been in previous years with the A’s. By season’s end, he had with a record of 14-11 (9-7 with the Yankees), but with an uncharacteristically high ERA of 3.65. His strikeout totals for the season were significantly lower than in previous years, only 66 in 246⅔ innings. And although the Yankees won their division, Holtzman, who of course had a tremendous amount of postseason pitching experience, pitched in neither the League Championship Series nor the World Series.
In the offseason Holtzman got a five-year, $825,000 contract. He began the season in the starting rotation. However, after a few starts, including a particularly disastrous one on May 16 in which he could get only one out before being relieved, Holtzman found himself in Yankee manager Billy Martin’s doghouse. For most of the remaining season, Holtzman pitched out the bullpen and rarely when the game was on the line. He was essentially unable to strike out batters, amassing only 14 whiffs in 71⅔ innings. He finished the season with a record of 2-3, with his last decision coming in mid-May. As in 1976, Holtzman again did not appear in the playoffs or World Series.
Much has been made over the years of Billy Martin disliking Holtzman, and perhaps displaying a streak of anti-Semitism in his treatment of the pitcher. Likewise, George Steinbrenner seemed to dislike Holtzman both for his performance on the field, especially after just getting a large contract, and also for his work with the players union as the player representative for the team. However, there is no question that Holtzman’s performance on the mound was not close to what it had been in the recent past.
Holtzman started the 1978 season in the Yankees’ rotation again, but lasted for only two starts before he was benched again. He did not pitch again for a month, when in mid-May he made a start, which was likely to showcase him for suitors in a trade. After two more relief appearances later in May, Holtzman was traded to the Cubs on June 10 for pitcher Ron Davis. Holtzman was both relieved to get away from Billy Martin and the Yankees, and happy to be going back to Chicago, where his career began and where he made his home. His pitching did not improve, however. Holtzman first pitched out of the bullpen for the Cubs, then joined the rotation for a few weeks, then went back to the bullpen. He was not terribly effective in either role, and between his time with the Yankees and the Cubs, finished the season with a record of 1-3 and an ERA of 5.60. In 70⅔ innings he struck out just 39 while walking 44.
Holtzman fared a little better for the Cubs in 1979. He worked as a fifth starter, although he made three relief appearances to go along with his 20 starts. He had two especially good outings against Houston. On May 12 and July 7, he shut out the Astros. However, after two rough starts in late July and early August, Holtzman was relegated to the bullpen once more. He made one more start, and pitched quite well, on September 19 against the St. Louis Cardinals. In seven innings he held the Cardinals scoreless, giving up four hits and two walks before giving way to reliever Bruce Sutter, who blew the lead for Holtzman. It was Holtzman’s last major-league appearance. Immediately after the season, the Cubs released him. While the Yankees would pay his contract for two more seasons, Holtzman was out of baseball at the age of 33.
Holtzman finished his career with a record of 174-150 and an ERA of 3.49. He won nine more games in his career than Sandy Koufax, making Holtzman the winningest Jewish pitcher of all time. He received a handful of votes for the Hall of Fame in 1985 and 1986, the two years that he was considered for election into the Hall. After baseball, Holtzman worked as a stockbroker and in the insurance industry. In 2007 he briefly returned to the sport when he managed the Petah Tikva Pioneers in the new Israel Baseball League. He did not have a good experience with the team however; he was unhappy with how the league was run, and left the team before the season was complete.
Holtzman died at the age of 78 on April 14, 2024.
Carl Erskine
By Bob Hurte
Romeo had Juliet, Anthony had Cleopatra, and the borough of Brooklyn had their Dodgers. Theirs was a love affair that included the likes of Duke, Campy, Pee Wee, Newk and Jackie. But the name of only one of the Boys of Summer was translated into Brooklynese. The 5-foot-10, 165-pound right-hander, with the large number 17 inscribed on his arch back was born Carl Daniel Erskine. But between the years of 1948 and 1959, he was simply known as “Oisk.”
The Erskine clan had traveled to the New World from Scotland, originally settling in Virginia. Toward the end of the nineteenth century, the family would relocate west to Boone, Indiana. Eventually they would establish their roots in Anderson, Indiana, known as the glass blowing capital of the world. This would change when spark plug giant Delco-Remy settled in the area. Anderson would later be known as the birthplace of Carl Daniel Erskine. Mr. and Mrs. Matt Erskine gave birth to their third son on December 13, 1926.
Carl Erskine would become known for his big overhand curve during his playing career. His father Matt would first teach him how to throw one. The elder’s curve was the “old fashion barnyard” variety, different from the one “Oisk” employed while pitching in the National League. His father threw his side arm, which would cause it to break flat, or with no break at all, just sideways.
Sensing the need to improve upon his son’s breaking ball, Matt Erskine purchased a book on pitching. Carl recalled one day in the family’s living room with his father. The elder Erskine held the book in his left hand and the ball in his right. While following the instructions, he accidentally released the ball sending it across the room, crashing through the glass of his mother’s cupboard, destroying a bunch of her dishes. Later, his father would admit that it was the best break he ever got on a ball.
As he got older, Erskine would wander onto local diamonds to play. He participated in sandlot, in the park league and American Legion ball. Charles Cummings was his high school coach and asked young Carl to play on the school team. At first, during his freshman year he threw batting practice to the varsity squad. The freshman’s talent became obvious, and by mid-term, he became a regular fixture on the varsity team for the next four years.
“Oisk” reached the big leagues in 1948, the year after the color barrier was broken. While on the Dodgers, he would be one of the first Caucasians to have African-American teammates. Although the Dodger organization was applauded for knocking down the door, Carl had been introduced to racial integration long before the major leagues integrated.
Erskine noted in Kahn’s classic The Boys of Summer, “around 1930 there was a lynching 30 miles north of Anderson in a town called Marion. The day after it happened, Dad drove me up and showed me where it was. Two Negroes had been taken out of the jail and hung in the jail yard. I can still see that naked branch. There had been a scramble. People had made off with things as souvenirs. But there was a piece of rope. I saw a lynching rope before I was 10.”
When he became older, one of his childhood friends was an African-American. “One Negro boy grew up in my neighborhood, Johnny Wilson. We played grade school basketball together; he made All-State in high school and went onto the Harlem Globetrotters. He’s a high school coach today. Jumpin’ Johnny Wilson ate maybe as many meals at my home as he did at his own. With a background like that, the Robinson experience simply was no problem. It was really beautiful in a way.”
Before he reached Brooklyn, Carl was thrust into another situation that would prepare him to play on an integrated team. While playing in Cienfugos, Cuba, in 1946, Erskine played with major leaguers Danny Gardella, Solly Hemus and Chuck Connors. Together, they played on a team managed by Negro League legend Martin Dihigo. While in Cuba, he struck up a long time friendship with fellow pitcher Max Manning, who would never play in the big leagues — not because of talent but because of the color of his skin. Manning would enjoy a career with the Newark Eagles of the Negro Leagues until 1949.
Manning would share the story in John Holway’s Black Diamonds: Life in the Negro Leagues from the Men Who Lived It. “Gene Benson was a slap hitter, used to hit me pretty good. Carl pitched against him and could always get him out.” Max asked, “What do you throw Benson?” Erskine responded, “I throw a straight change.” Carl would teach him the pitch, and it became part of Manning’s repertoire. That season was the start of a friendship. When Manning was inducted into the Glassboro College Hall of Fame; Erskine sent a beautiful letter of commendation. When Erskine joined the Brooklyn club in 1948, he credited his experience of playing with Manning as great training for playing on the integrated Dodger ball club.
An example of Carl’s attitude toward race occurred in 1948 at Ebbets Field when Erskine came out of the Dodger clubhouse and chatted with Rachel Robinson and Jackie Jr. The players and their families passed through a protected chained fence in area, where the fans could get a glimpse of the ballplayers as they came out. The next day, Jackie approached Carl; “I want to thank you for what you did yesterday.” He continued, “You know, you stopped out there in front of all those fans and talked with Rachel and little Jack.” Erskine was taken back, “Hey Jackie, you can congratulate me on a well-pitched game, but not for that.”
When Erskine distinguished himself as a standout pitcher in high school, the Dodgers were the first team to show any interest. Carl never recognized himself as a player with extraordinary ability, although he always realized that he wanted to be a ball player. The nearest scout to Anderson, Indiana, was Stanley Feezle, who owned a sporting goods business in Indianapolis and was sent by the Dodgers to scout him.
In 1945, after graduating from high school, Carl was drafted into the United States Navy. After finishing boot camp, he was stationed at the Boston Navy Yard. In 1946, after the baseball season started, the Hoosier native approached the Recreation Officer about joining the local Navy team. Erskine told him that he had pitched both high school and semi-pro back at Indiana. The officer asked him how much he weighed, to which Carl replied 165 pounds. The officer informed him that he already had enough pitchers. Erskine would play for a semi-pro team on Sundays.
In 1948, a fan started to yell from the Ebbets Field stands to get his attention. It was a rule that players were not allowed to fraternize with the fans. This one was very persistent, so Carl walked over to the fan. The man stuck out his hand, “Shake hands with the dumbest so ‘so and so’ in the world. I’m the ‘Rec’ officer that wouldn’t let you pitch for the U.S. Navy. With guys like me, I’m surprised that we won the war.”
While stationed in Boston, Erskine worked out with the Boston Braves, who were managed by Billy Southworth. John Quinn, the team’s general manager, wanted to sign Carl at the age of 19. but Carl was loyal to the Dodger organization. The young sailor discouraged and stalled the Braves, saying he was still a minor. Quinn informed him that was not a problem, since the All-Star Game was to be played in Boston that year and he would arrange for his parents to come as guests, enabling Carl to sign with his dad. Sensing the situation’s urgency, Erskine quickly got in contact with Stan Freezle. As it worked out, nothing would change. His parents would still come to Boston; the only difference was that they would be guests of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Before the All-Star Game, Mr. and Mrs. Erskine and Carl were sitting in the big parlor of the Hotel Kenmore and who walks over, puffing on a big cigar? None other than Branch Rickey!
“I understand that the Boston team is after you, young man. I don’t know what they’ve offered and I really don’t care,” Rickey said. “The Boston club has never been able to sign someone that we are interested in or wanted. And I want you, young man. Just how much should you get to sign with Brooklyn?” Carl replied, “Boston has offered $2,500. Would $3,000 be all right.”
Rickey waited, and three sets of eyes sought his response. “Carl, we won’t give you $3,000. We’re going to give you a bonus of $3,500. What do you think of that?”
Many players of that era would be surprised by Rickey’s generosity, especially those who played for him previously. It was rare for a player to receive money as a signing bonus back in those days. A normal bonus for signing was a set of “Grand Slam Louisville Slugger” golf clubs or maybe a car if one were a hot prospect. While finishing up his service obligations, Carl was under contract with the Dodgers.
When Carl was discharged from the Navy in 1946, Baseball Commissioner A.B. “Happy” Chandler declared him a free agent, because the Dodgers had violated Chandler’s directive that teams were not allowed to sign a player while in the military. A bidding war began. Being a frugal person, Rickey protested and asked whether he could get the $3,500 back. This request was refused. Four other teams vied for his services. The Red Sox offered him $10,000, and the Phillies upped the ante to $11,000. The other interested teams were the Braves and Pirates. Erskine telephoned Stan Freezle and informed the scout that he would sign with Dodgers for $5,000.
Ten years later on May 12, 1956, after pitching his second no-hitter, which was broadcast on the nationally televised “Game of the Week,” Carl was interviewed by Hall of Fame pitcher Dizzy Dean.
“Who signed you?” Dean asked.
“Branch Rickey,” Carl replied.
“Cheapest man who ever lived, I played for him at St. Louis. He paid peanuts, about two bags a week,” Ol’ Dizzy remarked.
Erskine confessed that he actually received two bonuses from the old Mahatma. This caused Dizzy to turn towards the camera, “Folks this here young man deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. Not because he pitched two no-hitters but because he got two bonuses out of Branch Rickey!”
Carl eventually learned that Rickey was prepared to go as high as $30,000!
Erskine toiled in the minor leagues between the years of 1946-50. Moreover, Carl would marry the former Betsy Palmer on October 5, 1947. They would go on to raise four children, whose names are Danny, Gary, Susan, and Jimmy. He spent his first two seasons with Danville of the “Three-I League,” which got its name because its teams hailed from Illinois, Iowa or Indiana. Carl pitched in nine games his first year. He struck out 52 batters in 50 innings, finishing with a record of 3-3 and an ERA of 2.16. In 1947, he pitched the entire year at Danville with a record of 19-9, 2.34 ERA and 191 strikeouts appearing in a league-best 233 innings. Erskine then went on to win two more in the playoffs. That year, John Onslow (who eventually managed for the White Sox), an opposing minor league manager, informed Carl that he was tipping off his curve ball. The next three years he would split duty between the majors and minors, spending parts of 1948 and 1949 at Fort Worth pitching AA and 1950 at AAA in Montreal.
After a successful season at AA Fort Worth of the Texas League, he was called up and saw his first action against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He came into his first game in relief for the veteran Hugh Casey. Erskine would recall in a 1990 interview some valuable advice that Casey would give to a young pitcher. “Son, there are guys in this league who hit .340 every year. They hit all pitchers and they are going to hit you. My advice is to really bear down on the guys ahead of these good guys in the lineup. Keep the ‘weak sisters’ off of the bases. Then when Musial and Mize get their hits, you don’t get hurt.” Casey also added, “Keep your fastball in good spots and your curveball down and away. Kid, you’ll win some games.” Then he added, “There are some things in this league that you can’t change. You can’t change the weather, you can’t pick the park you are pitching in and you can’t change who is umpiring behind the plate.” Carl credits the veteran pitcher’s advice for helping a young pitcher not be intimidated.
Carl relieved Casey in the bottom of the seventh inning with the Pirates ahead 5-3. Erskine promptly walked opposing pitcher Bob Chesnes, then got Stan Rojek to fly out to right. After walking Johnny Hopp, he faced Ralph Kiner, the National League’s reigning home run leader. Erskine induced him to line a hard liner out to left field. George “Shotgun” Shuba made a sensational catch and doubled up Hopp at first base. The rookie pitcher would be lifted for a pinch hitter, and the Dodgers would score 2 runs to win 7-6 to give Carl his first victory.
Several years later, Carl would run into George at a Dodgers old-timers gathering. He spotted Shuba.
“George, did I ever thank you for the great shoestring catch you made on Kiner’s drive that helped me win my first game?”
“Oh yeah, I remember that play,” Shuba recalled. “I trapped the ball.”
Carl made his first start August 5, 1948. After one pitch Erskine felt a sharp, hot stab in the back of his shoulder. At the time he did not realize it, but he had pulled a muscle. It was an injury that would haunt him for the rest of his career. In the game, Gene Hermanski hit three successive home runs to offset six Brooklyn errors, as the Dodgers would go on to beat the Cubs by a score of 6-4. The win would move the Dodgers into second place and earn the young pitcher his third win.
Erskine recalled that back then a rookie pitcher did not go into the trainer’s room. A young pitcher would never complain about his pain, but just go about his normal routine. On the second day, he would loosen up, then rest on the third day. On the fourth, he would pitch again. It was August 9, 1948, and he took the ball against the Philadelphia Phillies at Ebbets Field. By the sixth inning, his arm hurt so bad that he had a stomach ache. Little did he know that he was pitching with a muscle tear. During the game, he spoke to his manager Burt Shotten. He finally confessed about his arm pain. Shotten was surprised. “Son you are pitching a shutout. Just go right ahead. You are doing fine.” It was apparent that Shotten either did not believe or care about Erskine’s shoulder. The young pitcher would go on to win 2-1 and raise his record to 4-0.
He was matched up with the Phillies again on August 17, and took a shutout into the eighth inning. “Oisk” would go on to complete the game, winning 10-1. His record was now 5-0. After that point, he went 1-3. Erskine ended his half season in the majors with a 6-3 record, not to mention a very damaged arm.
When he went to spring training in 1949, he could hardly throw. The Dodgers sent him packing to Fort Worth. During those days, it was not a rehab assignment. A player was sent down because of his poor performance. Management in those days did not coddle players, especially pitchers. Erskine explained his determination and reasoning. “In all fairness, I didn’t say much at the time. It was so competitive in those days. The Dodgers had 26 farm teams and almost 800 players were under contract. They had an army of young arms throwing down in their farm system. If you faltered, it was potentially career threatening. They would ship you off to the minor leagues like they did to me for the first couple of years.”
He went to Fort Worth to work out his problems but with no guarantee of coming back up to the big leagues. Management put their best players on the field and exiled the others. They were on a slightly higher plane than the common laborer. Each punched an invisible time clock and earned his promotion. The sunshine of Fort Worth must have agreed with Carl. He ended up that year’s stint in the minors with 10 victories. Erskine would go on to a record of 8-1 with the parent club, as the Dodgers would win the pennant by one game. In the World Series, Carl pitched a shutout inning in Game Four and gave up three runs in Game Five. It would be a game that the Yankees would win 10-6 and the series by 4-1.
For the third year in a row, Erskine returned to spring training with the Dodgers but was tormented by the same pain as the year before. Carl’s high school coach saw him on television and noticed that his delivery had changed. Erskine informed his former coach of the tenderness in his shoulder. The coach explained that he was probably overcompensating. Carl returned to the to the minors again in 1950. But this time he headed north. Carl was on his way to Montreal, Canada, Brooklyn’s AAA minor league team.
Back then, pitch counts did not exist. During the mid-1950s, coaching staffs and managers were non-pitchers; pitching coaches were often former catchers. It has been said that the game of baseball is 70% pitching, yet the game’s managers usually came from every position except pitcher!
In Montreal Erskine met Dr. Charles Le Tourneau, the head of the Veterans Hospital in the city. The doctor studied the young pitcher’s arm motion, analyzed which muscles were affected, and put him on a weight program. Carl continued to pitch regularly and won 10 games. During Erskine’s stint up north, Branch Rickey paid a visit to see his pitcher’s progress. Carl allowed only one run in three games. This was enough for Rickey to order Erskine’s return to Brooklyn.
Carl spent his career pitching with this injury, with the pain a constant presence. As he explained, the game was pretty simple to understand during those years, “When they gave you the ball, you pitched. You had to be productive or you didn’t stay. That’s the way it was for everybody.” He confessed that he never wanted to be known as a sore arm pitcher.
After spending the first part of the year in Montreal, Erskine returned to the parent club for the 1950 season. The Dodgers would finish second with a record of 89-65, two games behind the Philadelphia Phillies, known affectionately as the “Whiz Kids.” The Philadelphia club did not clinch the pennant until October 1. Dick Sisler hit a three-run homer in the tenth inning as Robin Roberts defeated Don Newcombe.
Carl started and finished a season with the Brooklyn Dodgers for the first time in 1951. His record was 16-12. Carl pitched a two-hitter against the Braves on June 17. The Dodgers swept the Giants in a double-header August 8, taking the first game with the help of solid relief work by Erskine. The sweep gave the Dodgers an 11-1/2 game lead, the greatest lead in Brooklyn’s history. A week later on August 17 Carl pitched a three-hitter against the Braves. Behind the 16th victory of Erskine on September 20, Brooklyn’s magic number was reduced to five games.
After that, however, the Giants came back to force the Dodgers to a best-of-three playoff. The playoff series ended with one of the greatest walk-off homers in the history of the game — “the shot heard around the world!” The story is cemented into the annals of the game, but Carl’s non-participation was important in the outcome of baseball history. Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns recount in their book, Baseball — An Illustrated History, “The score was still 4-2, Dodgers, but two Giants were on base and as the injured [Don] Mueller was being carried from the field and Clint Hartung trotted out to take his place on third, Dodger manager Charlie Dressen considered who might the best replacement for the battered Newcombe. Carl Erskine and Ralph Branca had both been warming up in the bullpen. But Erskine wasn’t having his best breaking ball that afternoon. So it fell to Branca to save the day and the pennant for Brooklyn.”
When Dressen called down to the bullpen, Sukeforth’s exact words that influenced the Dodger manager’s choice were, “They’re both ready . . . however Erskine is bouncing his overhand curve.” The next was the beginning to a moment that has been engrained into the historical annals of baseball history. Ralph Branca walked to the mound at the Polo Grounds and served up Bobby Thomson’s “shot heard around the world!” The timeless, screaming words of Russ Hodges echoed through millions of radios. “The Giants win he pennant, the Giants win the pennant!”
Whenever Carl is asked what his best pitch was, he always replies, “The curveball I bounced in the Polo Grounds bullpen in 1951.”
The Brooklyn Dodgers would win the 1952 National League pennant over the New Giants by 4½ games. Carl would contribute a 14-6 record. The highlight of his regular season was his first no-hitter. If he had not walked relief pitcher Willard Ramsdell in the third inning, it would have been a perfect game.
On June 19 the Chicago Cubs were in town to face the Dodgers at Ebbets Field. It was a heavy, overcast day and rain was said to be imminent. Minutes before the game Vin Scully, the young Dodger announcer, came over and sat down next to Carl, who wondered out loud, “I wonder what the little pill has in store for me today?”
That day, Brooklyn scored quickly off of Warren Hacker, who was replaced by Willard “The Knuck” Ramsdell. Since it seemed that it would rain at any time, it was Carl’s job to get the Cubs out quickly and get five innings in so the game could go into the books. Ramsdell, a notoriously weak hitter, stepped into the batter’s box. For some unknown reason, Carl pitched Willard carefully and threw four successive balls to walk him.
Then the skies opened and the rains came, causing the players to retreat to the clubhouse. It was the Dodger pastime during times like that to play cards. Bridge was their game of choice. They played for 40 minutes. Carl had just made a four-heart hand, when word came out that the game was on again. Erskine changed into a dry uniform. He went on to complete the game, winning 5-0 in route to pitching a no-hitter.
Carl joined the prestigious club of pitchers who had thrown a no-hitter and Ramsdell was awarded the “Star of the Game” on Happy Felton’s post-game show. Felton would pick a star from each team to appear on his show, and since Ramsdell was the only Cubs base runner he represented the visiting club.
The no-hitter was special since it was pitched around a 40-minute rain delay. It also received coverage at an unusual place in the newspaper. The next day, Carl got a phone call from bridge expert Charles Goren. Goren had read about Erskine’s bridge hand during the rain delay. Mr. Goren wanted to recreate Carl’s four-heart hand. The Dodger pitcher related the difficulty of describing the bridge hand: “Although I could recall with quite certainty, every pitch, every pitch I threw that day, but I couldn’t remember my bridge hand.” The bridge expert created one himself and printed it in the paper.
The Dodgers went on to the World Series that year and again faced the New York Yankees. Carl matched up with Vic Raschi in the second game October 2 and lost 7-1. He returned to pitch Game Five against Ewell Blackwell. In The Boys of Summer, in a conversation with Kahn, Erskine said, “I had first class stuff, not much pain. The curve was sharp. We go into the fifth inning ahead by four runs. Do you remember the date? It was October 5. That was my fifth wedding anniversary. My control slips. A walk. Some hits. Mize rips me. I am behind 5-4 and here comes Dressen,” Erskine related.
“I’m thinking, oh no. I got good stuff. I look at Dressen coming closer and I think, the numbers are against me. October 5, my fifth wedding anniversary, the fifth inning and I have just given the Yankees five runs. Five must be my unlucky number. Charlie says to give him the ball,” the pitcher continued. “You weren’t allowed to talk when he came out. He was afraid you might argue with him into leaving you in, and you had to wait on the mound for the next pitcher, so you wish him luck. Now Charlie has the ball. I’m through. The five runs have done me in. Suddenly Dressen says, ‘Isn’t this your anniversary? Are you gonna take Betty out and celebrate tonight?’”
Carl described the situation. “I can’t believe it. There’s 70,000 people watching, as many as in all of Anderson, Indiana, and he’s asking what I’m doing that night! I tell him yes, I was planning to take Betty someplace quiet.” To which Dressen replies, “Well, then see if you can get this game over before it gets dark!” Dressen handed the ball back and Carl proceeded to get the next 19 batters out. The Dodgers won in eleven innings. Carl took his wife out to dinner and they celebrated his first World Series victory.
While the Dodgers went up 3 games to 2, they would drop the next two and lose the 1952 series to the Yankees by 4 games to 3.
Although the 1953 Dodgers missed Don Newcombe, who was inducted into the Army on February 26, 1952, they were said to be “player for player” one of the strongest teams ever to take the field. Together they combined for 208 home runs, including Duke Snider’s 42, Roy Campanella’s 41 and Gil Hodges’ 31. The team also batted .285 and scored 955 runs, while winning 105 games. Carl Furillo led the majors with a .344 batting average; Jackie Robinson, now 34, spent half of his time in left field, as the rookie Junior Gilliam settled in at second base. Robinson contributed with an average of .329 and 95 RBI. Carl would win twenty games for the only time in his career.
This would prove to be Erskine’ s finest season, so it is appropriate that the season would include some of his finer performances. On May 17, he would toss a 10-0 one-hitter, a sixth inning bunt single by Gus Bell, against the Reds. Then August 11, he defeated the Giants with a two-hitter, 4-0. One month later, he would defeat the Braves 5-2, as the Dodgers would clinch the pennant earlier than any team to that time. They would finish 105-49, thirteen games ahead of the Braves. The Fall Classic would once again pit them against their nemesis, the New York Yankees.
As in the previous year, Erskine performed poorly against the Yankees. Carl gave up four first inning runs and lost to Allie Reynolds. Erskine then came back and pitched in the third game October 2, 1953 and set a record with 14 strikeouts in a World Series game. Ten years later Sandy Koufax, another Dodger, would break it. Carl described the end of the game in The Boys of Summer. “John Mize was some hitter, but he had a pretty good mouth too. All afternoon I could hear him yelling at the Yankee hitters. ‘What are you doing, being suckers for that miserable bush curve?’ Mize came in as a pinch hitter in the ninth and I get two strikes, wham! John Mize ironically becomes the strikeout that breaks the record.” After Mize, he walked Irv Noren. Then Joe Collins stepped in. Erskine remembers forgetting the record and concentrating on the distance down the right field line; a home run was only 297 feet. Collins was a strong left-handed hitter but Carl had struck him out four times that afternoon. With one swing of the bat, he could redeem himself. A homer would score two and win the game. Collins would go from goat to hero. The Dodger pitcher realized this.
“That’s in my head,” said Erskine. “What I didn’t know is over on the Yankee bench, Mize and the others have been kidding Collins. They tell him the World Series goat record for strikeouts is five. One more and his name goes into the record book forever.” Collins stepped up to the plate with a totally different mind set. He choked up on the bat, holding it like a glorified fly swatter. “I get two strikes on him real fast. Still I have this fear of the short porch in right. The last pitch I throw is a curve and it’s a dandy. It snaps off and it’s about ankle high. So help me, he swings straight down. He beats it into the ground and gets enough of the ball to nub it back to me. I get my record. Think of the two minds of the long ball and Collins scared to death of striking out. He doesn’t get to hit the long ball and I don’t get to strike him out.” Carl won the gamem 3-2. Unfortunately, the Dodger would lose two out of the next three and the series 4-2.
Don Newcombe rejoined the pitching staff in 1954, after two years of Army service. Carl would win 18 games for a Dodger team that would 92 and finish five games behind the New York Giants.
The “wait ’til next year!” promises made every year by the Dodger faithful would be put to an end in 1955. Erskine would contribute only eleven victories that year. The dependable right-hander was, once again, bothered by arm troubles.
Erskine won in twelve innings against the Milwaukee Braves May 2, for his fourth consecutive win. Five days later, he outdueled Robin Roberts to beat the Phillies 6-3. During the 1955 World Series, he started the fourth game that year but lasted only three innings. The Dodgers went on to win, 8-4, abd defeated the Yankees 4 games to 3, winning their only championship in Brooklyn and ending the yearly chant of their fans of “wait ’til next year”
The 1956 season represented Carl’s last solid season with the Dodgers. Erskine finished the season at 13-11 as the Dodgers barely beat out the Braves by one game and lost to their yearly nemesis, the Yankees, 4 games to 3.
This was the year that he would pitch his second no-hitter, this time against the New York Giants. The morning of his second no-hitter, Tom Sheehan, who was the Giants’ chief scout was quoted as saying, “The Dodgers are over the hill.” Sheehan went on to claim that Jackie and Campy were too old and Erskine could not win with the garbage that he threw.
The May 12, 1956, article stung more than the Carl’s severe arm problems. Coincidentally, he was scheduled to pitch against the Giants at Ebbets Field that day. The Dodgers led 1-0 after six innings. In the seventh, the “over the hill” Dodgers managed to score two times. Each team traded goose eggs in the eighth. Then in the top of the ninth, with two out, Alvin Dark hit a one-hopper back to the pitcher’s mound. Erskine fielded it and tossed it to first. The game was Carl’s second no-hitter.
Jackie Robinson ran over to the Giant dugout, located Sheehan, pulled the clipping out of his back pocket, waved it in his face, and shouted, “How do you like that garbage?”1
Carl would also partake in another record in 1956. Dale Long would set a record by hitting eight home runs in eight games. The eighth would be at Erskine’s expense. That fall, he appeared in the World Series, starting two games but pitching only five innings and being charged with one loss.
Carl’s career was slowly winding down and the next year would be the last year that the Dodgers would play at Ebbets Field. In 1958, they would join the New York Giants on a pilgrimage to the West Coast. Carl spent one and one half years in California. He was the starting pitcher in the first major league game played in Los Angeles before nearly 80,000 fans and got credit for the win.
Erskine would retire during the 1959 season. He would finish with a 122-78 record, throw 14 career shutouts and appear in eleven games during five World Series.
After his playing career, Erskine became a successful businessman. He became a licensed agent for United Life Insurance Company from 1960 to 1975. Erskine served as the chairman of the Indiana Bankers Association from 1991 and 1992. He is currently the Vice-Chairman of the Board of STAR Financial Bank, Indianapolis; he served as the organization’s president from 1982 to 1993. Carl could not shake the itch for baseball, however, and went on to coach at Anderson College for twelve seasons, earning four conference championships.
The greatest example of the compassion of Carl Erskine can be seen through his relationship with his fourth child. Jimmy was born with Down Syndrome. Ralph Branca explains it best; “A lot of people thought that he should be in an institution. But Carl and Betty wanted to bring him up themselves.” Because of Jimmy, Carl is very active in the Special Olympics. In the classic The Boys of Summer, Roger Kahn asked, “What do you think your life would have been if you hadn’t been a pitcher?” To which Carl replied, “I don’t know. It’s like asking what my life would be without Jimmy. Poorer. Different. Who knows?”
Carl Erskine holds honorary degrees from Anderson University and Marian College. He was the recipient of the National Jaycees Ten Outstanding Young Men of America Award in 1956, a charter member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the National and Indiana representative for the Special Olympics, a trustee for Anderson University and St. Johns Medical Center.
In 2023, he was honored with the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s Buck O’Neil Lifetime Achievement Award.
In an interview for www.thediamondangle.com, Carl admits it was pretty special to play professional baseball knowing that he made it past hundreds of talented players while enjoying a career that lasted 14 years. He goes on to thank the many fans who “watched us win six pennants in my twelve big league years and who still write, also young people who write and ask about the Brooklyn years.”
Postscript
Erskine died at the age of 97 on April 16, 2024.