- Series: Diamond Heads '15
- City: Philadelphia
- Team: Athletics (AL)
- League: American League
Amos Aaron Strunk (1889-1979) was added to Connie Mack’s growing assemblage of speedy players in 1908 and then sent to Milwaukee to get major-league-ready. In and out with injuries (much of his career) Strunk began to shine on defense. By 1913 he was touted as the best defender of all-time. In ‘16 Baseball Magazine proclaimed him to be in the company of Cobb and Speaker. Mack witnessed Strunk’s contributions to three national championships, 1911, 1913, and 1914, read the reviews and still said Strunk was underrated. Sold to Boston when Mack was rebuilding, Amos couldn’t adjust to Beantown despite another title and returned to the Athletics in 1919. After another stint with the White Sox, Mack got his prized centerfielder back one final time in 1924 but the toll of too many outfield collisions brought an end to a 17-year career where the left-hander compiled a .284 average. Never a big base-stealer, Strunk was among the best at advancing on the basepaths. Mack’s famed “double squeeze play” owed much to Strunk’s ability to get a jump from second and score right behind the runner who had been at third when the bunt got down.
- Strunk lived to see 90, having spent over half a century in the insurance business following his retirement from the game
- Series: Diamond Heads '15
- City: Brooklyn
- Team: Robins
- League: National League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Charles Dillon Stengel (1890-1975) played and managed over half a century, seeing the game go from the Dead Ball Era to “Can’t anybody here play this game?” Casey broke in with Brooklyn in 1912, then the Pirates, Phillies, Giants and Braves, compiling a respectable .284 BA with 60 HRs. Stengel won the Giants’ two Series victories in ’23 with home runs. But it was not as a player that Casey entered the Hall of Fame. He managed his way to Cooperstown riding 1905 lifetime wins at the helm of the New York clubs and Boston from ’34-’65. He played for one world-title team and managed 7 more. The venerable and voluble manager became a fount of baseball wisdom and humor, endearing him to generations of fans.
- Only man to wear the uniforms of the 4 NY clubs
- Came out of retirement to helm the hapless Mets through their painful early years, giving the Old Perfessor “new ways to lose I never knew existed before.”
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1966
- Series: Diamond Heads '15
- City: Boston
- Team: Red Sox
- League: American League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Tristram E. Speaker (1888-1958) enjoyed a long and storied career as perhaps the greatest all-around center fielder in the game. Led the Red Sox to two titles and, upon moving to Cleveland over a salary dispute, led the Indians to a championship in 1920. He still holds MLB records for doubles and outfield assists.
- Career batting average: .345
- Also still holds MLB record for unassisted double plays by an outfielder
- Speaker’s glove came to be known as “the place where triples go to die”
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1937
- Series: Diamond Heads '15
- City: New York
- Team: Giants
- League: National League
Frederick Carlisle Snodgrass (1887-1974) broke into MLB with the Giants in ’08 and became a mainstay in the outfield by virtue of his speed & hitting. As proficient as he was at bat & on base, Snodgrass spent his career mired in controversy, especially on the big stage of the World Series: intentionally spiking Frank Baker, dropping a fly ball & later bringing down the house in Fenway after defiantly challenging the home folks. That incident prompted Boston’s mayor (“Vote often and early for James Michael Curley”) to stride on field and demand Snodgrass’ ouster. Fittingly, Fred was traded to the Bosox the next season.
- Haunted throughout his life by the 1912 Series gaff, Snodgrass was spared the indignity of reading the headline on his NY Times obituary: “Fred Snodgrass, 86, Dead; Ball Player Muffed 1912 Fly.”
- Harry Hooper, Boston’s fleet slugger, was robbed by Snodgrass on the next play. Hooper always defended Snodgrass, citing numerous other miscues that led to the Giants’ loss that day
- Series: Diamond Heads '15
- City: Chicago
- Team: White Sox
- League: American League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Raymond William Schalk (1892-1970) was too boyish and too small for the cop at Comiskey Park to believe he could be a ballplayer. But what Schalk lacked in physical stature he more than made up in energy, determination and innate talent. He redefined the role of the ML catcher, starring for the White Sox from 1912 through 1928 en route to the Hall of Fame. Along the way, Schalk proved that catchers can steal bases, they can make double-plays, they can back-up at every base. And Schalk didn’t merely field his position better than the others of his era, he had a gift for working with pitchers. He caught four no-hitters including a 1922 perfect game. And he knew something was wrong when his best mates wouldn’t throw what he called for in the ’19 Series. Absolved of any complicity, Schalk went on to be player-manager of the team.
- Still holds records at his position, including 11 straight years catching over 100 games
- Only Yogi Berra and Carlton Fisk caught more shut-outs
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1955
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