TODAY IN BASEBALL HISTORY

Born March 19, 1927, Regarded by many as the finest defensive fielder this side of Tris Speaker, Richie Ashburn was a gritty competitor who threw out the Dodgers' Cal Abrams at home plate in the final game of the 1950 season to help the Phillies win the pennant. He twice won the batting title and was an All-Star in his final season, as a member of the 1962 Mets. After his playing career he was a popular announcer for the Phillies for 38 years, becoming a legend to a new and old generations of fans.

Third time is the charm!

Although Ashburn is associated with the Phillies he was first signed by the Cleveland Indians in 1943 at the age of 16, but Judge Landis voided the deal because he was still in High School and again he was signed in 1944 by the Cubs but they also broke the rules with illegal wording in the contract, which would have paid Ashburn if the minor league team was sold. Richie decided to attend Norfolk Junior College but after one semester he was signed by the Phillies. He lost a year to Military service in 1946, he decided to return to Norfolk Junior College after the 1947 season and that is where he met his future wife Herberta Cox. He would make his debut at age 21 for the Phillies in 1948 and become a star immediately hitting .333 in 117 games and finishing 3rd in Rookie of the year voting, and leading the NL in steals with 32.

The Whiz Kids!

October 1, 1950, the Phillies played their most historic game to date. Leading Brooklyn by one game on the final day of the season, Phillie ace Robin Roberts and Dodger pitcher Don Newcombe battled into extra innings in a 1-1 tie. Phillies' outfielder Dick Sisler blasted a three-run homer in the top of the 10th to deliver the pennant to Philadelphia. In the play that set the stage for Sisler’s heroics, Ashburn, playing shallow, threw out Dodger runner Cal Abrams at the plate in the bottom of the ninth, eliminating the potential pennant-winning run.

Abrams said later, "I think they should have held me at third," while Dodgers' skipper Burt Shotton, commenting on having Duke Snider hitting away, "I should have bunted. If you don't believe me, look in the newspapers."

Best Season, 1958Ashburn led the National League with a .350 batting average, 215 hits, 13 triples, 97 walks, and a .441 OBP. He also stole 16 bases in 20 attempts.

The Phillies will be sweep by the Yankees in the 1950 World Series.

His Glove Was Golden, before they were given out.

During the 1951 All Star Game at Briggs Field Ashburn flashed the leather! "Richie Ashburn, fleet footed Philadelphia Phillies outfielder, brought the huge Briggs Stadium crowd of 52,075 to its feet with a brilliant leaping catch in the sixth inning to rob Vic Wertz of a near homer. Ashburn caught the ball in front of the right centerfield screen 400 feet distant after a long run."

Some fielding stats: These are all just centerfielders - He ranks 3rd All Time in putouts, and is the only player in the top 15 with less than 16 years playing Centerfield. 9th in Assists, only he and Dode Pasket are in top 10 with less than 18 years played. 11th in Double plays, he ranks first in putouts per game and is the only player in history to average more than 3 per game. In 1958 he record the 9th straight 400+ putout seasons in Centerfield which set the record.

Double Duty

August 17, 1957, Ashburn hit a foul ball into the stands that struck spectator Alice Roth, wife of Philadelphia Bulletin sports editor Earl Roth, breaking her nose. When play resumed, Ashburn fouled off another ball that struck her while she was being carried off in a stretcher.

The Nickname and some factoids!

Ashburn had blazing speed, Ted Williams gave Ashburn the nickname "Putt-Putt" because he "ran so fast you would think he had twin motors in his pants". The origin of the nickname also has been attributed to Stan Musial.

Ashburn had more hits than any other player in baseball during the 1950s. He lead the league in hits 3 times, walks 4 times, batting average twice, and OBP 4 times. He was remarkably consistent 1951 - 1958.

How it ended:

Ashburn was purchased by the expansion New York Mets for the 1962 season and was the first batter in franchise history. He had a good year offensively, batting .306, and was the team's first All-Star Game representative. It was, however, a frustrating year for the polished professional, who had begun his career with a winner and found himself playing for the least successful team in modern baseball history (with a record of 40–120). The last straw might have been during the Mets' 120th loss, when Ashburn, in the final game of his career, was involved in a triple play in the 8th inning pulled off by his former teammates, the 9th-place Cubs. According to Jimmy Breslin, it was the prospect of sitting on the bench that led Ashburn to retire: "He sat on the bench for a while with another team once and it bothered him badly. And he said that if he ever had to be a benchwarmer for the New York Mets he'd commit suicide."

Post Career:

Richie became a Phillies Broadcaster in 1963, and he remained one until he passed away in 1997 during his final year in the both. He was so popular the fans campaigned successfully to get him inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995, along with Mike Schmidt. He also has had his number retired, has a plaque at Citizens’ Bank Park, a Statue and Centerfield area is names Ashburn Alley. The Phillies to this day have a Richie Ashburn Special Achievement Award. The Radio booth is also named in his honor, the Richie Whitey Ashburn Broadcast Booth.

I created a full walk through for you to take a peak at our membership site, Classic Baseball Broadcasts. Here is the link and it has several videos, how tos, what’s in side and a link to the 25 greatest moments you can listen too!

Todays highlights and Historic Days!

March 19, 1927 --- Don Richard (Richie) Ashburn is born in Tilden, Nebraska. A five-time All-Star, Ashburn will be a solid center fielder and a solid hitter for the Philadelphia Phillies. He will hit over .300 during 9 of his 15 major league seasons, twice capturing the National League batting title and conclude his career with a .308 lifetime average. Following his playing career, he will call Phillies games for more than three decades. Ashburn will be elected to the Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee in 1995

Born March 19, 1947 Garry Maddox, the Secretary of Defense. Regarded as the finest defensive center fielder in baseball by most experts in the 1970s, Garry Maddox was fast and fearless in his pursuit of flyballs. Beginning in 1975, he won eight consecutive Gold Glove Awards, coinciding with the Phillies emergence as the dominant team in the Nationale League East. Maddox helped the club to six post-season appearances, and a World Series title in 1980. Tall and wiry, the bearded Maddox used his long legs to swipe 248 bases in his 15-year career, in which he batted .285 with 117 homers.

"Two-thirds of the earth is covered with water and the other one-third is covered by Garry Maddox". This tribute, often credited to broadcaster Ralph Kiner or sportswriters, highlights his elite defensive range

March 19, 1957, In what is believed to be the largest offer for a player to date, Cleveland Indians general manager Hank Greenberg rejected a million-dollar offer for left-handed pitcher Herb Score from Boston Red Sox GM Joe Cronin.

Greenberg refuses, saying that Cleveland is interested in building for the future, not in selling its premier ballplayers. Score won 20 games in 1956 and led the American League with 263 strikeouts. Unfortunately, six weeks later, Score will be struck in the eye by a batted ball by Gil McDougald and will win only 19 more games over the rest of his career.

March 19, 1961, the Boston Red Sox announce that rookie Carl Yastrzemski will start the season in left field, succeeding the legendary Ted Williams. Yastrzemski will remain a fixture in the Red Sox’ lineup for the next 23 years and will gain election to the Hall of Fame in 1989.

March 19, 1970 — In Arizona spring training, the Cleveland Indians lose Ken Harrelson when he fractured his leg sliding into second base.

“I knew right away it was bad” said the 28-year-old Harrelson who was obtained from Boston by Cleveland in April of last year “I heard it snap and I saw my foot pointing in the opposite direction,” he will miss most of the season.

March 19, 1974, In a five-player, three-team deal involving the Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, and New York Yankees, unites Gaylord Perry with his brother, Jim. As part of the deal, the Cleveland Indians surrender outfielder Walt “No Neck” Williams and pitcher Rick Sawyer in exchange for Jim Perry, who will win 17 games for the Tribe. The 1974 season will mark the Perrys’ first season as teammates during their major league careers.

Detroit sends Perry to the Indians and Ed Farmer to the Yankees, who send Jerry Moses to Detroit, and Cleveland sends Rick Sawyer and Walt Williams to the Yankees.

March 19, 1998 –Rupert Murdoch purchased the Los Angeles Dodgers from Peter O’Malley for a reported $350 million, the highest price ever paid for a US sports franchise.

TRIVIA

TRIVIA: Richie Ashburn is one the best fly catchers in MLB history. He ranks 3rd in career putouts, who are the two centerfielders ahead of him?

IF you think you know the answer and bonus points for how many respond with details and if you are right I will give you a shut out! No Googling!

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 ANSWER TO YESTERDAY’S TRIVIA

YESTERDAY'S TRIVIA: Willie Mays & Mickey Mantle are two of the greatest homerun hitters in MLB history. They played against each other in two World Series, in 1951 & 1962. How many total homeruns did they hit in those series?  1,2 3,4, 5, 6,7, 8, or 0

Answer: ZERO

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