World War II Chronicle: May 14, 1941
Today’s front page announces the retirement of former St. Louis Cardinals pitching legend Dizzy Dean. Largely washed up by 1938, the Chicago Cubs bought his contract from the Cardinals in 1938 for the monumental sum of $135,000. By 1941, the former ace of the “Gas House Gang” had nothing left. Six years later, he did the most Dizzy Dean thing ever: the 37-year-old broadcaster takes the mound one last time in 1947 for the St. Louis Browns. When calling a game earlier in the season he remarked that “I can pitch better than nine out of the ten guys on this staff!”
Management took him up on it.
After not playing for six years of rest Dean threw four innings, allowing three hits and no runs. He even went 1-for-1 at the plate, hitting a single. But he pulled a hamstring running the bases, and returned to the announcer’s booth. “I said I can pitch better than nine of the ten guys on the staff, and I can. But I’m done. Talking’s my game now, and I’m just glad that muscle I pulled wasn’t in my throat.”
Dean was one of four modern era pitchers to win 30 games, and he led all of baseball in strikeouts from 1932-35. He was a fair batter too, hitting .225 over his career and was the first pitcher to get two hits in the same inning during the World Series.
His brother Paul also pitched for the Cardinals, and the Dean duo accounted for an incredible 49 wins in 1934 and 47 in 1935. Dizzy and Paul each won two games during the Cardinals’ World Series victory over the Detroit Tigers in 1934…
Also on the front page, 21 Boeing B-17D Flying Fortresses lifted off from Hamilton Field (north of San Francisco) on a 2,400-mile ferry mission to Hickam Field on Oahu. The Navy stationed ships at three points along the way in case crews ran into trouble, but everyone completed the 13-hour flight without incident…
Sports begin on page 42. Georgetown University’s two-sport star Lou Ghecas is featured on the following page. He batted over .400 three years in baseball and led the Hoyas in scoring for three years as a fleet-footed back. After he graduates, Lou will play minor league ball for the Yankees and plays in eight games for the Philadelphia Eagles before spending three years in the Army, serving in the Pacific Theater.
Click here to read TODAY’S NEWSPAPER
Evening star. (Washington, D.C.), 14 May 1941. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1941-05-14/ed-1/