William Harold Terry, nicknamed “Memphis Bill”, was born October 30, 1898 in Atlanta, Georgia. Terry was a superior first baseman in the 1920s and 1930s and one of baseball’s premier managers in the 1930s.
Archive for June, 2011
Baseball HP 1125: Ray Schalk
Raymond William Schalk was born August 12, 1892 in Harvel, Illinois. The diminutive Ray Schalk was a symbol of toughness and durability and was one of the premier catchers of his day. He caught a Major League record four no-hitters in his career, including one perfect game. A merely adequate batter, his best batting came in the 1919 World Series, when he hit .304 as eight of his teammates threw the Series to gamblers.
Baseball HP 1124: Lefty O’Doul
Francis Joseph O’Doul, nicknamed “Lefty”, was born on March 4, 1897, in San Francisco, CA. Lefty O’Doul was known first as a pitcher and then as one of the game’s best hitters. After leaving the majors, he managed in the Minor Leagues for more than 20 years, amassing more than 2,000 wins. He was recognized as one of the game’s great hitting instructors; men would travel far to have him critique their skills.
Baseball HP 1123: Bill Lefebvre
Wilfred Henry Lefebvre, nicknamed “Bill” or “Lefty”, was born November 11, 1915 in Natick, Rhode Island. Bill Lefebvre pitched with the Boston Red Sox in 1938 and 1939. After a 4-year absence from the major leagues, he played for the Washington Senators in 1943 and 1944. Lefebvre’s best pitch was a fastball but he also threw a slider and a palmball.
Baseball HP 1122: Jerry Grote
Gerald Wayne Grote was born on October 6, 1942 in San Antonio, Texas. Grote become a key ingredient on Met teams for a dozen years. Lou Brock once said that Grote was the toughest catcher in the league to steal against. He was regarded as one of the best defensive catchers of his era.
