Brooklyn Dodgers - The Depression Era (1930-1939)

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1930

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1930

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Titles: None

Top Dodgers Players of the Thirties

BallPark: Ebbets Field

Pitchers:

Van Lingle Mungo (26.55) - 71

Team Name: Robins (30-31)

Watty Clark (15.13) - 48

Dodgers (32-39)

Hot Potato Hamlin (11.66) - 35

Dazzy Vance (11.77) - 29

Owner: Ebbets and McKeever Trusts

Ray Benge (2.52) - 20

Fred Frankhouse (5.78) - 18

President: Frank B York (30-31)

Vito Tamulis (2.81) - 16

Stephen McKeever (1932 - 1937)

Freddie FitzSimmons (6.16) - 15

Larry MacPhail (1938-1939)

Tot Pressnell (4.4) - 15

Sloppy Thurston (3.75) - 14

General Manager: None

Dolph Luque (3.24) - 11

Hugh Casey (5.28) - 11

Managers: Wilbert Robinson (1930-1931)

Ed Brandt (5.18) - 9

Max Carey (1932-33)

Dutch Leonard (4.33) - 9

Casey Stengel (1934-36)

Jack Quinn (3.33) - 6

Burleigh Grimes (1937-38)

Whitlow Wyatt (3.29) - 3

Leo Durocher (1939)

Catchers:

Hall of Famers: None

Al Lopez (7.45) - 39

Larry MacPhail

Babe Phelps (11.11) - 33

Wilbert Robinson

Casey Stengel

First Basemen:

Al Lopez

Dolph Camilli (10.73) - 23

Leo Durocher

Sam Leslie (7.71) - 17

Babe Ruth

Del Bissonette (3.59) - () - 12

Dazzy Vance

Waite Hoyt

Second Basemen:

Ernie Lombardi

Tony Cuccinello (9.27) - 10

George Kelly

Tony Lazzeri

ShortStop:

Fred Lindstrom

Glenn Wright (9.4) - 22

Heinie Manusch

Lonnie Frey (7.9) - 21

Hack Wilson

Kiki Cuyler

Third Base:

Cookie Lavagetto (7.67) - 21

No Hitters:

Joe Stripp (9.4) - 16

None

Outfield:

MVP:

Danny Taylor (10.89) - 42

None

Johnny Frederick (11.58) - 40

Lefty O'Doul (10.46) - 21

Notable Events:

Ernie Koy (4.01) - 20

Buddy Hassett (4.7) - 19

1930 - Uncle Robby was doing what he could, but there was just so

Len Koenecke (6.28) - 17

much talent he could cull from the scrap heap and from signing cheap one

Babe Herman (10.22) - 17

dimensional players. Outside of the 1924 season, the Robins hadn't topped

Frenchy Bordagaray (1.79) - 15

77 wins in any of the previous nine years. And, altho' the 1930 team

Buzz Boyle (4.68) - 15

overachieved with 86 wins, the future prospects of another title looked

Johnny Cooney (1.57) - 11

bleak coming into the decade. If the hapless Phillies and Braves weren't

Hack Wilson (6.11) - 11

in the league, Brooklyn would have been battling to stay out of the

cellar the entire decade.

Notable Events:

1931 - Wilbert Robinson retires after the season

1938 - Things change. Larry MacPhail becomes team president. MacPhail

was one of the most innovative and brilliant executives in baseball history.

1931 - Righthander Van Lingle Mungo, 20, is a rookie

He came over from the Reds where he put together the roster for their

championship teams of the '39 and '40 seasons. He, also, along with Reds

1931 - Even in his last days with the club, Uncle Robby is still enamored

owner Powel Crosley, had started nationally broadcasting baseball games

with the good hit, no field types. He acquires Lefty O'Doul, age 34, from

with Red Barber as the announcer and introduced night games to baseball.

the Phillies in a five player deal including a cash payment to the financially

The first night game being played at Crosley Field. MacPhail would bring

strapped Phils.

Barber to Brooklyn to become voice of the Dodgers and he would bring night

baseball to Brooklyn, as well. And, more importantly, he would bring

1932 - Uncle Robby retires, but his legacy remains as the Dodgers

winning to Brooklyn.

acquire slugger Hack Wilson, 32, from the Cubs. Once a speedy

centerfielder despite being built like a barrel, Wilson still has a

1938 - Babe Ruth is hired to coach for one year

a lot of hitting left in him, but no "D". The price is steep at $45K,

1938 - MacPhail wants fiery Leo Durocher, 33, as his manager and makes

1932 - The Robins become the Dodgers starting in 1932. After eleven

a deal with the Cards to get him

seasons of not winning anything, Uncle Robby was no longer the saint

he used to be in Brooklyn. Because of all the losing, when he left,

1938 - 1B Dolph Camilli, 31, is purchased from the hapless Phillies for $45K

the name of the team left with him and reverted to the sparsely used

name of 1911-1913, Dodgers, shortened from Trolley Dodgers.

1938 - Lights are installed at Ebbets Field 1938.

1932 - Journeyman centerfielder Danny Taylor, 31, is purchased from

1938 - Reds Johnny Vander Meer pitches a second consecutive no hitter

the Cubs. There was no room in Chicago's outfield for Taylor, but he is

in the first night game played at Ebbets Field in 1938. Coincidence?

speedy and a good defender and a solid hitter and a real upgrade

How good were the lights? Were the players used to hitting under them?

for Brooklyn.

1939 - First Radio Broadcast game of a New York game in New York.

1935 - Catcher Babe Phelps, 27, is picked up on waivers from the Cubs

Red Barber does the game.

who have HOF Gabby Hartnett in front of him on the roster.

The Dodgers are beginning to look like Cubs lite.

1939 - Righty Whitlow Wyatt, 31 is purchased from pitching rich Cleveland

1937 - Cookie Lavagetto, a twenty four year old third baseman, is picked

1939 - Righty Hugh Casey, 25, is picked up in the Rule 5 draft from Memphis

up in a deal with the Pirates. Lavagetto was one of those guys whose

career arc was disrupted in a major way by the war.

1939 - Outfielder Dixie Walker, 28, is picked up on waivers from Detroit.

Detroit didn't have a great outfield so this move was hard to explain.

1937 - Righthander Luke Hot Potato Hamlin is picked up from Cleveland

MacPhail was doing a great job of culling quality off of the scrap heap.

in the Rule 5 draft. The Indians had lots of pitching and Hamlin was

expendable.