Last Saturday I had the pleasure and privilege of meeting Dr. Lawrence D. Hogan at the Local Author Fair in the Fanwood Memorial Library.
Dr. Hogan is Professor of History Emeritus from Union County College in New Jersey where he taught African American History for 37 years. He is the author of A Black National NewsService: Claude Barnett and the Associated Negro Press, and The Forgotten History ofAfrican American Baseball, and principal author and editor of Shades Of Glory, published by National Geographic.
He is a delightful man to speak with and shared some interesting stories about his life studying baseball, particularly Black Baseball. He talked about the charms of long-forgotten Ruppert Stadium in Newark where the Newark Eagles played in the Negro National League and his long friendship with Eagle star Monte Irvin who eventually played for the New York Giants and Chicago Cubs. He told me about an interview he had with Yankee shortstop Tony Kubek for his latest book So Many Seasons in the Sun. He was gracious enough to buy a copy of my book Mickey Mantle’s Last Home Run and after reading the first few pages warmed my heart when he commented on his appreciation of the iconic Pulaski Skyway which is mentioned on page four.
circa 1950: Outfielder Monte Irvin #20 of the New York Giants poses for a portrait, crouching and holding a baseball bat, 1950s. Irvin played for the Giants from 1949-1955. He also played for the Negro National League before his eight years in the Majors. (Photo by Photo File/Getty Images)
Dr. Hogan is also the executive producer of Before You Can Say Jackie Robinson: BlackBaseball in America in the Era of the Color Line a documentary that is now available on You Tube. This engrossing and entertaining documentary features veteran Negro League players, places where they played, and fans who saw them play. It includes interviews with Max Manning, Larry Doby and a moving tribute to Ray Dandridge as he is finally recognized for his immense talent and is inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame. The documentary is part of a program that Dr. Hogan along with his friend Kevin Kane, offer to museums, libraries, historical societies, colleges and other venues.
Ray Dandridge was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987
While researching my last post about Jackie Robinson’s iconic steal-of-home in game one of the 1955 World Series I made a remarkable discovery. I was studying the box score of that game reprinted on BaseballAlmanac.com and was dumfounded when I read the following baserunning notes:
SB-Robinson (1, Home off Ford/Berra). CS Martin (2, 2nd base by Newcombe/Campanella, Home by Bessent/Campanella).
Say what? Billy Martin was caught stealing home in the same game as Jackie Robinson’s iconic steal??
“Tis the truth!” Nobody ever talks about it, but Billy Martin tried to steal home in the same game as Robinson’s famous steal. And two innings earlier.
Billy Martin out stealing home in the sixth inning game one of the 1955 World Series
According to an article in SABR Martin tripled to deep left off Don Newcombe with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. Martin had already been caught stealing second earlier in the game. Joe Collins had hit a two-run homer in the inning and the Yankees had a comfortable 6-3 lead, so it was not a bad strategy to try to steal an insurance run with the bottom of the order coming up. Don Bessent had just replaced Newcombe on the mound when Martin took off for home and was tagged out by Dodger catcher Roy Campanella. The fiery pepper-pot Martin took exception to the high tag and took a few steps toward Campanella but decided instead to retreat to the Yankee dugout. He later said that he thought he was tagged in the throat. After the game Campanella spoke to the press. “Tell that little so-and-so that I missed. I tried to put the ball in his mouth.” Undoubtedly Campy knew that Billy had labeled him “spike shy” before the World Series started and so there was some bad blood between them.
It’s also quite possible that Robinson’s steal-of-home was instigated by Martin’s brazen attempt. Martin’s exceptional World Series play* had been a thorn in the Dodgers’ side for years and perhaps Robinson had had enough of Martin and needed to finally show up Bad Billy on the big stage.
Here’s a bit more psychoanalytic baseball. Remember how Yogi Berra reacted to Robinson’s steal. He basically went ballistic. Well in another World Series game one, this time in 1951 against the New York Giants, Monte Irvin, the Giant’s dynamic young outfielder slid safely past Yogi’s tag for a steal-of-home. When Robinson accomplished his feat four years later ol’ Yogi must have been thinking “not again” and went crazy.
Monte Irvin steals home in game one of the 1951 World Series
So how rare is a straight steal-of-home in the World Series? In the 119 World Series going back to 1903 there have been only 13 attempted steals-of-home and only five were successful. The last attempt occurred in 2020 when Manuel Margot of Tampa Bay was nailed in game five against the LA dodgers.
Manuel Margot out stealing home in game five of the 2020 World Series
Lonnie Smith of the Cardinals was out stealing home in game 6 of the 1982 World Series against the Brewers.
In 1955 game one Robinson was safe, and Martin was out.
Monte Irvin was safe in game one 1951.
We then have to go back 30 years for the next attempt and there were two 1921. Bob Meusel stole home for the Yankees in game two (Babe Ruth also stole two bases in that game, but not home). Mike McNally stole home for the Yankees in game one.
There were six attempts in the dead ball era and only Ty Cobb was successful when he stole home in game two of the 1909 World Series. He was out stealing home in 1908. Cobb was credited with a remarkable 32 steals-of-home in his career.
Fred Snodgrass was called out in 1911. Johnny Evers was out twice, 1907 and 1909 and Tommy Leach was nailed twice, in 1903 and 1909.
So back to Yogi’s lament as he commented on Robinson’s steal of home calling it a bad play. He may have been correct in theory. Of the 13 attempted steals-of-home in the World Series only five were successful. A .384 percentage. Good for a batting average not so good for baserunning when you consider the many other ways to score from third base even with two outs—any kind of base hit, a wild pitch, a passed ball, an error, a balk. And only once did the team with the successful steal home go on to win the World Series. That of course was the Dodgers’ by Jackie Robinson which we are still arguing about, but which may never have happened if not for Billy Martin’s brash attempt that nobody remembers.
References: Baseballalmanac.com; SABR; Matt Kelly for MLB
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