The tragic tale of Willard Hershberger - '91 SI article link

[modmark46]

Scorehouse mentioned the article. I found it via Google and read it. For those who didn't know of Hershberger's sad life.

The Razor's Edge

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1140724/1/index.htm

[bontomn]

Jesus, what a tragedy! I knew Hershberger had killed himself, but didn't know all the details. The SI story is extremely compelling, yet also saddening. Well worth reading.

[rburgh]

I knew a lot of that story, but I didn't know how popular he was with the fans. I can't imagine, even in 1940, a 167 pound man being a regular catcher in the major leagues.

In today's baseball, he'd have been Craig Biggio, a bright young catching prospect moved to 2B or somewhere to get his bat into the lineup.

Even then, I am surprised by two things. One, why didn't the Yankees find another position for him, with Dickey on the roster? Two, the Reds had almost two months to scrounge up a backup catcher somewhere. Did they really have to Jimmy Wilson out of the coaching box for the series?

[scorehouse]

thanks for the post mod. as for the yanks, they had talent stashed everwhere. today, the NCAA provides much more exposed minor league system to display talent. even with all the media available players stillslip thru the cracks albeit hershie was well known just never called up to the show. players movements were handcuffed by contracts and no free agency also. teams would stash players just so no one else could try them. one more thing about hershie. i found it, don't know the proper word to use here, very odd, strange, haunting, but he still had numerous uncashed paychecks in his shirt pocket?

[Mean Dean]

[quote:12f3291d7b] the Reds had almost two months to scrounge up a backup catcher somewhere. Did they really have to Jimmy Wilson out of the coaching box for the series?[/quote:12f3291d7b]He [i:12f3291d7b]did[/i:12f3291d7b] hit .353 :)

[quote:12f3291d7b]players movements were handcuffed by contracts and no free agency also. teams would stash players just so no one else could try them. [/quote:12f3291d7b]Yeah, exactly... if you know the guy is good, and there's no way he can go anywhere else, that's a reason to [i:12f3291d7b]keep[/i:12f3291d7b] him, not to get rid of him. Why would you let him go? Just to be nice? Well, the Yankees were even more of an Evil Empire then than they are now ;)

Also, consider that at this time, there had been a very strong tradition of the independent minor leagues. Hershberger's first year with the Newark Bears was also the first year that they were an affiliated team. The relationships were different... I bet that the mid-1930s Yankees cared much more about the attendance and the pennant race in Newark than the modern-day Yankees care about those factors in Scranton.

[supertyphoon]

[quote:dd87954986] If Essick hadn't chosen to swing through Long Beach, chances are the two scouts would have gotten what they originally had come for; Vaughan would have joined Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio on the Yankees, and Hershberger would have been a Buc, teaming with future Hall of Famers Pie Traynor and the Waner brothers, Paul and Lloyd.[/quote:dd87954986]

And Arky Vaughan would be generally acknowledged as the greatest SS ever to play the game, instead of toiling in relative anonymity for Pittsburgh.

[The Last Druid]

[quote:c6ada1c77c]today, the NCAA provides much more exposed minor league system to display talent. even with all the media available players stillslip thru the cracks albeit hershie was well known just never called up to the show. [/quote:c6ada1c77c]

[macnole]

[quote:dc40aa770d="Petrosian"][quote:dc40aa770d]today, the NCAA provides much more exposed minor league system to display talent. even with all the media available players stillslip thru the cracks albeit hershie was well known just never called up to the show. [/quote:dc40aa770d][/quote:dc40aa770d]

wait wait I have a prediction...there will be a long pause and then someone is going to call you out as a real pompous you-know-what.

The answer of course is no, it is not. Not always.

[Mr Baseball World]

I keep listening but I do not hear anyone saying anything. Is there something wrong with my computer?

[scorehouse]

colonel petro mus"turd", in the bathroom, on his knees with his mouth! :mrgreen: or mister green?