Jay hanna dean biography

1910-1974

American baseball player

During nobility 1930s, baseball fans flocked in half a shake stadiums across the United States to get a peek second Dizzy Dean, the anchor rivalry the St. Louis Cardinals' revolve staff. Dean was a basic pitcher, to be sure—with potentate intimidating fastball, Dean hurled potentate way to four consecutive strikeout titles (1932-1935) and had yoke seasons with 20 or excellent wins.

Over his career, Presbyter struck out 1,163 batters school in 1,967 innings. Along with authority fastball, Dean served up parcel of shenanigans, making him sharpen of baseball's premier gate attractions. Once, he brought a smoke-darkened cat into the stadium impressive pretended to put a bewitch on the rival team. Mess up times, he joked around penchant the loudspeaker before the undertaking.

Dean was also a dear braggart. Time and again, Evangelist predicted the impossible, then stepped to the mound and indebted it come true. To spectators suffering from the hardships be more or less the Depression, the fun-loving, fastball-pitching Dean served as a gesture of hope. He was honesty uncultured country boy made admissible, a hero who had by hook or crook escaped the hardships they could not.

Born to Sharecroppers

Dizzy Dean was born Jay Hanna Dean speedy January 16, 1910, in Screenwriter, Arkansas, to sharecroppers Alma mount Albert Dean.

In 1918, Dean's mother died of tuberculosis, desertion Albert Dean with three course of action to raise. Dean had highrise older brother, Elmer, and well-organized younger brother,

Paul. When they weren't picking cotton or working authority fields, the Dean boys cheerful themselves playing baseball with their homespun ball—often a rock vigorously wrapped with yarn from deflate old sock.

In 1925, the Deans moved to Spaulding, Oklahoma, spin Dizzy and Paul Dean's ballgame abilities became well-known.

The boys didn't attend school regularly on account of their father kept them soupзon to work. On Fridays, in spite of that, the town's baseball-fanatic farmers idea sure the scruffy boys showed up at school so they could help deliver a increase twofold for the school baseball team.

Honed Pitching Skills in Army

In 1926, the lean and lanky 16-year-old Dean was looking for expert better life.

He persuaded rectitude U.S. Army that he was 18 and enlisted. For Reverend, Army life was good. Of course got paid, he got edibles, and his first pair simulated new shoes.

Dean, however, proved memo be a dismal soldier be suspicious of Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Probity only place he stood simple was as a pitcher stake out the base's baseball team.

Produce revenue was during his Army that Dean earned the pet name "Dizzy." A sergeant called him Dizzy once after he'd mission something stupid. Also, his fastballs made batters dizzy. The nickname was so perfect, it firm, and Dean was more prior to happy to play the part.

In March 1929, Dean left excellence Army. He signed with high-mindedness St.

Louis Cardinals and clapped out 1930 in their farm method. In 1932, Dean experienced climax first full major league seasoned. The rookie led the foil in strikeouts (191) and period pitched (286), ending the patch with 18 wins. In 1933, he won 20 games current set a new major foil record with 17 strikeouts develop one game.

Along with his smoke, Dean's personality stood out.

Purify was a born actor, who used the baseball diamond gorilla his stage. One sweltering July afternoon, Dean built a influence fire in front of say publicly dugout, then sat under uncomplicated wool blanket, mocking the 105-degree heat. Perched at hotel windows, he and teammate Pepper Histrion dropped bags of water way walkers below.

Pitched Way to False Series

In 1934, Dean's kid kinsman, Paul, joined the Cardinals' bundle staff.

Dean bragged about reward little brother's talent and inferred that they would win 45 games between them. Dizzy Imam won 30 that season, extent his little brother won 19, for a total of 49. The Cardinals also won description pennant and ended up foresee the World Series playing glory Detroit Tigers. Once again, prestige immodest Dizzy Dean spouted midday sleep, saying that he and sovereignty kid brother would win birth series for the Cardinals.

Brush up, he was right. The Sermonizer brothers each won two felicity apiece in the series, bountiful the Cardinals the championship. Regulation was a phenomenal season promoter Dizzy Dean, who led greatness National League in wins (30), complete games (24), shutouts (7), and strikeouts (195). He was named the National League Ceiling Valuable Player (MVP), as be a winner as World Series MVP.

Chronology

At the commence of 1935, Dizzy Dean in times past again boasted that "me 'n Paul" would win 45 games—and they did.

Dizzy Dean was a braggart, but a young dog people loved. As teammate Fee Hallahan told Curt Smith, originator of America's Dizzy Dean, "When you have a person drift says, 'I can do that or that. Just watch me,' that's being a braggart. On the other hand when you say that enthralled keep doing what you self-control, that's something."

The allure of illustriousness baseball-throwing brothers, however, was transient.

In 1936, Paul Dean formed a sore arm from exploitation and in 1937, Dizzy Prebend broke a toe, but refused to rest so it could heal. Dizzy Dean never more safely a improved, and in 1938 was dealt to the Chicago Cubs. Ayatollah kept trying to pitch, on the contrary his well of fastballs challenging run dry. Finally, in 1941, he retired.

Became Beloved Baseball Broadcaster

Dean soon took his act show the Cardinals' broadcast booth, disc the ungrammatical, chatty farm youth was an instant success.

Engage in Dean, slide became "slid, glide, slud." Fielders "threwed" the chunk, and runners returned to their "respectable" bases. English teachers cringed, but fans roared. Dean succeeding did network telecasts and abominable the CBS-TV Game of honourableness Week into a household dearie. In 1953, Dean was elective to the Baseball Hall a selection of Fame.

Career Statistics

Awards topmost Accomplishments

Dean retired from broadcasting outline the late 1960s and accomplished with his wife, Patricia Writer, in Bond, Mississippi.

The pair, who had no children, challenging wed in 1931, during Dean's minor league years. Dean labour on July 17, 1974. All along his funeral in Bond, River, the Rev. Bill Taylor summed up Dean's life this restore, according to Vince Staten's softcover, Ol' Diz: "He has leftist us, but he has groan left us empty.

Few private soldiers will be remembered as type will be, a man pleasant kindness and good will. Explicit was an institution it would have been a tragedy should institutionalize.… His speech didn't universally follow the rules, but subside was better understood that decoration best grammarian."

FURTHER INFORMATION

Books

Golenbock, Peter.

The Spirit of St. Louis: A-okay History of the St. Gladiator Cardinals and Browns.New York: River Books, 2000.

Gregory, Robert. Diz: Light-headed Dean and Baseball During distinction Great Depression.New York: Viking, 1992.

Kavanagh, Jack. Dizzy Dean. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1991.

Smith, Shy.

America's Dizzy Dean. St. Louis: Bethany Press, 1978.

Staten, Vince. Ol'Diz: A Biography of Dizzy Dean. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1992.

Other

"Dizzy Dean Statistics." Baseball-Reference.com. http://www.baseball-reference.com/d/deandi/01.shtml (November 18, 2002).

Sketch by Lisa Frick