1959 Offseason News
After his 5th consecutive losing campaign, Hale Scheepers was replaced as Braves manager by former Giants and Braves speedster Foglesong Allen. "Fuzz" recorded over 2400 hits in his 21 year big-league career and was briefly #1 all-time in steals before being passed by Jonny Perly. In Philadelphia, Ted Stuart was fired after seven losing seasons and general manager Jebediah T. Campbell made the shocking announcement that he would take the reigns of the team himself. Whispers all over the league claimed that Campbell was losing his grip.
The Pirates began to dismantle their roster after the aging club finished a disappointing 72-82 last season. Promising young starter
Gene "Jumbo" Houk was shipped to Baltimore. Then team icons
Herm Vardaman and
William Perry were traded to New York with
Harvey Gaunt amid outcries from local fans for the team to stay together.
Hall of Fame
The following players were elected in 1959:
Dave Arkless, CF
Cap: Cubs
Inducted: BBWAA 84.6%
Teams: Chicago N.L. 1926-42
Plaque: The Red Fox won 6 Gold Gloves and one World Series with the Cubs. In 1929, he had a Cubs-record 36-game hitting streak that was just one game shy of the NL record set in 1923. He left for WWII after the 1942 season and retired with a .297 average, 2439 hits, 401 doubles, 285 homeruns (9th All-Time), 1292 RBI, 1418 runs, 1036 walks and 140 steals.
Bobby Martin, 2B
Cap: Giants
Inducted: BBWAA 84.6%
Teams: New York N.L. 1932-46
Plaque: Martin burst onto the scene like no other, hitting .388 as a rookie, by far the highest average of his career and a record that still stands for rookies. That batting title turned out to be his only one, but he was named ROTY and went on to win one Gold Glove and three pennants with the Giants. He retired with a .319 average, 2623 hits, 548 doubles, 139 triples, 124 homeruns, 1151 RBI, 1349 runs, 1007 walks and .858 OPS.