Harry ” Cookie” Lavagetto was the son of Italian immigrants Luigi and Adelaide Lavagetto. Luigi came to the United States in 1901. Adelaide arrived in 1906. Harry was the youngest of four sons born on December 1, 1912, in Oakland, California. He was christened, Enrico Attillo Lavagetto. He would have his name changed twice. After his confirmation in the Catholic church, Attillo was changed to Arturo.
In school, a teacher told him that Enrico was either Henry or Harry. From then on, he was known as Harry Arturo Lavagetto. It was during these early days in school that he met Mary Poggi. They would eventually marry in 1945. It was a long courtship. ” Our family used to go mushroom hunting in the hills above Oakland.” he would later recall.
Playing major league baseball was a lifetime dream for young Harry. Shortly after graduation from Oakland Technical High, he tried out for the San Francisco Seals of the PCL. Since they were right across the bay, the idea of playing so close to home was very appealing. He flopped during the tryout, and he felt his dream was over. Plus, ol dad was pressuring him to find gainful employment.
Shortly after the tryout, he heard about a game being put together between some big leaguers who were about to leave for spring training and a semi-pro All-Star team. The proceeds of the game would be used for an insurance fund for the hospital expenses of semi-pro players who were injured. He was picked to play for the semi-pro team.
He was slated to enter the game in the 5th inning with all of the other subs. When he entered the game, his team was down by two runs, with the bases loaded and two outs. On the mound was one Al “Pudgy” Gould. Gould had played two seasons with the Indians and had a long career in the PCL. Harry hit a Gould pitch high off of the wall and cleared the bases. That was enough to secure the win for the semi-pro team. After the game, he received nine offers to play professional baseball.
He would later say that it was the greatest moment of his life. His whole future was changed on that one batted ball. “I would never have realized my dream if not for that one hit.” He would later say. He signed with Cookie DeVincenzi, owner of the Oakland Oaks of the PCL. He became “Cookies Boy”, and later just Cookie.
Cookie played in 152 games for the Oaks in 33. He hit .312 and played mostly second base. A Pirates scout, Bill Hinchman, signed him, and he spent the next 3 years in Pittsburgh. He played second and third base. But he was more of a reserve there. His combined average over three seasons was .249. On December 4, 1936, the Pirates traded Cookie and pitcher, Ralph Birkofer to the Dodgers for pitcher, Ed Brandt.
Cookie played 100 games for Brooklyn in 37, at second base. He hit .282 with 70 RBIs. But for most of the rest of his career, he was a third baseman. In 1938 he hit .273 and drove in 79 runs, and he made the All-Star team. In 1939, he had his best year, .3000/10/87, and made the All-Star team again.
Cookie was known as a sort of oddball character. He would wear his cap at a weird angle, he walked funny, and he looked like he always needed a shave. He enjoyed making his teammates laugh. He would leave his shirttail out, and have one sock up and the other down. He was very well-liked by his teammates.
Cookie would also make the All-Star team in 40-41. He was the NL’s starting third baseman in the 1940 contest. With the nation at war, Cookie applied for enlistment in the United States Navy. He was sworn in as an Aviation Machinist Mate first class on February 17th, 1942, in San Francisco and was assigned to the Naval Air Station in Alameda.
Cookie and teammate Dolph Camilli had taken flying lessons in 1938 and received their pilots’ licenses. When Dodger president, Larry McPhail, heard about it, he fined them both 500 dollars for conduct detrimental to the team. When he wasn’t attending to his naval duties, Cookie played baseball for the Navy, He played on a team in Livermore that won 60 of its 70 games. Not long after he was married, he was transferred to Hawaii. He coached a Navy team there that included Stan Musial.
In 1946 with the war over, Cookie mustered out of the Navy and returned to the Dodgers. He was 33 and he had missed four seasons. His skills had eroded. He only played in 88 games in 46 and 41 games in 47. 1947 would be his last year in the bigs as a player, and Cookie went out with a flourish. The Dodgers, led by ROY Jackie Robinson, and the beginnings of the Boys of Summer, won the pennant and faced the Yankees in the World Series.
October 3, 1947, Ebbets Field, Brooklyn, New York. The Yankees were up two games to one in the series. Yankee pitcher, Bill Bevins, had not allowed a hit as the game went into the bottom of the 9th inning. He had, however, walked eight batters. Leading off the 9th, Bruce Edwards flew out. Furillo worked Bevins for the 9th walk. Jorgensen fouled out. Shotton sent Al Gionfriddo in to run for Furillo, and he stole second. Pitching carefully to Pete Reiser, Bevins decided to put him on with the count 3-1. Eddie Miksis then ran for Reiser, who was nursing some leg problems, and then sent Lavagetto up to pinch hit for Eddie Stanky.
Cookie had always been a very good clutch hitter, so this was the perfect opportunity. Bevin’s second pitch was high and outside, and Lavagetto smashed the ball over RF Tommy Henrich’s head; Gionfriddo scored, and Henrich threw home, but it arrived after the speedy Miksis slid home. Bevins lost a no-hitter and the game on that one pitch. His teammates mobbed Cookie, and the series was tied. Bevins caught up with Cookie later and told him, we were told to pitch you high and outside. Cookie replied, “That’s where I like ’em!”
The hit was Cookies last in the majors. The Dodgers released him in May of 48. He went back to Oakland and played for the Oaks for three years for Charlie Dressen and Casey Stengel. When Dressen got the Dodger job in 1951, he took Cookie with him as a coach. When Dressen was not given the long-term deal he wanted after 1953, Cookie sent O’Malley a telegram saying he was resigning. His loyalty to Dressen was that strong.
In 55, Dressen was hired to manage the Senators. He took Cookie with him. After two really bad years, he was fired. DC offered the job to Cookie, but he turned them down. Only after Dressen begged him to take the job did he accept. He always had just considered himself a coach. And it took him a while to become accustomed to the job. He did not like not having a roommate on the road. He did not like making out lineups or in-game decision-making.
But he finally figured out he could do the job. It took a while, but the team finally did improve some. After three straight 8th-place finishes under Cookie, they finished 5th in 1960. After the 1960 season, Senator owner, Clark Griffith, moved the team to Minneapolis and changed their name to the Twins. So, Cookie was the last manager of the Senators and the first manager of the Twins.
It did not last long; 59 games into their first season in Minnesota, Cookie was fired. Differences in opinions of players’ talent were cited as one of the reasons by Griffith. ” He wanted to get rid of every player I wanted to keep.” He would coach until 1967 for the Mets and Giants. He moved closer to home because of a false diagnosis that he had cancer and a subsequent operation. He passed away in his home in Orinda, California, on August 10, 1990. He was survived by his wife and two boys, Ernest and Michael, who became a Catholic Preist.
Cookie was a good, not a great, player. A product of his times. Many of his era came out of the great depression, survived a war, and led interesting lives. But Cookie, for one magical moment in 1947. was at the top of the world.
Sunday’s Spring Training Game by Mark Timmons
As I wrote a couple of days ago, Spring Training does not mean much… or it can mean everything! However, if you pay attention, you can glean some really good information. Here’s what I saw:
- Hunter Feduccia’s stock really skyrocketed as he hit a 3-run opposite-field HR and a 2-run double. Hunter has no future with the Dodgers. While I’m at it, Ryan Ward and Drew Avans have no future as well. All three raised their trade value yesterday.
- Diego Cartaya is young, and you can be sure that he would like to impress everyone with his hitting, but he took two walks when he did not get a good pitch to hit. That’s discipline and that is what makes a player great. Diego will likely start the season at AA, but he will move to AAA quickly.
- Ditto for Andy Pages!
- Jonny DeLuca showed promise, and he will likely start at OKC this season.
- Shelby Miller’s 40.50 ERA doesn’t begin to show how bad he was yesterday. It’s disappointing, but it is early.
- Adam Kolarek is back and showed promise!
- Trayce Thompson does not run – he glides!
- The San Diego Clowns are next…
Discussion (36)
Disagree, not disagreeable
MRojas is better than you guys think. He was having a good year until the wrist injury. We even extend him.
Bryson Brigman on board with a Minor League Contract.
Middle Infielder with Seattle & Miami – never made the Majors.
Bear, I agree about Iglesias. I’m tired of AF’s “blue light specials” that degrade the team’s talent level. If you’re going to sign someone, then sign someone who’s better than minor league depth. Or swap a young minor league prospect for a major league-ready shortstop prospect. I’ll bet someone would covet one of our catching prospects!
So it could be Vargas Outman Busch they all make the team out of spring training three rookies. Busch the utility infielder guy Outman and Heyward in CF Taylor and Peralta in LF and Vargas at second or third base. Betts every day RF Freeman everyday 1b Muncy everyday 3b martinez dh smith and Barnes C. Thompson I guess makes it to as I add up the position players now with Lux out after report not good.
No reason to panic, They will do what they have to, when they need to. And that is not during spring training.
Rojas with a cramp? Early in the game on a cool day? That’s weird. How’s that wrist after his second surgery?
CT3, come on in.
CMON Man really this is the LA Dodgers what did they do when Seagar went out with a back injury they went and got Machado. When they lost Seagar to Texas what did they do they went and got Turner. There not going to sit back and not do a trade. There the LA Dodgers who have money and players to trade to get any starting shortop that’s not in the top six in baseball so that would leave 24 other shortsops to go and get. You don’t think they could go and get maybe the starting shortstop for the Royals and trade minor leave guys sure they could. Or how about the Diamondbacks who have no shot at a world series but I am sure they have a starting shortstop that’s better then Rojas and Taylor. I bet there looking eight now at other teams. Here is one Christian Yulich Addames and Corbin Burnes to LA. That sure sounds like a trade the Dodgers and AF make um just like what they did with the Nationals. Did they lose any guys in that trade that they traded away. No they didn’t.
Can’t wait to get the jersey!
https://dodgersnation.com/dodgers-news-la-adds-shortstop-bryson-brigman-on-minor-league-deal/2023/02/27/
Dave Roberts said Gavin Lux was “pretty shaken up” following the injury. And it’s confirmed that it’s a right knee injury, not an ankle or anything else.
Well Elvis Andrus is still out there as a shortstop with major league starting time that could be a. Replacement fielding wise okay hitting about like Bellinger some days good someyoems not hit him at number nine have him for a year he is a veteran who started for the As last year and Rangers before that. They do that or trade for a guyvtahts going to be a free agent next year which is Rosario guardians and Addames Brewers.
I consider AF one of the most savvy executives in all of baseball, but letting Corey Seager, who is coming into his prime years, walk away as a free agent has never sat well with me. He was 27 years when he signed the 10-year deal. Looking at the deal that Turner signed at age 30 and the more recent extension given to Machado, we may be regretting not locking up Seager to a longterm deal. Let’s hope Lux recovers and makes us forget about Seager and Turner. Go Blue!
It’s a sad situation when there is nobody in the entire Dodger system that is shortstop ready for the show if Lux is out for any period of time. Using Rojas or Taylor both right handed diminishes our depth and our lineup.
If Lux is out for a long time, it will be like inserting Hanser Alberto’s bat in the lineup for a long time, if it’s Rojas replacing Lux.
If it’s Taylor, then who is the platoon partner in the outfield? I talked about this constantly before, there’s no other outfielder that hits LHP good except deep in the minors, Pages and Deluca. There’s already a possibility, even before this happened, of the Dodgers being short an outfielder that hits LHP good.
But it’s going to be Hanser Alberto, oops I mean Rojas that replaces Lux.
Landon Knack’s half-inning versus ONE pitch from Pedro Baez:
https://twitter.com/PitchingNinja/status/1630329080477253632
Lux injures knee today in game. Now wait and see if it’s a long time out. Now they will have to get a shortstop or outfielders to replace his bat in lineup. Or go with Rojas for awhile. Telling you Rosario from the guardians and I am pretty sure they have an outfielders that can hit LH well. Or the Brewers. Addames would be the two choices. If it’s a knee injury and long time out.
Very sad to see this terrible injury to Gav.
Putting on 20lbs of muscle is an awful lot in one go.
Looked like his ankle buckled, and then his knee went in a different direction. So far, no report either on the broadcast or the Dodger website.
This is the Kids Coming Out Day!
Yeah, it was definitely his ankle – That’s why he grabbed his knee and the trainer was looking at the knee.
It looked to me like 2 injuries; the ankle first, then the knee. Hoping the knee is hyperextended.
Gavin Lux injures his knee today. What is the back up plan?
Just walked into a place for lunch. Just in time to see Gavin carted off the field.
Damn
Fine article by the great Zach Crizer on the Padres and their ownership’s philosophy:
https://sports.yahoo.com/what-explains-the-padres-monster-manny-machado-extension-a-team-owners-commitment-to-winning-with-fans-in-mind-200216825.html
3:10 PM ET
SP Ryan Pepiot R
0-0 .00 ERA
Confirmed Lineup
RF Mookie Betts R
CF J. Heyward L
C Will Smith R
DH J. Martinez R
SS Gavin Lux L
LF S. Duggar L
3B L. Williams R
1B Devin Mann R
2B M. Vargas R
Clear-day
0% Rain
58° Wind 4 mph R-L
I think the reason why the Dodgers won 111 games even though some of the position player starters sucked is because the pitching was so good. Speaking of that, Kimbrel had 5 blown saves. Makes you think 111 would have been a couple more.
Love all the Driveline stuff.
Hope springs eternal.
An interesting piece is The Athletic on the Dodgers who went to Driveline Baseball.
https://theathletic.com/4247511/2023/02/27/dodgers-driveline-visit-aimed-at-combatting-hitter-pitcher-gap-in-player-development/?source=dailyemail&campaign=601983
Some, including Betts, also took the new weighted bats from it. The results were noticeable, according to the data — Driveline metrics indicated a jump in bat speed without Betts feeling the need to over-swing.
“It’s a night-and-day difference now than before,” Betts said. “When I tried to swing with the same intent, (back) then it said a certain number. Now, swing with the same intent and I get a different number … the number is the feedback.”
Muncy, 32, has also worked the weighted bats into his routine, hopeful it can at least set a baseline that prolongs his career and brings things back to his pre-injury norms.
“My swing was definitely a lot faster,” Muncy said. “My first couple of live (batting practices), I was really early on everything. So it’s like OK, this is working, so now I’ve got to make sure to dial everything back a little bit. That’s just going to help me a ton.”
Bradley?
Busch sure has the look of a good hitter. Hate to lose that guy in the name of reclamation projects
Avans, Feduccia and Mann all would benefit from being traded.
Depth is nice, but I wish Dodger brass would be more aggressive in their pursuit of talent. As I’ve mentioned before, I fault AF for the failure to build a stronger roster going into the 2022 playoffs.
The Padres picked up Brandon Drury in the midst of a career year. The Yankees, Phillies, Cardinals, the Mariners–all improved their chances by with deals while AF decided to stick with Vargas and Gallo. Which is why Barnes, not a guy like Drury, wound up pinch-hitting for Belli. Don’t know if AF made an offer, but guys like Avans, Feduccia and Mann would be more valuable to a franchise ie Cincy than the Dodgers.
I can’t help but wonder what these guys are thinking if MLB-ready prospects like Outman and Busch are kept in OKC while guys on the downslope of the career make the roster.
Just for fun, here are my Top Ten prospects, based on a combination of ML value today and trade value:
Cartaya — Everybody says so.
Miller– Ditto. (The new Drysdale?)
Stone– Higher floor than Miller–and I think his ceiling is higher than commonly believed. (Greg Maddux was not a power pitcher either.)
Rushing –Just love catchers that thump. Seems like the real deal; fallback is 1B or DH. If I’m a rival GM, I would covet Rushing. Value has soared since the draft.
Vargas — He’ll get a chance to live up to the hype.
Outman–Continual improvement enabled him to outhit peers Vargas and Busch in 2022. Plus, he’s a superior fielder. He’s earned a real shot–and luck had nothing to do with it.
Pepiot–The traditional stats are good; the advanced analytics are better.
Busch– Like Vargas and Outman, he’s earned a shot, but lacks an opportunity. Outman tops him as a defender.
Pages– Based on raves about ability. Unlike Vargas, Outman and Busch, he still has a lot to prove.
Nastrini– Maybe it’s just that his name sounds sort of nasty, but he seems to front the next batch of impressive arms: Frasso, Sheehan, River Ryan, Hurt, Duran, Knack,… and then a younger bunch like Kopp, Bruns, Huebeck, Henriquez,,, A lot of assets..
You Gentlemen amuse me with your Kirstin Watson comments. In truth, I think sideline reporters are a niche job category with little to add in most sports broadcasts. The NBA makes the best use of women analysts on their broadcasts because they can choose experienced WNBA players to advantage. Baseball and football don’t have that option. Also, baseball broadcasters are team employees and are less likely to ask probing questions which may provoke their employers. Maybe the Dodgers are choosing what they want us to hear from who they find attractive.
Drew Avans had a good showing in Sunday’s game with 2 hits and a walk as a late inning substitute.
He is an underrated player at OKC, and Evan Bladh wrote a very good LADT profile on him back in November.
Avans was the primary CF in AAA the last two years and produced over 800 OPS each year with 40 steals in 2022.
He is not considered a top 50 Dodgers prospect as he does not have the power and upside of Outman, Pages or Deluca. He also went undrafted in the Rule 5 draft so 29 other teams don’t consider him MLB worthy either. But Avans seems to be a really good baseball player in AAA. Hopefully he eventually gets a shot in the MLB even if it is just a few appearances with another team. He is the kind of player who loves the game and I hope he continues to excel.
Note to Dodgerpatch–I was totally okay with the “Stone Cold Fox” comments. All the women I know that follow the Dodgers think Outman is hot. What seemed wrong was the nitpicking of Kirstin’s looks.
Mark,
Thanks for the link regarding my question about theWBC and rules. Have to wonder, to what extent the lack of a pitch clock will have on players who participate. Mets reliever Ottavino mentioned a few days ago he was going to need time getting used to the rule as well as holding runners on.
Nice glove Cookie. Today’s players might have a .500 fielding % with that clown mitt. Actually, my first glove looked just like it. But, I was 7.
patch: SD is 21st largest media market, but the only game in town.
“The singularity of baseball’s presence in San Diego is probably a large part of the secret to why the Padres, with the game’s 21st metro base, ranked fifth in home attendance in 2022, drawing 2.991 million to Petco. Only the Dodgers, Cardinals, Yankees, and Braves did better.
In professional sports, it helps to have the undivided attention of your audience.”
Cookie is a first-round pick for the all-name team.