Player Profile: Eddie Stanky

Born Edward Raymond Stankiewicz on Sept. 3rd, 1915, Eddie “The Brat” Stanky was a hard-nosed player, who made up for what baseball skills he lacked with a burning desire to win. His father, Frank, and his mother shortened their name to Stanky while Eddie was a child. They lived in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia. A blue-collar section of the city. It was there that he developed his belligerent, enthusiastic, win-at-all-cost attitude that would make him successful, and reviled in later life.

He hit just .243 his senior year at Northeast High School, but his drive was exceptional. “He came to high school for baseball,” said Lester Owen, his coach. “he said he was going to be a professional baseball player, and everyone believed him”. It was not conceit, he was just an ordinary kid with extraordinary ambition. It was this drive and ambition that stood out among the other players.

The ambition paid off in 1935 when he got a contract with his hometown Philadelphia A’s. He was sent to Greenville, of the Class-C Dixie League to play SS. After a few weeks, feeling homesick, he wrote his mother asking for the money to come home. The reply was stern, Eddie was not welcome at home. They did not allow quitters there. He stayed in Greenville and finished the year with a .301 avg in 101 games.

From 1936 through 1938, Stanky spent most of his time with Portsmouth, a Class-C Middle Atlantic League team. He also spent some time with Class-A Williamsport of the New York-Penn League. He had played, SS, 3B, 2B, and even pitched over his first few years in the minors. But as of 1938, he was mainly a 2B. In 1939, he went to play with Macon, of the Class-B South Atlantic League. His manager there was Milt Stock, who was also part-owner of the team. Stock, a 14-year major leaguer, saw that Stanky had an excellent eye, but no power. So he stuck him in the leadoff spot and told him to be more patient. The move paid off and Stanky made the All-Star team in 1940.

Years later he would credit Stock with planting the seed that helped him become a successful player and manager. At the time though, it was not certain that Eddie would make it to the majors. Stock realized his smallish infielder had an oversized temper. He taught him that his getting thrown out of games, 15-20 times a year, lessened his team’s chances of winning. Stocks daughter, Myrtle, fell in love with his fiery second baseman and they were married on April 11, 1942. Shortly after the wedding, Stock traded his new son-in-law to the Milwaukee Brewers of the American Association.

Eddie had his best, and also his final year in the minors. He hit .342, led the league, and was the MVP. His manager at Milwaukee was Charlie Grimm. When Grimm was hired to manage the Cubs in 1943, he took Stanky with him. Stanky’s penchant for crowding the plate had led to several beanings. The first one he suffered in the minors was so severe it gave him a fractured skull and a hearing loss that kept him out of the armed forces.

He made his MLB debut on April 21, 1943. He was hit in the head by Rip Sewell. He hit an uninspiring .245 that year. The next season, Don “Pep” Johnson arrived to take his place. So sitting on the bench, he watched Johnson make the All-Star team. He went to Grimm with a play me or trade me demand, and on the 6th of June, 1944, he was traded to Brooklyn for pitcher Bob Chipman. The trade was not front-page news, something much bigger happened that day.

Taking over for Navy bound, Billy Herman, he became the new second baseman in Brooklyn. In 1945, his first full season with the Dodgers, he became a fan favorite. His hard-nosed play ingratiated him with the fans. His spirited play was enjoyable for the fans. He drew 148 walks in 1945, a record at the time, and he scored 128 runs.

Brooklyn fans loved Stanky, and several nicknames were given, but “The Brat” stuck. It was in reference to his snarling, clamorous, and hot-headed edge. That was his on-field persona. But off the field, he was busy being attentive to family and learning what it would take to be a successful MLB manager.

His respect for the Dodger uniform outstripped everything. In May of 46, he was involved in a fistfight with former Cubs teammate, Lennie Merullo, which was so unruly, that it nearly inspired a riot! He was honored by the fans on Sept 8, 1946, with Eddie Stanky day.

In 1947, Eddie made his first All-Star team. He scored 97 times and had 141 hits. He also made only 12 errors in the field and helped spark Brooklyn to the pennant. 1947 was also the year that Jackie Robinson integrated baseball. Peter Golenbock, in his book “Bums”, contends that Stanky told Robinson that he did not like him, but that they would “play together and get along because we are teammates”. More recent research has challenged this. Jonathan Eig, in his book, ‘Opening Day: The Story of Jackie Robinson’s First Season”, says” in accounts written shortly after the 1947 season by both Rickey and Robinson, credited Stanky with being one of Jackies earliest and most important backers. We all know what Reese did. As the Captain, that was out there for all to see.

Brooklyn lost a hard-fought series to the Yanks in 1947. Stanky hit .240 in the series. Not long after he reported to the Dodgers spring camp in the Dominican Republic, he was traded to the Braves on the 6th of March for utility man Carvell Rowell, first baseman Ray Sanders and $40,000.00 cash.

Stanky received the most votes for the second baseman in the 1948 All-Star game. He was hitting well over .300 at the break. But on July 8th in Brooklyn, he collided with 3rd baseman Bruce Edwards and emerged with a broken ankle and a torn ligament. He was unable to play in the All-Star Game, and when he returned to action on September 19th, the Braves were close to sewing up their first pennant in 34 years. Boston, with Sibi Sisti handling 2nd in Stanky’s absence, made Eddie a pennant winner for the second straight year. Brooklyn finished 3rd.

In the 48 World Series, the Braves lost to Cleveland. It has so far been the last Championship for the Cleveland franchise. Even though his leg was still a problem, Southworth put him in the leadoff spot and he played all six games. He finished the series with a .524 OBP on 4 hits and 7 walks. They operated on his leg 2 months after the series and removed two bone fragments from his ankle.

In the spring of 1949, Southworth began pushing his players very hard. Some of them bridled at the treatment. Eddie would have a solid season hitting .285 with 90 runs scored, but he started making enemies in the clubhouse amid rumors that he would become manager if Southworth were fired. This caused some controversy and problems and made 1948 a long season for the Braves.

One such incident happened in July against Pittsburgh. Stanky, who had the manager’s permission to call plays had sent Warren Spahn on a botched hit and run play. Spahn was credited with a stolen base. Later in the game, he again sent Spahn to second on a hit and run, this time Stanky made contact and grounded the ball to third, Spahn made second on a wild throw and immediately ran for third where he was thrown out. In the 9th inning, on a very hot day, Spahn blew a three-run lead and the Braves lost 12-9.

Reporters immediately assumed Spahn had run too much on the bases and had been gassed that last inning on the mound. The blame fell squarely on Stanky. Teammates were complaining to reporters about his assumed authority. One even suggested his mates were outraged by his takeover attitude. Stanky was livid and fired back. The Sporting News reported him as saying” I am always playing to get another run for my team and to prevent the other team from scoring runs….as for taking over, I only do what I can to win games and leave that ‘takeover attitude’ to the second-guessing bushers. I resent the implication that I exceeded my authority in putting on plays, I have always co-operated with every manager I played for 100 percent. I have always played to win and will continue to do so until I quit”.

That incident was the low point of the season. Southworth was on the verge of a breakdown and left the team on August 16th with the Braves at 55-54 and mired in 4th place. Coach Johnny Cooney took over as manager. But when Southworth announced he was coming back for 1950, Stanky was as good as gone. On December 14th, 1949, Stanky and DP partner, Al Dark, were traded to the Giants for Sid Gordon and Willard Marshall, Buddy Kerr, and Sam Webb.

The rift between Durocher and Stanky created when Stanky left Brooklyn was quickly healed. Leo let Stanky play his way and he thrived. He batted .300, with a league-leading .460 OBP, 115 runs, 144 walks, and 12 HBP’s. He made the All-Star team, was named player of the year by the New York Baseball Writers, and finished 3rd in the MVP vote.

The Giants improved from a 5th place finish in 1949, to a third-place finish behind Brooklyn and Philly in 50. Stanky was always trying to irritate the opposition. In a game on August 12th, against the Phillies, Stanky was waving his arms, mimicking the pitcher’s windup while a hitter stood in the batter’s box. After a warning from umpires he did not heed, he was ejected from the game. Andy Semenick, the victim of Stanky’s antics, did not think the punishment was good enough so he took out his replacement, Bill Rigney, in a violent collision at 2nd base. The police had to be called to quell the ensuing bench-clearing brawl.

In 1951, things got better. At least for the Giants. With a flurry at the end of the season, they caught the Dodgers, who at one point had a 13-1/2 game lead and tied for the pennant. In one of the lowest points in Dodgers history, they beat Brooklyn on a walk-off homer by we all know who!.

The Giants would lose the series to the Yankees, on their way to 5 consecutive titles. Stanky had a terrible series with one bright spot. He took off for second in game three on a steal attempt, he was going to be out by 15 feet, but when Rizzuto leaned down to tag him, he kicked the ball out of his glove and it rolled into center field. Stanky got to third and the play ignited a 5-run rally that won the game.

It was his last hurrah as a Giant. In December he was on the move again, this time to the Cardinals for Max Lanier and Chuck Dearing. But in St. Louis, Stanky would be a player-manager. Coming off one of his best years in the majors, he began to remove himself from active playing. He played only 53 games in 1952 and 17 in 1953. He tried to manage the same way he played. Of course, this style, somewhat dictatorial, did not go down well with some of his players. But it seemed to work. The Cardinals finished 3rd in 1952 and he got Manager of the Year. They finished third again in 1953. But in 1954, with Stanky no longer an active player, they dropped to 6th place. Stanky was not popular with his players. SS Dick Schofield said,” He expected you to play every game as if it was your first or your last“.

Stanky did not realize that you cannot always manage the way you played. It just does not work with some people. The ax fell just 35 games into the 1955 season, with the Cards mired in 5th place. New owner, August Busch Jr. decided that Stanky was “too much foam and not enough body“. He was replaced by Harry Walker on May 28th.

Stanky never did realize that the players he was dealing with would never be unquestioningly obedient. He took a job managing the Minneapolis Millers. He did a decent job but was fired at the end of the year. He wanted to coach for the Giants and had the blessing of the owner, Horace Stoneham, but manager Bill Rigney said no.

He went to the Indians as a coach for a new manager, Kerby Farrell. He did well there and stayed for two years. He taught Bobby Avila the “intentional foul” which had worked so well for him when he played. He stayed on when Farrell was replaced by Bobby Bragan and again when Joe Gordon took over for Bragan.

Future manager, Joe Altobelli said that Stanky was the best third-base coach he ever saw. After the 1958 season, the new ownership in Cleveland cleaned house and Stanky was gone. He then went to work for Bing Devine in St. Louis as a scout and minor league talent evaluator. He went to the Mets with Devine when he moved there in 1965. But his stay in the Big Apple was short. He was hired in 1966 to manage the Chicago White Sox, replacing the mild-mannered Al Lopez.

Unable to adapt to Stanky’s run and gun style of play, the Sox finished 4th in 1966. But Stanky fired all of the coaches he inherited and brought in those he thought would instill his type of play. His forceful style, solid pitching staff, and a team that made few mistakes on the field kept the Sox competitive in one of baseball’s most gripping seasons.

Locked in a tight race with Boston, Minnesota, and Detroit, Stanky’s pitching-rich Sox were playing way over their heads. The team was considered dull by the pundits and the fans due to their lack of fireworks offensively. The fans showed their displeasure with his approach by not coming to the ballpark.

His single-mindedness towards his team was shown when after a tough loss he kept VP Hubert Humphrey waiting while he talked to his team, and for quite a while too. He said,” Humphrey can’t hit, what do I need with him?” He later apologized to him. But it looked heading into the last week like the Sox were World Series bound.

Just needing to beat the lowly A’s in KC, they lost a doubleheader and then were shut out by the Senators eliminating them. They finished in 4th place, 3 games back of the Red Sox. Owner Arthur Allyn rewarded Stanky with a four-year contract, but the Sox lost their first 10 games in 1968 and 69 games later he was asked to resign. He was replaced by, you guessed it, Al Lopez.

Back home in Alabama, he secured a job as coach at the University of Southern Alabama. Used to nice locker rooms and manicured fields, he inherited a job where the field was a rockpile with no dugouts, a 4 ft. high fence all the way around, and no grass on the infield. He transformed the school into one of the best baseball schools in the country. Over the next 14 years, his teams went 488-193. He never had a losing season.

And probably the best thing was he got rid of his win at all costs style of leadership. He adopted an everyone plays philosophy. To him, his proudest achievement was playing 38 guys in a 9-inning game. He would carry at times as many as 45 players. He loved coaching the kids. His best feeling was when their mothers would come up to him at graduation with tears in their eyes thanking him for helping their kids along. You cannot put a price on that feeling.

In June of 1977, he was lured back to the majors to manage the Rangers. But after leading them to a 10-8 win his first game back, he quit and went back to coach in Alabama again. He said he missed his family and coaching the kids. He weathered a heart attack and open-heart surgery and coached for another six years. He showed the old Brat mentality when he was kicked out of a game his last year for cursing at an umpire. If there is one thing, I cannot stand he said, it is an ump who does not know the rules.

He retired in 1983 and lived a quiet life until he died on June 6, 1999. He was survived by his wife, son, three daughters, and eight grandchildren. The Brat, Eddie Stanky. He was only a Dodger for a brief time, but what an impact he made.

Dodger News & Notes by Mark Timmons

• Before you dig on the Catman, let me remind you that he is #5 in the NL in ERA at 1.59… He deserved better last night.
• Gavin Lux needs to move to LF and CT3 to 2B. Problem solved and if Lux can focus on hitting and not worrying about the YIPS, he might just “breakout.”
• Joc Pederson has 45 ABs. Of those, 3 are against LHP. So, the Giants are using him in a straight platoon.
• After 65 ABs, Darin Ruf is hitting .154! Last year was an outlier!
• The Giants are a half-game ahead of the Dodgers… and it does not appear that they are going away. I am amazed at what the Giants are doing.
• The Great Lakes Loons scored 5 times in the 5th inning and came back to win yesterday, but the team’s lack of hitting by Leonard (.176), Vivas (.157), DeLuca (.194), Valera (.196), and others remains troubling.
• At Tulsa, Mark Washington pitched the 9th inning (behind 2-1) and while he has never had what you might call “filthy stuff,” his stuff will play up IF he can effectively change speeds and locate better. He is effectively changing speeds (High 90’s to Mid-80s), but the location is still an issue. He struck out 2 and walked 2. He does have a 1.59 ERA but the walks will kill him, however, he is improving.
• Michael Grove pitched 3 innings and K’ed 6, while giving up 2 hits and 2 Runs with a BB. I still see him as a reliever. BTW, Kody Hoese hit into a DP to end the game with Tulsa losing 2-1.
• Sadly, I think Marshall Kasowski needs to be released and see if some other organization can help him. He has more BB than IP and has an ERA near 6.00. He is 27 and needs to try something… anything. OTOH, Justin Hagenman has 14 K’s and 1 BB in 12 IP.
• Look for Kevin Pillar and Jake Lamb to opt out soon. That will change the complexion of the Minor League Roster. Busch and Pages to OKC…. well Busch, at least!
• Luis Rodriguez and Damon Keith are simply raking at RC, especially Keith. They both could move up to the Loonies. Speaking of Keith, he has the foundational look of a generational player… that is at first blush. It’s a long season.
• Diego Cartaya finally went 1-3… OK let’s hope he snaps out soon (.178 BA).
• V-Gon is throwing bullpen sessions and allegedly will go on a rehab assignment soon.
• Treinen and Heaney (especially) do not sound promising in the short term.
• Tommy Kahnle will allegedly be activated the first week of May.
• Danny Duffy is “playing catch” not throwing. He is a ways away.
• Caleb Ferguson should be back Mid-May.
• Lots of roster decisions… including cutting down to 26.
• 12:40 PDT Game today with Urias and Gallen. Should be a pitcher’s duel.
• Finally, does a person you don’t like have the right to say something you disagree with? It’s been a foreign concept to some. However, I think we should always strive to do that here.

Trevor Bauer Update