Rudy York - A Cup of Coffee and a Dugout Seat for the 1934 World Series

Rudy York ended his first full "rookie" season in the Texas League with much fanfare.  In early August, with a month to go in the season, Rudy was the leading contender to be the league's home run king and possibly MVP.  But in the second week of August, the Beaumont Exporters tried to reclaim Rudy York from the Ft Worth Panthers, whom they loaned him to for the season.  The rest of the teams in the league immediately cried "foul" and a league-wide vote was held via telegraph. Rudy was not allowed to be traded back to Beaumont (who was in a pennant race in their division) and it wasn't clear if Rudy was going to play anymore games for Ft Worth.

On August 16th, the day before Rudy York's 20th birthday, Rudy York's contract was purchased from the Beaumont Exporters by the Detroit Tigers.  He was to report to the club immediately and found himself on a train bound for Detroit on his birthday. The Detroit club was in it's own pennant race and was hoping that young Rudy might add some pinch hitting power coming off the bench.

Detroit Free Press - August 17, 1934

When Rudy arrived Detroit on Saturday, August 18th, the Tigers were out of town on a long road trip playing the Yankees, Red Sox, Senators, Athletics and Indians. Rudy went straight to Navin Field and was fitted with a uniform.  He was surprised to to have three newspaper cameramen and a reporter waiting for him at the field.  He admitted that he was surprised at all the attention. He also admitted that it was his first time to see a major league field, much less stand on one. After the uniform fitting and meeting with reporters, Rudy had a train ticket in hand to meet the team in Boston the next day.

Detroit Free Press - August 19th, 1934 

Rudy met the team in Boston on Sunday, August 19th. The Tigers were playing a double header against the Red Sox.  Rudy watched from the dugout as his Tiger teammates beat the Red Sox in both games at Fenway Park in front of 46,995 fans. The Tigers were playing very well and were in first place in their division, but were just 4-1/2 games ahead of the New York Yankees down the homestretch.

Detroit Tigers 8 - Boston Red Sox 6 - August 19th, 1934 - Game 1

Detroit Tigers 4 - Boston Red Sox 3 - August 19th, 1934 - Game 2

American League Standings - August 19th, 1934

Rudy got his chance to get into his first game a couple days later against the Washington Senators. Rudy pinched hit for CF Jo Jo White, who had a hit and 2 RBI's in the game. The Tigers were down 7-5 with runners on first and third when Rudy came to bat.  Rudy struck out against Senator hurler Earl Whitehill for the second out and the next batter Charlie Gehringer was also unable to get the runs home before being the last out of the game.

It wasn't until a month later that Rudy saw action again. On September 26th, in the second game of a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox, Rudy pinch hit in the bottom of the 7th and caught the rest of the game for Player/Coach Mickey Cochrane. Rudy was 1 for 2 with a single to right field off of Milt Gaston. The Tigers won 10-3, bringing their record to 99-52 and 5-1/2 games in front of the Yankees.

Rudy started his first game the next day, catching against the White Sox. Not only starting his first game, but catching Tiger Ace Schoolboy Rowe! At the plate, Rudy had four plate appearances, striking out twice and walking once. Before this game, Schoolboy Rowe was 24-8, with a 15 game win streak during the season.  But in this game, Rowe only lasted 4-innings, giving up 8-hits, 8-runs, 4-earned.  He only had one strikeout on the day.  Rowe attributed the bad outing to the cooler weather and not being warmed-up properly.  According to the box score, Rudy didn't embarrass himself behind the plate. In the top of the 6th, Rudy threw out Luke Appling trying to steal 2nd base. In the top of the 8th Rudy was charged with a passed ball. The Tigers lost 11-0 in this "throwaway" game after clinching the pennant.

Rudy York appeared in three games with seven plate appearances during his short visit to the major leagues in 1934. He had one single and one walk. He played in two games, catching 3-innings in one and a full 9-innings in his last of the season. In Rudy's 12-innings catching, he had 4-putouts, 2-assists and no errors.

Rudy York did play in another game with the Tigers that season, a special Governor's Exhibition game played on the Michigan State field in Lansing in front of over 10,000 fans.  By this time the Tigers had captured the American League pennant.  Player/Coach Mickey Cochrane played 18 out of the 23 men on his roster in the game. Rudy caught the last eight innings of the game, going 2 for 5 with a double and single. He did have an error behind the plate. The Tigers won 7-5.

On September 25th, the Detroit Free Press published a team photo of the American League Champion Detroit Tigers. Rudy is the first player on the left on row 2.  Ace pitcher Schoolboy Rowe, above him on row 3, has his hands on Rudy's shoulders. Rudy is the youngest player on the team.

Rudy was on the roster for the 1934 World Series, but he did not see any action.  But he did have a dugout seat watching as the St Louis Cardinals took the series 4-3. Rudy did have a series teaser promo photo of him shaving that appeared in newspapers all over the country.

Rudy York - The Fielder (1934)

Rudy York reported back to the Beaumont Exporter club in April 1934 after his brief stint there late in the 1933 season.  Early newspaper articles speculated that Rudy was a candidate to catch for the Exporters in the new season.  But also in line for the job was 33-year-old, newly named Player/Manager Ernest "Dutch" Lorbeer, who caught 55 games for Shreveport the previous year. Also new on the team from Shreveport was 20-year-old Mike Tresh, who caught 70 games for the Sports in 1933.  Another young player, Conrad Fisher, who caught 78 games for Bartlesville in the Western League is also mentioned as joining the team.  Rudy York's only previous catching experience for Beaumont was a total of 1-1/3 inning the previous year when he filled in for the injured starting catcher. And most of Rudy's previous experience as a ballplayer was various infield positions. Playing time did not look good for Rudy on the Beaumont team.

A spring training newspaper article reveals Beaumont's initial defensive plan for Rudy for the 1934 season, calling him "infielder converted into a backstop".  There was no denying Rudy York's power at the plate, but they had to find a place for him on the field.

Longview Daily News - April 8, 1934

On May 4th, just a couple weeks after the Texas League season started, a Shreveport Times article announced that "Chief" Rudolph York , a "promising young catcher" had been optioned to the Fort Worth Panthers club.  The move cleared the way for Lorbeer and Tresh to split the catching duties in Beaumont.  Rudy York was "loaned" out to the Ft Worth club and was still the property of the Beaumont Exporters.

Shreveport Times - May 4, 1934

Early box scores for the month of May show that Rudy did not immediately play much for Ft Worth after arriving, only pinch hitting here and there late in games.  He caught his first game for the Cats on May 10th against Houston going 1 for 4.  The very next game, regular catcher Sig Broskie was back behind the plate and continued to catch most games afterwards.  On May 17th, Rudy played 1st base in a game, but otherwise was on the bench for most of May.  Rudy did end the month of May catching a pair of games, going for 3 for 5 on May 30th, hitting his first home run for Ft Worth.  The following day, Rudy caught a game against the Oklahoma City Indians and went 4 for 5, hitting  home runs in back-to-back games. This shot was called "one of the longest ever hit in Indian Park and garnered Rudy on of his first newspaper headlines as a player.

The Waco News Tribune - June 1, 1934

Rudy started the month of June by hitting another home run, his third in three consecutive games. Probably because of Rudy's recent offensive explosion to end the month, he began starting more games in June. On June 8th, a box score shows that Rudy started a game at center field, going 0 for 4. On June 11th, Rudy is playing right field for the first time.  On June 14, he goes 2 for 4 with a triple and home run playing right field.  The next day, Rudy caught a game and then was back to the outfield the next.  He homered again on June 24th and hit two more home runs on June 28th, going 3 for 3, for his 10th and 11th home runs for the season.

Rudy continued into July primarily playing right field and having good days at the plate with an array of multi-hit games, extra-base hits and home runs sprinkled throughout.  Some games really stood out like July 9th, were Rudy went 5 for 5, scoring 4 runs.  Rudy hit his 18th home run on July 13th and a few more to end out the month.  Even though the Ft Worth club was playing just below .500 ball at the halfway mark, attendance for their games was much higher than normal - just to see Rudy York hit. Rudy's power hitting started getting him noticed outside the Texas League.  Below is an Associated Press article about Rudy that appeared in newspapers across the country - this one from New York state.

Associated Press Story - The Ithaca Journal - July 21, 1934

Rudy started the first day of August by hitting two home runs.  The following day, he went 3 for 4 with two more home runs.  On August 5th, Rudy York his his 26th home run. At the end of July, Rudy was the league leader in home runs and he would undoubtedly be a contender, along with Beau Bell, to be home run champion for the Texas League.

The Taylor Daily Press - Taylor, TX - July 29, 1934

The following week Rudy is absent from the Ft Worth lineup.  Evidently Beaumont, who was trying to make a playoff run, tried to have Ft Worth transfer Rudy back to the Exporters.  Several other teams in the Texas League immediately protested having the league's leading home run hitter change teams before the end of the season.  The league president ordered a telegraphic vote and the move was vetoed.  Rudy was declared ineligible to play for Beaumont and did not play any more with a month to go in the season.  Rudy finished hitting .332, 26 home runs and 75 RBIs in the shortened season.  After catching a few games, Rudy seemed to find a home playing right field in 1934. Technically, Rudy shared the Home Run Championship with 26 "safeties" along with Beau Bell of Galveston, but Bell was awarded the title since Rudy was not on a roster at the end of the season. It must be noted that Rudy did not get into the everyday lineup until June - and did not play the last month of the season.  As an everyday player for the entire season, there was no telling how many home runs Rudy would have hit - certainly a number near 40.

Abilene Reporter-News, August 12, 1934 

On August 16th, the day before Rudy York's 21st birthday, the Detroit Tigers purchased the contact of Rudy York from Beaumont.  Rudy spent that 21st birthday on a train heading up to Detroit.  The Tigers were in a pennant race and were hoping the young player might be of some use on the bench. On August 22nd, Rudy pinched hit in his first major league game and struck out. Rudy got a couple more at bats before the end of the season, after the Tigers had claimed the pennant. He was also on the World Series roster in 1934, but did not see any action against the St Louis Cardinal's "Gashouse Gang".

What a start to young Rudy York's baseball career.  Just the year before, he was signed by Tiger Scout Eddie Goosetree in Cartersville, GA and played a bit for Shreveport and Beaumont.  And this season, technically his rookie season, he made a such a splash with his bat, that there was undeniable talk around the Texas League that young Rudy was destined to see the big leagues sooner than later.  It just happened sooner than anyone though possible!

Rudy York and Chester "Wimpy" Wilburn

Rudy York and Chester “Wimpy” Wilburn first met in 1936 while both members of the Detroit Tiger minor league team Milwaukee Brewers of the American Association. York was arriving as the 1935 MVP first baseman of the Texas League Beaumont Exporters, and Wilburn as the starting shortstop from the Detroit affiliate Portland Beavers in the Pacific Coast League.

Rudy was 22 and Chester (who went by the nickname Wimpy) was 29.  Rudy had been in the minors for 3-years, having playing time with Shreveport, Beaumont and Ft. Worth.  At this point, Wilburn had been in the minors for 7-years and had playing time with Tucson, San Diego, Beaumont, Burlington, Des Moines, Chattanooga, Kansas City and Portland. Wilburn played shortstop for all of his 7-years. York was signed as a second baseman in Shreveport, then moved around several positions between outfield and catcher before settling in at first base in 1935. Rudy York was a big fellow, 6’ 1” and weighing nearly 200lbs and Wilburn was 5’ 10” and 145lbs.

In 1936, the Milwaukee Brewers went 90-64 to win their first American Association Championship in 20-years. For several years, several minor league organizations where participating in a playoff system, with the final two teams playing in the “Little World Series” or the “Junior World Series” In 1936, the American Associated entered the playoff system. The Brewers first faced the Kansas City Blues, defeating them in four straight games - while the second-placed St Paul Saints fell to the fourth-placed Indianapolis Indians in five.  The Brewers then defeated Indianapolis in five games in the 2nd round of the playoffs.

Over on the International League side, the Buffalo Bisons emerged to face Milwaukee in the World Series.  The Brewers took the series 4 games to 1, to win the 1936 Junior World Series and cap off a championship season.

Rudy York has a fantastic year at the plate and in the field.  York batted .334 with 37 home runs. He had 207 hits, 25 doubles and 21 triples.  His slugging percentage was .622.  He played in 157 games at 1B and had 1470 putouts, 60 assists and only 12 errors.  His fielding percentage was .992%

Wimpy Wilburn had a fine year as well. He hit .291, with 182 hits, 29 doubles, 7 triples and 9 home runs. In the field, Wilburn played in 154 games, having 423 putouts and 423 assists. He did commit 42 errors and a .949 fielding percentage.

Rudy York won the Most Valuable Player award for the American Association in 1936, even though teammate OF Chet Laabs had essentially a carbon copy year.  Laabs batted .324 with a team leading 42 home runs.  He had 203 hits, 27 doubles, 16 triples and a .619 slugging percentage.  As an outfielder, Laabs has 276 putouts, 10 assists and 16 errors, resulting in a .947 fielding average.

At the end of the 1936 championship season, York, Wilburn, Laabs and several others were optioned to the Detroit Tigers - ordered to report to 1937 Spring Training camp in Lakeland, FL. But in the new year, both York and Wilburn returned their salary offer contracts unsigned. York announced that he as not satisfied with the salary.  Wilburn returned his contract with the explanation that he had just recently been married and needed more money.

Both finally did settle and sign contracts and reported to the Lakeland spring training camp in 1937.
 

1936 Junior World Champions Milwaukee Brewers

Rudy York - center top row. Chester “Wimpy” Wilburn - last on right, bottom row.

Evidently Rudy and Wimpy formed a strong friendship from that point.  Later in 1940, Rudy York and his wife welcomed their new baby boy, Joe Wilburn York, named for his good friend Wimpy Wilburn.

Des Moines Register, Oct. 25, 1940

Good Friends - Rudy York and "Wimpy" Wilburn

Rudy York - The Fielder (1933)

It won’t take very long once you start reading commentaries on Rudy York’s baseball career that he was not a very good fielder.  Typically, both sides of the coin are mentioned:  Rudy York was a phenomenal hitter and below average with the glove in all the positions that he played in his career – and there were quite a few.  Rudy York seemingly spent his entire baseball career looking for a position to call his own.  And when he did finally settle into playing first base, he still failed to get the respect that he deserved as a functional fielder.  No doubt that his massive size and lumbering range contributed to this stigma.  But as I suspect we will discover after analyzing his career year-by-year, Rudy York was certainly not a poor fielder, and was probably considerably better than serviceable.  We'll dedicate a blog to each year of Rudy's career, starting with his minor league entry in 1933, and take a closer look at the seemingly constant and considerable drama associated with Rudy York and his defensive play in the field.

ATCO - Cartersville, GA

Young Rudy York as teenager (Left) in GOODYEAR Uniform

Rudy York was signed by famed Detroit Tigers Scout Eddie Goosetree in late June 1933 for $250.  York was officially signed as a 2^nd Baseman/Pitcher.  Evidently Rudy was playing 2^nd base when Goosetree first watched him in person at the Atco Field in Cartersville, GA.  But it’s apparent that even the talented scout was perplexed on what position young Rudy York should be classified.  Goosetree sent a telegram to Chief Scout Jack Zeller in Detroit letting him know that he had signed him a “goat” by the name of Rudolph York and he wasn’t sure what position he could play – that would be Zeller’s job to figure out.  But York’s arm alone was worth every bit of the $250 that he paid to sign him.

Facsimile of Eddie Goosetree's Telegram to Head Scout Jack Zeller after Signing Preston Rudolph York in 1933

Shreveport Sports

Rudy was to report to the Class C Dixie League Shreveport Sports immediately to start play. Evidently the Detroit organization took Goosetree's telegram at face value regarding Rudy's arm, probably adding a little embellishment from Goosetree's field report.  The following article in Shreveport's The Times newspaper announced Rudolph York's arrival as an "experienced" pitching prospect and outfielder:

The Times, Shreveport, LA - July 2, 1933

Rudy only played twelve games for the Shreveport Sports, all at 2^nd base.  A quick glance at a sampling of available newspaper box scores shows that Rudy did hit the ball well (hitting .354) and played decent 2nd base.  The box scores show three errors during this month span, comparable with other average Class C infielders at this level.

But on July 27, The Times reports  that the "husky" Rudy York, property of the Detroit club, had been released from Shreveport and may be sent to Beaumont in the Texas League to finish the season.  Replacing Rudy would be Player/Manager Gus Whelan, who had lost his starting job at first base earlier in the season due to an injury. The article says that even though Whelan had limited experience at 2nd base, he was a much better fielder than York and would strengthen the infield considerably. This is our first indication that even though the statistics portray Rudy as an average infielder, that evidently his large size, limited range and lackluster grace at the position spoke louder than the errors column.

The Times, Shreveport, LA - July 27, 1933

Beaumont Exporters

Rudy indeed was assigned to the Class A Beaumont Exporters club in the Texas League.  On July 31^st, in possibly his first appearance with the new club, 19-year-old Rudy York was inserted into a game as catcher with two outs in the bottom of the 8^th inning.  Beaumont’s starting catcher that night, 25-year-old George Susce, broke his collarbone resulting from a collision at the plate.  York caught the remainder of the game and the occasion was his first documented game playing catcher.  Rudy only played 15-games for the Exporters for the remainder of the season, batting .189 in 37 at bats.  He had two doubles, a triple and no home runs.  His remaining games were spent playing outfield and actually pitching in a mop-up role on August 21st in a 12-1 game, entering the game in the 3^rd inning.  Rudy gave up five earned runs on two hits.  He walked ten and hit one batter in his six innings.


Rudy didn't really do anything extraordinary at the plate or in the field to finish the 1933 season with Beaumont - and in just over 60-days in the Detroit organization, he had already eliminated the possibility of playing the middle infield and pitching moving forward. But he could hit the baseball often and hit it very far, and that really stood out. He was invited to report back to Beaumont the next Spring in what would of course be a banner year for him in 1934. Considering that he was playing for the ATCO team in Cartersville just a few months earlier - what a life changing summer this was for this 19-year-old young man!

A Long Way from ATCO Field - Stuart Field, Beaumont, TX