"The People's Cherce": Dixie Walker's daughter is also his biographer

If you get a chance to read this book about Dixie Walker, please do.  You'll get to find out that the man on "the other side" of history wasn't the complete roadblock to history that folklore has made him out to be.

If you had the chance to watch the new Jackie Robinson flick, 42, you will see that Fred "Dixie" Walker, aka.. "The People's Cherse" was portrayed as a complete racist who put together a petition to block Robinson's entry into baseball.  The problem with movies like 42 and revisionist history judged today, over 65 years later is that it doesn't tell the full story in the light of 1947 morals and expectations.

In this book, Walker's daughter gets to tell her dad's side of the story.  Dixie was a true Southern gentleman.  He owned a hardware store back home and he knew the racist tendencies of pre-Civil Rights Alabama.  Heck we all know that Jim Crow reigned supreme back in the deep south during that era.  This isn't a shock or uncovered news to any of us.  Dixie knew if he openly endorsed Robinson his business would have folder.  The locals would have boycotted it.  He needed that business, because back in those days ballplayers had to work in the off season to earn money, unlike the spoiled pampered elitists who play today.

Dixie's daughter insists that he did not start the petition, nor did he advocate others to sign it.  He was looking out for his business interests.  This obviously doesn't make him a sypothetic character to any movie goer who saw the 42 film, but it was the reality of 1947 America.

What the movie also neglected to say is that as the season went on Walker grew to admire Robinson's unique talents and supported him because he helped the Dodgers win the pennant.  Winning the pennant back then meant a lot of money in a player's pocket.  So once again we see that Dixie's opinions and choices were economically driven, not racially driven.

After the season ended he was dealt to Pittsburgh, which on the surface looked like it was in response to his initial request to be dealt back in early '47.  In fact it was an astute business decision, not an emotional dump of a racist, by the great Mr. Rickey.  Walker was traded to Pittsburgh for key pieces to the Dodgers pennant run over the next 6 or 7 years.  In exchange for the 38 year old Walker the Dodgers got Preacher Roe and Bill Cox.  Roe went on to go 93-37 in 7 seasons in Brooklyn, which included 3 pennants.  Cox became the best fielding third baseman in the league during that same stretch.  Walker played just 2 seasons with Pittsburgh before retiring.

After retiring, Walker spent the rest of this career in baseball as a coach and manager.  By all

accounts he worked well with the black ballplayers that he was charged with training and coaching.  Never was their an account of him being racist or negative.  If he was, he would have been out of baseball as quick as you can say "Ben Chapman".

Walker retired after 18 seasons with a lifetime .306 average.  The dark cloud hanging over his head in regards to the his supposed role in history has kept him out of the Hall of Fame.  Amazingly, old time Brooklyn Dodgers fans will still talk glowingly, even today, of "the People Cherce" and Jackie in the same sentence.  Brooklyn is a very forgiving place.  Unfortunately Hollywood is not so forgiving, unless you are a morally bankrupt actor or actress.  If you were a simple ballplayer back in 1947, you get branded for life, even if the rest of your life's work tells otherwise.

Bronx Bombers right ship and sink A's in series sweep

Yankee Stadium

Game 1: 

Christopher vs Zuber

After 8 games of utter futility and a 1-7 record, the Yankees bats exploded against A's starter Russ Christopher who allows 19 hits and 14 runs (7 earned) in 7 IPs.  Roy Weatherly led the Yanks attack with 4 hits while Joe Gordon and Billy Johnson pitched in with 3 each.  Charlie Keller added 2 hits and 5 RBIs.  The only downer for the Yanks was when SP Bill Zuber went down to injury in the 4th.  Marius Russo and Tommy Byrne combined for 5 1/3 scoreless innings in relief.  Yankees 14 A's 0

Game 2:

Newsom vs Borowy

Johnny Lindell had 3 hits and Charlie Keller smashed his 3rd HR of the year as the Yanks topped the A's once again.  Hank Borowy pitched into the 8th allowing 2 runs.  Bobo Newsom allowed 13 hits and 6 runs.  George Kell had 3 hits for the A's.  Yankees 6 A's 2

Game 3:

Black vs Chandler

The Yankees commit 4 errors and leave 13 runners on base but thanks to a strong CG performance by Spud Chandler win their first series of the year by a hair. Weatherly, Gordon, Johnson, and Nick Etten rap 2 hits each.  Don Black scatters 12 hits over 7 1/3 to take the loss.  Yankees 2 A's 1

Game 4: 

Hamlin vs Bonham

Yankees complete the sweep behind Tiny Bonham's CG 7 hitter.  Snuffy Stirnweiss, Bill Dickey, and Etten have 3 hits while Dickey and Keller crack HRs.  Keller now has 14 RBIs in 12 games. Luke Hamlin went the distance for the A's allowing 17 hits but stranding 12 runners.  Yankees 6 A's 2

A's can extract their revenge quickly as the Yanks now travel into Philly for 4.

--submitted by Bob K--

Tribe Tripped Up by Tigers in 4 game sweep

GAME 1 – League Park

Newhouser vs Reynolds

Tigers 4, Indians 5

“Prince” Hal Newhouser (2-1, 1.73) dominated the Tribe with a complete game 5 hit shutout.  The Tigers scored 3 runs in the top of the first off of “The Chief”, Allie Reynolds and never looked back.  Detroit only had 4 hits, but made them all count along with the 7 walks that Tribe pitchers issued (6 by Reynolds).

GAME 2

Benton vs Bagby

Tigers 6, Indians 1

Al Benton picked up with Prince Hal left off.  After Detroit scored 6 in the 3^rd the Tribe was left for dead.  Doc Cramer hit a 2 run blast of Bagby in that 3^rd inning.  Rudy York (2-4) chipped in with 2 RBI’s.  Cleveland scored a solo run off Benton in the 4^th for their only tally of the game.

GAME 3

Trout vs V.Kennedy

Tigers 3, Indians 1

Once again Tiger pitching held the Tribe to 1 run or less.  This time it was Dizzy Trout who had the honors.  Trout tired after 8 innings of 4 hit ball and relinquished control to George Caster who pitched a perfect 9^th inning to finish the game.  Roy Cullenbine hit a solo shot for Detroit and went 2 for 3.  Rudy York an Doc Cramer had the other 2 RBI’s.

GAME 4

Overmire vs A.Smith

Tigers 10, Indians 7

Finally an offensive breakthrough for the Tribe who posted 7 runs.  Unfortunately for Cleveland the Tigers offense woke up as well and scored 10, including 4 in the top of the 9^th to sweep the series with an impressive come from behind win all with 2 out.  After Maier hit into a DP the Tribe was poised to win their first game of the series.  Rudy York tripled to keep Detroit alive.  Successive walks to Cramer and Outlaw loaded the bases.  RBI singles by Red Borom and Paul Richards gave the Tigers an unlikely lead.  Zeb Eaton gets the win and Caster pitches another perfect 9^th to save it.

Brooks take road show to Forbes and take 3 of 4 from Bucs

GAME 1 - Forbes Field
C.Davis vs Sewell
Dodgers 15, Pirates 4

In a see-saw battle that was tied 4 all heading into the 7th, the Brooks exploded for 11 runs during the final 3 frames to make this game look like a white-wash.  Pittsburgh's manager, sensing the game was slipping away and needing to conserve his bulpen for the 2nd half of the twin bill, put in position player Rubeling to pitch the final frame.  By that point the Boys from Flatbush were scoring runs in droves.  The "People's Cherce", Dixie Walker had himself a 4-6 day with 4 RBI's and two doubles.  "The Brat", Eddie Stanky chipped in with 3 RBI's himself.  Brooklyn rattled off 20 hits and hoped not to have exhausted themselves too much on the base paths with a 2nd game to play today.

GAME 2
Gregg vs Roe
Dodgers 7, Pirates 0

Hal Gregg made it quick, easy and painless for the Bucs by tossing a 2 hit complete game shutout.  Brooklyn scored 5 runs in the top of the first and cruised to victory.  "Brat" Stanky continued his fine day at the plate by going 3 for 5 in the leadoff slot.  Pitcher Gregg was 2 for 4 with 2 RBI's as the Brooks swept the doubleheader.

GAME 3
Herring vs Butcher
Dodgers 6, Pirates 3

At the halfway point the Boys from Flatbush had a 6-0 lead.  Home cookin' hasn't served them well so far this season, but a good trip on the rails has helped them regain focus to get back into the pennant race.  Pittsburgh chipped away to halve the score at 6-3, but never got closer.  Clyde King came out of the pen to deliver a perfect 9th inning to put away Brooklyn's 3rd straight win in relief of Art Herring.  All the Brooks reached base via safety, except pitcher Herring.  Shortstop Eddie Basinski even got into the action and got his average over the .200 mark.  First sacker Augie Galan was 2-5 with 2 RBI.  The first five hitters in Brooklyn's lineup each had 2 hits.

 
GAME 4
Lombardi vs Ostermueller
Pirates 7, Dodgers 2

Fritz Ostermueller went the distance and notched his 2nd win of the season.  Brooklyn didn't score until the 8th.  By that time the game was already in the bag for the Bucs.  Everyone in the Pirate lineup, including Fritzie posted a safety.  Second sacker Pepe Coscarart chipped in with 3 RBI's.  Augie Galan continued his hot hitting for the Trolley Dodgers by posting 2 of their 6 hits.  Vic Lombardi saw his record fall to 0-3, 3.91.  Clyde King had to come out of the pen to finish it out for the second day in a row.

This week in WWII

August 27, 1945.  Japanese forces in Burma surrender.

August 28, 1944:  Allied forces capture Toulon and Marseilles

                                Patton's Third Army crosses the Marne.

August 29, 1943:  Germany imposes martial law in Denmark. The Danish government is replaced.

August 29, 1944:  In Slovakia, the Slovak National uprising begins.  Slovakian forces battle the Naxis until October 27, when formal resistance collapses.  Guerillas continue to act against German forces until the Soviets enter Slovakia in 1945.

August 30. 1944:  German resitance in te South of France continues to collapse.  The Allies enter Rouen.

August 30, 1945.  Admiral Cecil Harcourt leads the Royal Navy into Hong Kong and liberates the Crown Colony.
--submitted by Tom "Crash" Davis--

Brownies sweep Bombers

Game 1:  Sig Jakucki and Bill Zuber hook up for a pitcher's duel for 7 IPs.  Up 1-0 in the 9th, the Browns put up 4 more while the Yanks can only manage an unearned run of Jakucki.  Stephens, Zarilla, and McQuinn have 2 hits each.  Yanks pitchers continue to have control problems walking 8 while offense grounds into 4 more DPs.  Browns 5 Yankees 1

 

Game 2:  Four Browns have 2 hits while Zarilla has 3 as the Browns rout the Yankees.  Waetherly has 3 hits and Bill Keller 3 BBs for the losers.  Browns 8 Yankees 3

 

Game 3:  Yankees take a 3-1 lead into the 5th behind Bonham but a 2-out

error by Joe Gordon opens the door for the Browns to take a lead they never relinquish.  Byrnes, George McQuinn, Christman, and Hayworth have 3 hits each for St Louis.  Stephens HR'd for the Browns while Gordon went deep for New York.  Browns 14 Yankees 4

 

Game 4:  Nels Potter dominates the Yankees in tossing a CG shutout allowing only 2 hits.  Christman's 3-run HR in the first provided all the runs he needed.  Browns 8 Yankees 0

 

The Browns really exploited the Yanks candy arms in the OF.  There had to be a dozen plays at the plate with the Yanks throwing out but one runner.

--submitted by Bob Krofcheck--

Redbirds sweep Redlegs to remain unbeaten at 8-0

8/21 - Crosley Field

Brecheen vs Walters

Cardinals 3, Reds 1

St. Louis remained the only undefeated team in the Senior Circuit by relying on the arm of Harry Brecheen, who went 8 strong innings allowing just 1 run on 6 hits.  Donnelly pitched a scoreless 9th to seal the deal.  Stan "the Man" Musial and Verban each had 2 hit days.  Brecheen even had a RBI single himself.

8/22

Munger vs Heusser

Cardinals 7, Reds 2

The Road Warrior Redbirds boosted their season record to 6-0.  Down 2-1 after 7 innings of play the Cardinal offense shifted into 3rd gear with 6 runs in the 8th.  5 of them came off of Red reliever Katz who got 1 out to go with the 5 runs he allowed.  A 2 run shot by Sanders and a bases clearing triple by Kurowski knocked the wind out of the Reds sails.

8/23

Cooper vs Shoun

Cardinals 3, Reds 1

A complete game gem by Mort Cooper kept the Redbirds unbeaten with a 7-0 record.  His brother, Walker, chipped in with 3 hits to make this victory a family affair.  Pitcher Coooper had 2 hits and 2 runs himself.

8/24

Wilks vs de la Cruz

Cardinals 10, Reds 7

Break up the Cardinals.  Two consecutive series sweeps put the Redbirds atop the Senior Circuit all by themselves with an 8-0 record.  When the pitching fails, the bats come alive for this band of baseball brothers.  Stan "the Man" Musial was 3 for 5 with 3 runs scored.  Danny Litwhiler was also 3 for 5 with 2 RBI's.  Glove man Marty Marion was 2 for 4 with 3 RBI's.  The poor Reds met the same fate that dem Bums did in the opening series thanks to a Redbird crew that is firing on all cylinders.