Books and articles about Smoky Burgess

Old Smoky, who inherited his name from his father, was a National League All-Star with three different teams. Built short and squat, he was a fine catcher and became of one of the best pinch hitters of his era. He retired with a record 507 pinch at-bats. Only Manny Mota has surpassed Burgess's 145 pinch hits.

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Burgess batted .368 in 108 games for the Phillies in 1954. Always a strong, lefthanded hitter, he drove in nine runs for the Reds against Pittsburgh on July 29, 1955. Three of his four hits were home runs - one a grand slam off future batterymate Vern Law. He finished 1955 with a career-high 21 HR. He reported that his most satisfying pinch hit was his home run off Chicago's Sam Jones with two games left in the 1956 season. The Reds needed just one HR to equal the NL record of 221 set by the Giants. Manager Chuck Dressen ordered Burgess to hit for Roy McMillan, barking, "Make it a home run - or nothin'!" The ball landed on Sheffield Avenue. On May 26 of that season, he had caught a three-pitcher no-hitter when Johnny Klippstein, Hersh Freeman, and Joe Black combined to skunk the Braves. Exactly three years later, he was Harvey Haddix's batterymate when the Pirate hurler pitched his famous 12-inning perfect game against the Braves.

After almost six seasons in Pittsburgh, Burgess was sold to the contending White Sox late in 1964. In his first AL appearance he hit a pinch homer off Detroit's Dave Wickersham to tie a crucial stretch-drive game. Much heavier than in his NL prime, Burgess almost seemed to roll out of the dugout for his frequent pinch-hitting appearances. From 1965 through 1967, he appeared in 237 games, catching only seven. He led the AL in pinch at-bats all three seasons, and in pinch hits the first two. He retired as a .286 lifetime pinch hitter. During the 1980s he coached in Atlanta's farm system. (RL)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » October 5, 1951: In a fine pickup, the Reds send OF Bobby Usher and C Johnny Pramesa to the Cubs for OF Bob Borkowski and C Smoky Burgess. » December 10, 1951: The Cards trade lefty Max Lanier and OF Chuck Diering to the Giants for 2B Eddie Stanky, who becomes the team's player-manager. The Reds trade C Smoky Burgess, 2B Connie Ryan and P Howie Fox to the Phillies for C Andy Seminick, infielder Eddie Pellegrini, OF Dick Sisler and P Niles Jordan. The Reds will regret letting the burly catcher go and will reacquire him, again exchanging Seminick, in three years. » April 30, 1955: The Phillies trade C Smoky Burgess, P Steve Ridzik, and OF Stan Palys to the Redlegs for OF Jimmy Greengrass, C Andy Seminick, and OF Glen Gorbous. Then the Phillies buy SS Roy Smalley from the Braves. » May 8, 1958: At Wrigley Field, the Reds score eight runs in the 9th inning to overcome an 8–2 deficit and beat the Cubs, 10–8. Cincy's last three runs come on a homer by Smoky Burgess. » January 30, 1959: The Cincinnati Reds trade C Smoky Burgess, P Harvey Haddix and 3B Don Hoak to the Pirates for 3B Frank Thomas, RHP Jim Pendleton, OF Johnny Powers, P Whammy Douglas, and cash. The deal will turn out to be one on the worst in Reds history. » May 26, 1959: In a singular performance, Harvey Haddix of the Pirates pitches a perfect game against Milwaukee for 12 innings, only to lose in the 13th. Felix Mantilla opens the last inning by reaching base on an error. A sacrifice and an intentional walk to Hank Aaron brings up Joe Adcock, who hits one out of the park in right-CF for an apparent 3–0 victory. Aaron pulls a "Merkle," leaving the field, and Adcock passes him on the basepaths. Both are called out as Mantilla scores. Lew Burdette goes all 13 innings for his 8th win, scattering 12 hits. As a consequence of the baserunning in the 13th, the Braves leave an National League-record one runner on base. Haddix's gem makes him the 9th pitcher to lose a no-hitter in extra innings; A combined effort of three Reds pitcher, on May 26, 1956, was the last. Making Haddix's effort even more remarkable is the fact that the Braves hitter knew what was coming. In 1993, Bob Buhl admitted that the Braves pitchers were stealing the signs from Smoky Burgess, who could not crouch down all the way. They would place a towel on the bullpen fence in such a way to signal fastball or breaking ball. » May 25, 1960: George Crowe's ML-record 11th pinch-hit home run, off Don McMahon, gives the Cardinals a 5–3 win over the Braves. Crowe began the season tied with Smoky Burgess and Gus Zernial in career pinch home runs. » September 16, 1962: Mays celebrates his return to the lineup by cracking a 3-run home run in the 8th inning, his 44th of the year, to tie the Pirates 4–4. Pittsburgh tops the Giants in the 10th inning when Smoky Burgess hits a 2-run home run. » September 29, 1979: The Astros J.R. Richard shuts out the Dodgers 3–0 and fans 11 batters to break his own modern National League record for strikeouts by a righthander. Richard finishes with 313 K's, 10 more than in 1978. One of five Dodgers hits is a single by Manny Mota, his 146th pinch hit, breaking the mark of 145 formerly held by Smoky Burgess. » July 25, 2001: The Mets leave a club-record 16 runners on base, but still beat the Marlins, 5–2, pinning the loss on Ryan Dempster. Glendon Rusch is the winner. Lenny Harris ties Smoky Burgess for 2nd place on the all-time pinch hit list when he doubles.