Books and articles about Kiki Cuyler

Curly-haired, hazel-eyed Kiki Cuyler played with competitive zeal, yet was admired amidst rough and tumble teammates for his gentlemanly qualities. He hit .300 ten times in his major league career. When the Pirates benched this superstar late in their 1927 pennant-winning year and kept him out of the World Series with the Yankees, the general public was mystified and Pittsburgh fans were outraged. When the 27-year-old Cuyler was traded for journeyman infielder Sparky Adams and rookie outfielder Pete Scott after the season, it created one of the mysteries of baseball history. That he became an even greater star for the Chicago Cubs removed suspicions that Cuyler's skills had lessened.

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Cuyler, a hard-swinging batter who hit line drives to all fields and led the NL with 26 triples in 1925, had protested being moved from third to second in the lineup by Pirates first-year manager Donie Bush, who wanted Cuyler to replace Hall of Famer Max Carey, Pittsburgh's longtime number-two hitter (Carey had been traded the year before). Like Carey, Cuyler could steal bases. Carey had won ten titles; Cuyler would retire with four (and lead the NL twice in runs scored). However, where Carey was an adept bunter and sliced hits behind the runner, Cuyler swung from the heels, struck out more often than the average player of the era, and was not suited to bat second. Cuyler accepted his manager's decision but it rankled him. He chafed under Bush's expectations and batted below his usual level, dropping to .309 after seasons of .354, .357 and .321.

Cuyler, who ran the bases with abandon, was benched after he went into second base standing up in a risky effort to block a double play relay to first. When the baseman bobbled the ball, but managed to tag out Cuyler, Bush fumed that Cuyler would have been safe if he had slid. Cuyler had also angered Pittsburgh owner Barney Dreyfuss by winning a salary dispute before the season. When Lloyd Waner jointed his brother Paul on the 1927 Pirates, the owner apparently feared the payroll impact of three superstar outfielders more than he appreciated the distinction and success they could bring.

Cuyler had become a Pittsburgh favorite in 1925 when he finished a close second to triple crown winner Rogers Hornsby for MVP. He also became the hero of the World Series that year against Washington. Walter Johnson had won Game One 4-1 and shut out Pittsburgh 4-0 in Game Four. Johnson began the eighth inning of Game Seven with a 7-6 lead. Cuyler came to bat with the bases loaded and two out. He hit a tremendous drive to the right centerfield wall, clearing the bases with an apparent inside-the-park home run. However, the umpires ruled the ball had become entangled in a tarpaulin rolled up against the wall. Cuyler was given a ground rule double but the score was now 9-7 and the demoralized Senators were blanked in the top of the ninth.

Cuyler was called "Cuy" by his school teammates. It was while winning the MVP title of the Southern Association with Nashville in 1923 that he acquired the euphonious Kiki nickname. Fans heard the players shout for him to take the ball when he rushed in a short fly. The shortstop would yell, "Cuy," and the second baseman would echo the call. In the pressbox the writers turned this into "Kiki." Older fans wince to hear him called "Keekee."

Like Rogers Hornsby, whose batting style he copied, Cuyler didn't drink or smoke. After attending West Point during WWI, Cuyler returned home and married his high school sweetheart. He found a job in the Buick plant in Flint, Michigan, and switched to Chevrolet to play on the company's baseball team in the fast Detroit Industrial League. Soon the professional scouts found him. He kept his contacts with the automotive industry and between seasons served as athletic director for a 12,000-man program.

When a broken foot in 1932 and the passing of seasons slowed Cuyler, his final averages fell below his eventual lifetime .321 mark. He played his final years with second-division teams in Cincinnati and Brooklyn, serving as a playing coach. He returned to the Southern Association to manage and was called back to coach the Cubs early in the 1940s. He was a Boston Red Sox coach when he died suddenly, only 50 years old, before the 1950 season began. Cuyler was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1968. (JK)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » June 12, 1925: Against the Pirates, the Giants make a triple play that goes from SS Travis Jackson to C Hank Gowdy to 3B Heinie Groh to RF Ross Youngs to 2B George Kelly to 1B Terry. In the first inning, with Max Carey on 3B and Johnny Rawlings on 2B, Kiki Cuyler taps a slow roller to SS that gets away from Jackson for a few seconds. Carey starts home and is caught, Jackson to Gowdy to 3B Groh. Rawlings, on his way to 3B, heads back to 2B and is run down. Cuyler tries for 2B and gets caught in a rundown. » June 22, 1925: After a day of rest, Pittsburgh again wallops St. Louis, winning 24–6. Max Carey collects 2 hits in an inning twice, in both the first and eighth frames, while Kiki Cuyler and Pie Traynor hit grand slams. The Pirates collect 21 hits, 6 for home runs. George Grantham, with a pair of homers, and Carey score 4 times each as the Cards help with 7 errors. Pittsburgh scored 21 runs in their previous game with the Birds, to set an NL scoring record (20th C.) for 2 games. » August 28, 1925: Although Baker Bowl is considered a bandbox by some, the aggressive Kiki Cuyler of the Pirates hits two inside-the-park HRs there in a victory over the Phils. » September 18, 1925: At Pittsburgh, the Pirates stop the Braves, 9–7. Kiki Cuyler is 4-for-4 with a double and triple and two runs to start a hit streak. » September 21, 1925: Pittsburgh OF Kiki Cuyler ties the National League record by getting his 10th consecutive hit, singling in his first two at bats, off Decatur and Ulrich, before he fouls out in his 3rd at bat, against the Phils' Art Decatur. The Pirates win the opener, 9–7. In the nitecap, a 14–4 Pirates win, Cuyler has his 3rd 4-for-4 game in his last four outings. He clouts two homers to back Kremer's pitching. Phils utility player Barney Friberg catches the 8th inning in the game, thus playing every position during the year; he will be featured in a Ripley's Believe it or Not cartoon. » September 26, 1925: With the pennant clinched, the Pirates get shut out for the 2nd time in three days, losing twice to the visiting Giants. Fred Fitzsimmons stops the Bucs 3–0 in the nitecap, beating Johnny Morrison. Zeke Barnes outpitches Vic Aldridge, 4–3, in the opener. To the dismay of the 25,000 on hand, the Bucs leading batter Kiki Cuyler is hitless. » October 8, 1925: Kiki Cuyler's 2-run home run in the 8th breaks a 1–1 tie and gives the Pirates' Vic Aldridge (15-7) a 3–2 win over Stan Coveleski (20-5). » December 9, 1925: Cards' player-manager Rogers Hornsby is named the MVP in the National League, gathering 73 out of a possible 80 votes. Hornsby was runnerup in 1924 to Dazzy Vance. Other strong contenders are Kiki Cuyler, the Pirates top hitter at .357; the Giants' George Kelly; Pirates' SS Glenn Wright; Brooklyn's Dazzy Vance; and Dave Bancroft, who hit .319 and topped NL shortstops in fielding average while managing the 5th-place Braves. » August 11, 1926: Dodgers rookie Babe Herman collects his ninth hit in a row, but flies out to Kiki Cuyler in the 6th to fall short of the record of 10 straight, held by Cuyler and Ed Konetchy. » October 5, 1927: With 158 HRs, a .307 team BA, and 6 winning pitchers, the Yanks are the Series favorite. But the Pirates are no slouches with a team BA of .305. OF Kiki Cuyler, a .309 hitter, will see no action in the Series, being passed over for a lighter-hitting OF, as he and manager Donie Bush feud. » November 28, 1927: The Pirates trade OF Kiki Cuyler to the Cubs for 2B Sparky Adams and OF Pete Scott. Cuyler had become expendable after rookie Lloyd Waner became a starter, but will be a great addition to the Cubs. Adams will have two seasons in Pittsburgh before going to the Cards. » May 4, 1929: At Baker Bowl, Cubs pitcher Pat Malone holds the Phillies scoreless, and collects three singles and two RBI to win easily, 16–0. Hack Wilson and Kiki Cuyler each hit two doubles, and Rogers Hornsby homers. The Cubs take the 2nd game as well, 9–7. » June 27, 1930: A Ladies Day crowd swells the Wrigley Field attendance to a park record 51,556 to watch the Cubs 7-5 win over Brooklyn. Kiki Cuyler's 10th- inning HR is the clincher. » August 5, 1931: The Cubs edge the Reds 3–2 at Wrigley Field when Leo Durocher boots a ground ball hit by Kiki Cuyler. It ends a string of 251 errorless chances in 53 games for Durocher. » April 24, 1932: The Cubs' Kiki Cuyler breaks a bone in his left foot, as Chicago beats Pittsburgh 12-3. » September 15, 1932: At the Polo Grounds, Kiki Cuyler continues to haunt the Giants by clouting an 11th-inning homer to give the Cubs the 8–7 win. » September 20, 1932: The Chicago Cubs clinch the NL pennant when Kiki Cuyler hits a triple with the bases loaded for a 5–2 win over Pittsburgh. Guy Bush wins his 19th game and rookie Billy Herman tops the 200 mark in hits for the season. Tomorrow the Cubs will snub ex-manager Rogers Hornsby on the split of World Series shares. » March 29, 1933: Chicago Cubs OF Kiki Cuyler, who missed the first half of 1932 with a broken left leg, breaks his other leg in another spring training accident. He will be out until June 22. » May 17, 1934: In his first game in Philadelphia since the Phillies traded him to the Cubs, Chuck Klein hits two home runs to pace first-place Chicago to a 10–3 win. Gabby Hartnett adds another as Chicago pounds four hurlers for twenty hits. Kiki Cuyler and Dolph Camilli have four apiece to back the five hitting pitching of Bill Lee and Pat Malone. Malone gets credit for the win. » July 3, 1935: The Cubs drop Kiki Cuyler to cut their payroll. He will sign with the Reds two days later. » July 12, 1936: At Cincinnati, Phillies starter Joe Bowman gives up his first hit of the game, a lead off triple in the 9th inning to Kiki Cuyler, and then is relieved by Claude Passeau, who retires the next three batters. The Phils win 4–0. » July 30, 1936: Kiki Cuyler of the Reds has eight straight hits—all singles—during a doubleheader split with the Phils. The Reds win the opener, 5–0, behind Bill Hallahan, then lose, 5–4 to veteran Ray Benge, making his first start for the Quakers since being acquired on waivers from the Bees. » October 4, 1937: Cincinnati releases 38-year-old Kiki Cuyler. He will sign with Brooklyn. » February 11, 1950: Red Sox coach and former player Kiki Cuyler dies of a heart attack. » September 20, 1958: The Giants Ruben Gomez gives up three hits, all to Bobby Gene Smith, as the Giants beat St. Louis 5–1. Willie Mays's three hits raises his average to .340, and he steals his 30th base, the first to steal 30 three times since Kiki Cuyler in 1930. » January 28, 1968: Goose Goslin and Kiki Cuyler are admitted into the Hall of Fame by unanimous vote of the Special Veterans Committee. » September 16, 1979: Willie Wilson hits his 5th inside-the-park homer this season in a 6–3 loss to Seattle at Kansas City. It is the most IPHR hit in a season since Kiki Cuyler hit eight for the Pirates in 1925.