Books and articles about Joe Kuhel

The Comiskeys took a lot of heat for trading away colorful Zeke Bonura in 1938, but the deal brought the AL's best-fielding first baseman to the White Sox for the worst. Whatever Joe Kuhel lacked in flamboyance, he made up for with his steady, reliable defense. In time, Chicago fans accepted him.

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Kuhel moved into the Senators' lineup in 1931. In the pennant year of 1933, he enjoyed his finest season, hitting .322 and leading AL first basemen in putouts. He never batted that high with Chicago, but he did hit 27 HR in 1940 (by far his most) and continued to excel with the glove. In a July 20, 1941 doubleheader against the Athletics, he recorded 17 putouts in the first game, and 23 in the second, eclipsing a 35-year-old record held by Hal Chase. He was a fearless player, who once took on Eldon Auker and the entire Browns team after being skulled by a high hard one. Kuhel managed the Senators to seventh- and eighth-place finishes in 1948 and 1949. (RL)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » May 24, 1933: Detroit's Tommy Bridges tosses a one-hitter in topping the Senators, 3–1. Joe Kuhel's homer is the only Washington safety. It is the first time in the American League that a pitcher has allowed a home run in a one-hitter. » August 22, 1936: Washington ties an AL record when Red Kress, Joe Kuhel, and Carl Reynolds hit HRs in the fourth inning. » May 13, 1937: At Chicago, Washington's Joe Kuhel ties the modern major-league record with three triples as the Nats win, 10–2. Kuhel adds a single to drive in three runs. » March 18, 1938: Washington and Chicago trade first baseman, the White Sox adding slick-fielding Joe Kuhel and the Senators taking the easy-going hitter Zeke Bonura. » May 21, 1940: Against his old teammates, Chicago 1B Joe Kuhel has five hits, including two doubles and a home run, to help the White Sox beat Washington 9–8. » August 30, 1945: Stan Hack of the Cubs becomes No. 82 in the 2,000-hit club when he collects a first inning single off Pirate pitcher Preacher Roe. Earlier in the season the Senators' Joe Kuhel and Red Sox OF Bob Johnson made the list. Hack scores after his safety, but the Pirates win, 6–4 over the first-place Cubs. » September 7, 1945: Joe Kuhel hits an inside-the-park HR, the only HR hit by a Senator all season at Washington's Griffith Stadium. » July 20, 1948: An unprecedented 10-game suspension and $500 fine of an umpire, the veteran Bill McGowan, is announced by American League President Will Harridge following a confrontation in the Washington-Cleveland game. Tired of Senator pitcher Ray Scarborough continually complaining about strike calls, McGowan had thrown a ball-and-strike indicator at him. After that he ejects Nats manager Joe Kuhel and several coaches. Kuhel also lodged a protest after yesterday's 11th inning loss when Ed Stewart was thrown out at home in the 10th. When Stewart argued the call with plate ump Paparella, McGowan threw a ball at Stewart. » October 1, 1950: Gus Zernial of the White Sox hits one homer in a 4-3 first-game win over the visiting Browns. He adds three more in the nightcap, a 10-6 loss, to tie an AL record for a twinbill and set a club record with 29 homers, 10 of which came against St. Louis. Zeke Bonura held the Sox homer record with 27, set in 1934, and tied by Joe Kuhel in 1940.