Books and articles about Chet Laabs

The stocky Laabs was a wartime hero for the St. Louis Browns when they won their only pennant in 1944. Used sparingly all season, he had only three home runs before he hit two against the Yankees on the season's last day to win the pennant-clinching game.

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Laabs had good power, finishing second in the AL in 1942 with 27 HR. He had a knack for timely hits, leading the AL in pinch hits in 1940. But he was strikeout prone and led the AL (105) in 1943. In 1938, when Cleveland's Bob Feller struck out 18 Tigers, Laabs was a five-time victim. (JK)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » May 13, 1939: In a 10-player deal, Bobo Newsom goes from the St. Louis Browns, along with Beau Bell, Red Kress, and Jim Walkup, to Detroit for Vern Kennedy, Bob Harris, George Gill, Roxie Lawson, Chet Laabs, and Mark Christman. It is one of the biggest trades of the 1930s. Newsom will rack up 17 wins this year as a Tiger to finish at 20–11. Kennedy will be the reverse, finishing at 9–20, while Gill, 0-1 after two fine seasons with the Tigers, will be 1–12 with the Browns. » March 15, 1941: In Monterrey, Mexico, 6000 fans watch the Browns top the Boston Bees, 6–3. Chet Laabs, fighting to win the RF spot, hits a 400-fit homer in the 7th. » July 17, 1942: The Browns, under Luke Sewell, achieve an 8-game win streak with doubleheader victories 4-2 and 11-1 over the A's. Chet Laabs blasts HRs in both games. During the eight game streak, Laabs hits eight HRs. He will finish second to Ted Williams in the AL with 27 HRs.