Books and articles about Ernie Lombardi

Famed for his long hits, lead feet, and large nose, Lombardi was one of baseball's top catchers during the 1930s and 1940s. The only catcher to win two batting titles, his consistently high batting averages were achieved despite his legendary lack of speed. Contemporary Billy Herman said later: "I don't think anybody could top him. But he was so slow afoot that those infielders could play him so deep that he just didn't have any place to hit the ball. He had to hit it over the fence or against the fence or just too hard for anybody to be able to make a play." Lombardi's powerful line smashes were legendary; he hit with his fingers interlocked so he could grip his bat, the league's heaviest, closer to the end.

Image provided by Matthew Fulling

SHOPPING » Look for Ernie Lombardi books at BN.com » Look for Ernie Lombardi books at Amazon.com Your purchases keep BaseballLibrary.com online. Thank you!

RELATED LINKS Book Excerpts » Breaking the Slump: Baseball in the Depression Era by Charles C. Alexander Submissions » Iron Men Catchers: Catching the Majority of a Team's Games by Chuck Rosciam Ask The Experts » Who was the only catcher to catch back-to-back no-hitters? Around the Web » Ernie Lombardi from baseball-reference.com » Ernie Lombardi from thebaseballpage.com Jump directly to Library content from any website!

Lombardi broke into baseball with Oakland of the Pacific Coast League at age eighteen. After being sent out to Ogden for seasoning, he had three outstanding seasons, catching 120, 164, and 146 games and hitting .377, .366, and .370. The Dodgers bought his contract in 1931, but though he hit a strong .297, they traded him to Cincinnati in a six-player deal in March 1932.

His greatest years were with the Reds, catching over 100 games for ten straight seasons and hitting .300 in seven. Twice he led NL catchers in fielding. In 1938, he won the NL MVP award by becoming only the second catcher to ever lead a major league in hitting (.342), while cracking 19 homers and driving in 95 runs. That season he caught Johnny Vander Meer's consecutive no-hitters. He was a mainstay for the 1939 Reds pennant winners and 1940 World Champions.

The 1939 WS saw an incident that haunted his career. In the 10th inning of the fourth and final game, Yankee Charlie Keller crashed into him in a close play at the plate. Lombardi was stunned and another Yankee run scored while he lay on the ground. Newspapers unfairly called it "Lombardi's Swoon."

Sold to the Braves in 1942, he won his second batting title (.330) and then spent his final five ML seasons with the Giants.

In his later years, he was bitter because he was not named to baseball's Hall of Fame. Eight years after his death, he was enshrined by the Veterans Committee. (MC)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » January 19, 1931: Acting under a new draft agreement with the Pacific Coast League, Brooklyn purchases the contract of Ernie Lombardi from Oakland. » March 14, 1932: Babe Herman is traded to Cincinnati by the Dodgers. Catching prospect Ernie Lombardi goes with him as a throw in, making it one of Cincy's best trades ever. The Dodgers acquire Tony Cuccinello, Joe Stripp, and Clyde Sukeforth. » May 8, 1935: Reds backstop Ernie Lombardi equals the major-league record with four straight doubles, all in consecutive innings (6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th) and each off a different pitcher: Syl Johnson, Orville Jorgens, Euel Moore, and Franklin Pearce. The slow-footed Lombardi also has a "long single" in the 23-hit, 15–4 win over the Phillies in game 1. The Reds collect seven doubles and two homers. In the nitecap, the Phils snap their nine game losing streak with a 5–4 victory. » April 28, 1937: In a game against the Reds, Cubs P Larry French gets a bone broken in his right hand when he is hit by Ernie Lombardi's line drive. » May 9, 1937: Reds C Ernie Lombardi ties the modern major-league record with six hits (5 singles and a double) in six consecutive times at bat, as Cincinnati routs Philadelphia 21–10 on 24 hits. Alex Kampouris tallies eight RBIs for the Reds on three homers, one a grand slam. » November 1, 1938: National League batting champ Ernie Lombardi is named MVP by the BBWAA. Chicago P Bill Lee is runner-up. » October 8, 1939: In the 10th inning of game 4, the Reds make 3 errors and watch in shock as the Yankees run wild. The inning is climaxed by Joe DiMaggio's slide across the plate left unguarded by Ernie Lombardi, who was stunned by a kick in the groin by the preceding runner, Charlie Keller. The Yankees sweep the Reds and win their 4th straight World Championship. » August 3, 1940: With Ernie Lombardi hurt, Reds C Willard Hershberger is hitting .309 after taking over. However, depressed in recent weeks, Hershberger commits suicide by slashing his throat in Boston's Copley Plaza Hotel. Hershberger blamed himself for calling wrong pitches in the July 31st 5–4 10-inning loss to New York. Leading 4–1, Bucky Walters retired the first two batters in the 9th and had two strikes on each of the next four batters. But Harry Danning and Burgess Whitehead each homered with a man on. Hershberger's father also committed suicide, in 1928. » September 18, 1940: The Reds clinch the NL flag, outdistancing the Dodgers and the late-rushing Cardinals. Bill McKechnie's Cincinnati team makes only 117 errors during the season, 18 less than any previous team. The .981 fielding mark is the best up to this time. The defense, plus the pitching of Bucky Walters, Paul Derringer, and reliever Joe Beggs, brings the 2nd straight NL flag to the Reds, despite multiple injuries to Ernie Lombardi. The big catcher went down again September 15th, and with Hershberger's suicide, the club turns to 39-year-old coach Jimmy Wilson for some of the backstopping. Wilson will end up as a WS hero. » May 7, 1941: At the Polo Grounds, Reds SS Eddie Joost accepts a record 19 chances as Cincinnati edges New York, 1–0. In addition to his 10 assists and nine putouts, Joost has a throwing error and the game's only stolen base. Ernie Lombardi's homer accounts for the only run as Bucky Walters is the winner over Prince Hal Schumacher in a battle of veterans. Both pitchers keep the ball down and each outfield accounts for a single flyout, tying the ML mark for fewest chances by two teams. » May 22, 1941: A smart play by the Reds Lonny Frey helps Cincy to a 6–4 win over the Giants. With one out and the sacks full in the 1st, Chuck Aleno hits a DP grounder to short. Frey, running from 2B, allows the ball to hit him for an out, stopping play and putting Aleno on 1B. Ernie Lombardi then hits a grand slam. Frank McCormick adds a 2-run home run in the 3rd. » May 29, 1941: The Cards nip the Reds 10–9 for their 10th straight win. The last five are one run victories. The Reds almost pull the game out, scoring three in the 9th, but Marty Marion snags a Ernie Lombardi line drive and doubles up Ernie Koy at 2B. » February 7, 1942: Cincinnati stirs the hometown fans by selling popular Ernie Lombardi to the Boston Braves, where he will win the batting title in 1942 with a .330 average. » February 8, 1942: At California's Folsom prison, the annual game between major leaguers and the prison team is stopped when it's discovered that two prisoners have escaped. With the pros leading 24-5 at the end of seven innings, the game ends and guards go after the two lifers, who are found three hours later. The major leaguers include Ernie Lombardi, Ernie Bonham, Gus Suhr, Joe Marty, and Johnny Babich. » September 15, 1946: Ernie Lombardi of the Giants slams the ball 483 feet under the stairway in right-center of the Polo Grounds, but barely makes 3B. It is the 3rd triple in 7 years for Schnozz and the last of his career. » March 10, 1986: Ernie Lombardi, the NL MVP in 1938, and Bobby Doerr, a 9-time AL All-Star, are elected to the Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee. » August 3, 1986: Willie McCovey, Bobby Doerr, and Ernie Lombardi are inducted into baseball's Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. » September 21, 2002: Behind Wade Miller's 12th straight win, Houston beats the Cardinals, 6–3. Miller's streak ties a club record. Lance Berkman has a double and homer, driving in three runs, and Eli Marrero hits a home run for the 3rd straight game. Miller's batterymate Brad Ausmus collects his 1000th career hit, but also ties the NL record with his 30th GIDP of the season. Ernie Lombardi had 30 GIDP to set the mark.