Books and articles about Buddy Myer

RELATED LINKS Book Excerpts » "Myer has been a splendid ballplayer ever since coming into the American League in 1925": Fred Lieb » Breaking the Slump: Baseball in the Depression Era by Charles C. Alexander Submissions » The Jewish All-Star Team by Adam W. Green

The Senators' Clark Griffith moaned that it was "the dumbest deal I ever made," after he traded Buddy Myer to the Red Sox for shortstop Topper Rigney in 1927. Rigney lasted for 45 games, while Myer led the league with 30 stolen bases and batted .313 in 1928; Griffith had to give up five players to get Myer back after the season. Myer became Washington's solid second baseman for a decade, leading the league in fielding in 1931 and 1938, and winning the AL batting crown in 1935 with a last-day splurge of base hits. He edged Joe Vosmik, .3495 to .3489, when the Cleveland outfielder tried to nurse his lead by sitting out a game on the last day of the season. Myer was a lefthanded batter so adept at dragging the ball that he beat out 60 bunts in one season. He batted over .300 nine times, and retired at the start of WWII. (JK)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » June 26, 1927: In Washington, the Senators make it three straight over Boston, winning 8–7, scoring all of their runs in the 4th inning. Former Senator Buddy Myer belts a homer off Walter Johnson, who lasts five innings and gets credit for the win. Johnson will serve up six gopher balls to the Red Sox in his career, all in Washington. Goose Goslin homers, off Tony Welzer. » December 15, 1928: The Red Sox trade Buddy Myer back to Washington for P Hod Lisenbee, P Milt Gaston, IF Bobby Reeves, IF Grant Gillis, and OF Elliot Bigelow. Myer will become a top player in the 1930s. » May 6, 1933: Senators 2B Buddy Myer is carried off the field unconscious after being hit by a Whit Wyatt pitch, as Washington tops Detroit 6–2. Earl Whitehill wins despite giving up Hank Greenberg's first ML homer. » May 17, 1935: Washington 2B Buddy Myer is 3-for-3 with four RBIs as the Nats top Detroit, 10–8. » September 29, 1935: Against Washington, Jimmie Foxx slams his 35th homer in the 4th inning to give the A's a 4–2 lead, When the Nats tie, Double X hits his 36th in the 7th to put the A's in the lead. Washington retakes it, but the A's score four to win 11–8. Washington's Buddy Myer goes 4-for-5 to edge out Cleveland's Joe Vosmik for the AL batting title, .349 to .348. In Cleveland's doubleheader, Vosmik pinch hits in game one making an out, and plans on taking the rest of the afternoon off. When he hears that Myers is hot, he plays, going 1-for-3 to "lose" the title. Foxx finishes at .346. » December 10, 1935: Ford Frick is reelected NL president for two years and given a raise. The American League votes down night ball and awards a $500 cash prize for batting leaders retroactive to include Buddy Myer in 1935. » August 10, 1936: Buddy Myer, last year's AL batting champ, is sent home by Washington to recover from a season/long stomach ailment.