Books and articles about Sammy Taylor

RELATED LINKS Book Excerpts » "Taylor sees Musial running, so he throws the ball he got from the umpire and the ball goes out into center field": Moe Drabowsky » "Taylor called for a fastball to Musial, and I shook him off and threw a curve": Glen Hobbie Around the Web » Sammy Taylor from baseball-reference.com Jump directly to Library content from any website!

Taylor reached career highs of 109 games, 13 home runs, and a .269 average for the 1959 Cubs. That June 30, he was involved in a bizarre situation when two balls were put into play at one time. With a 3-1 count on Stan Musial, umpire Vic Delmore called ball four, but Taylor argued that the pitch had been fouled. He stood at the plate, arguing, as the ball rolled to the backstop. Musial took off for second as the dispute continued, and third baseman Alvin Dark ran to retrieve the ball, which had been tossed by the bat boy to field announcer Pat Peiper, who let it drop so that Dark could field it. Meanwhile, umpire Delmore had routinely handed a new ball to Taylor. Pitcher Bob Anderson threw the ball to second at the same time that Dark's throw of the first ball reached shortstop Ernie Banks. As Anderson's high throw went into the outfield, Musial thought he would continue to third, but Banks tagged him out with the initial ball. The umpires erroneously ruled Musial out despite the bat boy's having touched the ball. (RTM)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » December 5, 1957: The Cubs send veteran Bob Rush and two players to the Braves for C Sammy Taylor and P Taylor Phillips. » April 11, 1959: After being snowed out yesterday, the Cubs open at home against the Dodgers, Don Drysdale hits his 1st Opening Day home run, but it is the only Dodger score against Bob Anderson. Drysdale goes five innings and the Dodgers lose to the Cubs, 6–1. Sammy Taylor has four RBIs for the Cubs. » June 30, 1959: At Wrigley, a bizarre play occurs in the 4th inning when two balls are put into play. On a 3–1 count, Bob Anderson's pitch to Stan Musial is wild and bounces back to the screen. Catcher Sammy Taylor ignores the ball, assuming it ticked off Musial's bat, but Cubs 3B Alvin Dark rushes in to retrieve the wild pitch/foul tip. The bat boy tosses the ball to field announcer Pat Piper, and Dark finally retrieves it from him. Meanwhile home plate ump Vic Delmore has handed a second ball to Anderson. Through all this, Musial reaches first with what he thinks is ball four, and then streaks for 2B. Simultaneously, Dark and Anderson fire to the bag. Anderson's throw goes into CF, but Dark's to Banks catches the sliding Musial. Stan ignores the tag and rambles to 3B as play is stopped. Delmore then rules Musial is out at 2B, while Al Barlick rules Stan safe at 1B. Both managers play the game under protest, but the Cards drop theirs after dropping the Cubs, 4–1. The National League will drop Vic Delmore at the end of the season. » July 1, 1963: The Reds send C Jesse Gonder and cash to the Mets for 3B Charlie Neal and C Sammy Taylor. Cincinnati also sells 2B Don Blasingame to Washington.