January 16
DIZZY DAY
He wasn’t given the name, Dizzy, at his birth on this day in 1910; but was named Jay Hanna Dean. Jay gained the reputation of being dizzy because of his malapropisms, used frequently in his later years.
Dizzy Dean also had a reputation for being a champion baseball pitcher. In fact he was one of baseball’s greatest pitchers, learning the game in the Army. Upon his discharge in 1930, he signed on professionally with the St. Louis Cardinals.
He played only one game in his first year with the Cards. By 1932 he led the league in strikeouts [191], in shutouts [4] and in innings pitched [286]. The following year he was strikeout leader again [199]; setting a one-game record of striking out 17 players in nine innings. 1934 was Dean’s greatest year as he was named the league’s MVP and the AP Male Athlete of the Year. Then, for the fourth year in a row, Dean led the league in strikeouts and added number of wins, games completed and innings pitched to his record book.
America’s baseball hero seemed unstoppable. Unfortunately, during the 1937 All-Star game, a line drive broke the big toe on Dean’s left foot. He returned to the Cards’ Gas House Gang before he was completely healed, and compensating with his arm, seriously damaged it and was never able to pitch as well again.
Dizzy Dean then became a broadcaster for the St. Louis Browns and went on to national broadcast fame on the Mutual Radio net, and the ABC/CBS Game of the Week. His malapropisms became widely heard: “The doctors x-rayed my head and found nothing.” “He slud into third.” Some objected to his misuse of the English language, especially his frequent ‘ain’ts’. Dean’s response was a Will Rogers quote: “A lot of people who don’t say ain’t, ain’t eatin’.”
Dizzy Dean earned his place in the Baseball Hall of Fame and earned the applause of millions of baseball fans worldwide ... and we ain’t kiddin’.
Those Were the Days, the Today in History service from 440 International
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