THIS BROUGHT IN AN INDIAN RUNAl Dark, Boston shortstop cuts loose with a wild throw to first base after taking a toss from second baseman Eddie Stanky to force Dale Mitchell, Cleveland outfielder in third inning of today's third World Series game. Larry Doby had grounded to Stanky and the wild throw enabled Indian hurler Gene Bearden to score from second. Arrow points to ball.
DATE: 10-8-1948
ORIGINAL or REPRINT: Type 3 - Second or later-generation photo, printed from a duplicate negative or wire photo process, within about 2 years of when it was shot
TEAM: Boston Braves
SUBJECTS: Al Dark, Eddie Stanky, Dale Mitchell, Frank McCormick, Mel Harder
APPROXIMATE SIZE: 8-1/8"x10"
NUMBER OF PHOTOS: 1
COMMENTS / CONDITION: This is one of a number of photos to be offered which hail from the personal collection of All-Star player and manager Eddie Stanky. Wear on these, if any, is mostly confined to minor corner and edge wear, but see scans for further details including condition. We do not deal in stock images or modern reprints, and all scans shown are of the actual vintage photograph, slide or negative being sold. If you have any questions about a particular piece, please ask before the auction ends.
BIO: Alvin Ralph Dark (Blackie, The Swamp Fox) was born in 1922 in Comanche, OK and died in 2014 in Easley, SC. He went to college at Louisiana State University. He played major league baseball from 1946 to 1960 as infielder for the Boston Braves, New York Giants, St. Louis Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and the Milwaukee Braves, appeared in the 1948, 1951 and 1954 World Series, and was selected 3 times as an All-Star. He was the 1948 Rookie of the Year with the Boston Braves. After his playing career ended, he took over as manager of the San Francisco Giants in 1961 and led the team to the 1962 World Series. That was where he earned his nickname Swamp Fox, when he tried flooding the basepaths at Candlestick Park in order to impede the fast baserunners of the Los Angeles Dodgers. After four years at the helm of the Giants, he was a Chicago Cubs coach in 1965. The next season, he took over as skipper of the Kansas City Athletics, a position he held for almost two seasons. In 1968, Dark became manager of the Cleveland Indians, and the next season he was given the title of the team's General Manager as well. He was fired from both posts in 1971. In 1974, he was named manager of the Oakland Athletics, replacing Dick Williams who had quit in disgust over owner Charles Finley's shenanigans after winning the 1973 World Series. Dark took the club back to the World Series in his first year with them, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games. He remained with the A's through 1975, winning a second division title that year. Dark began the 1977 season as part of the Cubs coaching staff and ended the year as the San Diego Padres manager. He later worked in the Chicago White Sox front office in the mid-1980s.
Edward Raymond Stanky (The Brat or Muggsy) was born in 1915 in Philadelphia, PA and died in 1999 in Fairhope, AL. He played major league baseball from 1943 to 1953 as infielder for the Chicago Cubs, Brooklyn Dodgers, Boston Braves, New York Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals, appeared in the 1947, 1948 and 1951 World Series, and was selected 3 times as an All-Star. His Giants manager Leo Durocher once summed up Stanky's talents: "He can't hit, can't run, can't field. He's no nice guy... all the little SOB can do is win."
Loren Dale Mitchell was born in Colony, OK and died in 1987 in Tulsa, OK. He went to college at the University of Oklahoma. He played major league baseball from 1946 to 1956 as outfielder for the Cleveland Indians and 4 games with the Brooklyn Dodgers, appeared in the 1948, 1954 and 1956 World Series, and was selected in 1949 and 1952 as an All-Star. L. Dale Mitchell Baseball Park at the University of Oklahoma is named in his honor.
Frank Andrew McCormick (Buck) was born in New York, NY and died in 1982 in Manhasset, NY. He played major league baseball from 1934 to 1948 as 1st baseman for the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies and the Boston Braves, appeared in the 1939, 1940 and 1948 World Series, and was selected 9 times as an All-Star. In 1958, McCormick became the Reds analyst on WLWT-TV, where he stayed through the 1968 season.
Melvin Leroy Harder (Chief) was born in 1909 in Beemer, NE and died in 2002 in Chardon, OH. He played major league baseball from 1928 to 1947 as pitcher for the Cleveland Indians, and was selected 4 times as an All-Star. Harder also managed the Cleveland Indians from 1961-62.
SKU: XP12574
Item: XP12574