DATE: 1970s ORIGINAL or REPRINT: Original - Printed from the original negative in the time period in which it was shot TEAM: Detroit Tigers SUBJECTS: Joe Cronin, Joe Schultz Jr APPROXIMATE SIZE: 7"x5" NUMBER OF PHOTOS: 1 COMMENTS / CONDITION: This is one of a large accumulation of vintage sports photographs, slides and negatives that we will be listing over the coming months. 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: Joseph Edward Cronin was born in San Francisco, CA and died in 1984 in Osterville, MA. He played major league baseball from 1926 to 1945 as infielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Washington Senators and the Boston Red Sox, appeared in the 1933 World Series, was selected 7 times as an All-Star, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1956. In 1930, Cronin had a break out year, batting .346 with 13 home runs and 126 RBI. Cronin won both the AL Writers' MVP (forerunner of BBWAA official MVP established in 1931) and the AL Sporting News MVP for his work in 1930. His 1931 season was also outstanding, posting a .306 average, 12 home runs and 126 RBI. Cronin assumed managerial duties in 1933, a role he would continue with the Boston Red Sox, the team he was traded to prior to the 1935 season, by Senators' owner Clark Griffith - his own uncle-by-marriage. Cronin retired as a player in 1945 (though he was only a part-time player after 1941), but remained as manager of the Red Sox until 1947. At the end of the 1947 season, he succeeded Eddie Collins as general manager of the Red Sox and continued in that post through mid-January 1959. The Red Sox challenged for the AL pennant in 1948-49 (finishing second by a single game both seasons) thanks to Cronin's aggressive trades, but they began a slow decline during the 1950s and did not seriously contend after 1950. While most attention has been focused on the Red Sox being the last major league team to integrate its roster (Cronin once passed on signing a young Willie Mays), another factor was a large number of "bonus babies" who never panned out. In January 1959, Cronin was elected president of the American League, the first former player to be so elected. Six months later, on July 21, 1959, infielder Pumpsie Green was recalled from the AAA Minneapolis Millers, becoming the first African-American to wear a Red Sox uniform. Cronin served as AL president until the end of 1973, when he was succeeded by Lee MacPhail. His jersey number 4 was formally retired by the Red Sox on May 29, 1984. In 1999, he was named as a finalist to the Major League Baseball All-Century Team. Joseph Charles Schultz Jr. (Dode) was born in 1918 in Chicago, IL and died in 1996 in St.Louis, MO. He played major league baseball from 1939 to 1948 as catcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the St. Louis Browns. In 1949, Schultz served as a coach with the Browns, and then managed in the minor leagues from 1950-62, returning to the Cardinals' organization in 1958. He became a Redbird coach in 1963 and worked with three National League pennant winners (1964, 1967 and 1968), and two world championship clubs (1964, 1967) through 1968.Schultz also served as a third-base coach for the Kansas City Royals in 1970 and the Detroit Tigers from 1971-76. The success of the Cardinals led to Schultz's 1969 opportunity with the Pilots. But the team (which played at a minor league facility) had stadium problems and an unstable, undercapitalized ownership. It was outdrafted by its fellow expansion team, the Kansas City Royals, during the player selection lottery, and finished in last place in the new American League West division, with a mark of 64-98 (.395). The Pilots' on-field struggles were dwarfed by the team's ownership and financial problems during the off-season and 1970 spring training, however. With the new season fast approaching, the Pilots were purchased by a group headed by Bud Selig and transferred to Milwaukee, where they have remained since. Schultz was released as manager as the team struggled in limbo during the 1969-70 offseason. He coached with the Royals (1970) and the Detroit Tigers (1971-76) before leaving baseball. He compiled a 14-14 mark as acting manager of the 1973 Tigers, replacing the fired Billy Martin, giving him a career record of 78-112 (.411) as a major league skipper. Apart from that assignment, Schultz never managed in the majors again after the Pilots collapsed. His career may not have been helped by an unflattering portrayal of him in Ball Four, the controversial memoir of the '69 season by Seattle pitcher Jim Bouton that was released in 1970. Bouton tells humorous anecdotes about Schultz and some of the motivational speeches he gave to the Pilots. The author claims that Schultz was well liked by his team, but some of his choices were questioned by the players. In a later anthology on managers Bouton edited, I Managed Good, But Boy Did They Play Bad, however, Bouton noted Schultz's sense of humor and added that, given the circumstances of the last-place team, "I couldn't have had a better manager than Joe Schultz." Joe was the son of Joe Schultz Sr., and the cousin of Frank Lobert and Hans Lobert. SKU: L14231
Item: L14231
|