The Biggest Deal in Baseball History? Ask the Chamber of Commerce
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by user Harold Friend
A few weeks after the Giants lost the 1923 World Series, St. Louis Cardinals owner Sam Breadon and manager Branch Rickey came to New York to see New York Giants manager John McGraw. The purpose of their visit was to trade their second baseman, the National League's greatest slugger, Rogers Hornsby, to the Giants. The reason? Well, it seems that Hornsby was "...marked for the auction block because he forgot himself and punched Manager Rickey on the nose once or twice last season."
In 1923, the twenty seven year old Rogers Hornsby hit .384 with 17 home runs, a .459 on base average, and a .627 slugging average. The Giants' second baseman, Frankie Frisch, was three years Hornsby's junior. Frisch batted .348, hit 12 home runs, but had a below .500 slugging average. However, Frisch still managed to knock in 111 runs. He also stole 29 bases.
McGraw spoke to reporters before meeting Breadon and Rickey. The erstwhile Giants manager declared in no uncertain terms that the Cardinals were asking too much for Hornsby. They wanted Frankie Frisch, a player McGraw felt was Hornsby's equal. McGraw also told reporters that he wouldn't pay the $250,000 in a straight cash deal that the Cardinals were demanding.
The newspapers speculated that the Giants needed a box office attraction to compete with the Yankees' Babe Ruth. While Hornsby didn't hit home runs at a Ruthian pace, the Rajah usually led hitters with batting averages close to .400. They also speculated that the Cardinals would include first baseman Jim Bottomley in the deal. Bottomley, who was only twenty three, hit .371.
The trade was made, but not in 1923. In 1926, after winning the World Series, Sam Breadon traded Hornsby to the Giants for Frisch and pitcher Jimmy Ring. Cardinals management had had its fill of Hornsby. The player who is generally rated as the greatest right handed hitter in baseball history had an acerbic tongue and a penchant to reject authority, two traits that do not sit well with those in power.
Hornsby had a barbed wire personality. He was a cold individual, contentious, belligerent, and hardly ever minced words. He spoke his mind, which upset many. If the owner came into the clubhouse at a bad time, Hornsby told him to leave, to stop harassing his players, and to leave him alone or else get someone else to do his job. Breadon took it all until it came down to money. Following the World Championship, Hornsby wanted a three year contract at $50,000 a year. Breadon refused and made the trade with the Giants in return for Frankie Frisch.
The trade was called the biggest deal in baseball history. It involved players worth more than one half million dollars and gave New York City the greatest home run hitter in the Yankees' Babe Ruth and the six time consecutive batting champion in Hornsby. The Giants gladly agreed to Hornsby's $50,000 a year demand because he was the box office draw they longed for.
Neither Hornsby nor Frisch was thrilled to be dealt. Hornsby said "It doesn't look right that I should be traded from a club that I just managed to a world championship." Frisch, who was born in New York City, was stunned. "It's pretty hot out there, but I suppose I'll play." Did he ever.
Frankie Frisch, the Fordham Flash, was a great clutch hitter who almost always made contact. At the time of the trade he was considered the greatest of all World Series players, holding the record of hitting at least .300 or better in four different World Series. Frisch was a spectacular fielder who had dazzling speed but he was "...below form in both 1925 and 1926, hitting only .314 his last season."
There is a fascinating sidebar to the trade. The St. Louis Chamber of Commerce telegraphed baseball commissioner Landis, asking him to void the deal and to settle the dispute between Breadon and Hornsby. The Chamber of Commerce stated that the trade was against the best interests of baseball and that it would have a negative impact on the Cardinals' fans. The telegram was about as effective as attempting to extinguish a war by asking for United Nations intervention.
Nineteen twenty six was a great year for the Cardinals, but it was actually an off year for their manager. Hornsby batted only .317 with 11 home runs compared to his previous seasons when he hit over .400 in 1922, 1924, and 1925. Hornsby rebounded in his one season with the Giants, hitting .361 with 26 home runs, but McGraw and Giants' owner Charles Stoneham were no happier with Hornsby than was Breadon. He was traded to the Braves.
In St. Louis, Frisch became the leader of the Gashouse Gang, helping the Redbirds to pennants in 1930 and 1931 and a World Championship in 1931. Frisch batted .346 on the 1930 pennant winners, .311 on the 1931 World Champions, and is in the Hall of Fame. Hornsby went on to finish his career with a .358 batting average, but he never made it big in New York, which simply demonstrates that it is not necessary to have played in New York to be considered one of baseball's all time greats.
References:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/h/hornsro01.shtml
http://www.baseball-reference.com/f/friscfr01.shtml
http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/bottoji01.shtml
http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/H/Hornsby_Rogers.stm
"Rickey Comes Here to Trade Hornsby." New York Times. 10 Nov 1923, p.11.
Harrison, James R. "Giants Get Hornsby; Trade Big Surprise; Record Baseball Deal Sends Frisch and Ring to Cardinals for Famous Batsman." New York Times. 21 Dec 1926, p.1.
"St.Louis Aroused Over Hornsby Deal; Mayor and Chamber of Commerce Move to Prevent Trade With the Giants." New York Times. 22 December 1926, p.17
Date
Fri 08/04/06, 8:37 am EST
