Description:
Frankie Frisch, nicknamed "The Fordham Flash" or "The Old Flash", was an American professional baseball second baseman and manager. He played in Major League Baseball for the New York Giants (1919–1926) and St. Louis Cardinals (1927–1937), and managed the Cardinals (1933–1938), Pittsburgh Pirates (1940–1946), and Chicago Cubs (1949–1951). He is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum.
Beginning his career after graduating from Fordham University, where he had starred in four sports (it was there that Frisch earned his nickname &qu
Frankie Frisch, nicknamed "The Fordham Flash" or "The Old Flash", was an American professional baseball second baseman and manager. He played in Major League Baseball for the New York Giants (1919–1926) and St. Louis Cardinals (1927–1937), and managed the Cardinals (1933–1938), Pittsburgh Pirates (1940–1946), and Chicago Cubs (1949–1951). He is a member of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum and the St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Fame Museum.
Beginning his career after graduating from Fordham University, where he had starred in four sports (it was there that Frisch earned his nickname "The Fordham Flash"), Frisch signed with the New York Giants of the National League, moving directly to the majors in 1919 without playing in the minor leagues. He made an immediate impact, finishing 3rd in the NL in stolen bases and 7th in RBI in 1920, his first full season. Manager John McGraw was so taken with Frisch's attitude that he soon named him team captain, giving him advice in baserunning and hitting. The Giants played Frisch at both third base and second base early in his career, but by 1923 he was installed as the team's full-time second baseman.
Frisch was an excellent hitter, having batted over .300 in his last six seasons with New York. He was also an expert fielder and a skilled baserunner. In 1921, he led the National League with 48 steals, in 1923 in hits, and in 1924 in runs. With Frisch adding his fiery competitiveness to the team, the Giants won the World Series in 1921 and 1922, winning the NL pennant the following two seasons as well.
After the 1926 season, Frisch was traded - with pitcher Jimmy Ring - to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for star 2B Rogers Hornsby. After an August loss in which Frisch had missed a sign, costing the Giants a run, McGraw had loudly berated Frisch in front of the team; Frisch responded by leaving the team, and his previously close relationship with McGraw was virtually over, leading to the trade.
Playing second base for the Cardinals, Frisch appeared in four more World Series (1928, 1930, 1931 and1934), bringing his career total to eight. He was the driving force of the "Gas House Gang", the nickname for the Cardinals clubs of the early 1930s which were built around him to reflect his no-holds-barred approach. The Cardinals had won only one pennant before Frisch joined the team; the Giants would win the pennant only once in Frisch's nine seasons as the Cards' regular second baseman. Perhaps his most impressive feat in St. Louis was winning over the fans in the wake of the Hornsby trade; his ability to consistently hit over .300, along with his defense and baserunning - both substantially better than Hornsby's - were significant factors in his favor.
Frisch played 11 seasons with the Cardinals. In 1931 he was voted the Most Valuable Player in the National League after batting .311 with 10 home runs and 114 RBI. The 1931 Cardinals also triumphed in the World Series, defeating Connie Mack's defending two-time champion Philadelphia Athletics in seven games.
Frisch became player-manager of the Cardinals in 1933, taking over for Gabby Street, and was named to the NL's first three All-Star teams from 1933 to 1935. In 1934, he managed the Cardinals to another seven-game World Series victory - this time over the Detroit Tigers.
Frisch finished his playing career in 1937 Cardinals. His career statistics show a .316 batting average, with 2880 hits, 1532 runs, 105 home runs and 1244 RBI. He also stole 419 bases in his 19 playing seasons. His hit total stood as the record for switch-hitters until Pete Rose broke it in 1977.
For a few years in the 1950s, he worked as a radio play-by-play announcer and coach for the New York Giants. His broadcasting trademark was worrying about pitchers walking batters: "Oh, those bases on balls!" A heart attack in 1956 forced him to curtail his activities.
Frankie Frisch died in Wilmington, DE on March 12, 1973, from injuries suffered from a car accident near Elkton, MD one month earlier.
In 1999, he ranked number 88 on The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was a nominee for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.
... (more)
(less)
Tags: New York (1), Baseball (1), Bronx (1), New York City (1), Born 1897 (1), Fordham University (1), Died 1973 (1), St. Louis Cardinals (1), Baseball Hall Of Fame (1), Second Baseman (1), Baseball Announcer (1), New York Giants (Baseball) (1), Fordham Preparatory School (1), Fordham Rams (1)
My tags:
Add tags
Login
United States
