DICK BARTELL

Dick Bartell arrived on the baseball scene in 1927 and played until 1946. In his eighteen years in the big leagues he played in 2,106 games, collected 2,165 hits and ended his career with a .284 batting average. No slouch with the glove, Dick left a fielding average of .953, in those days before artificial turf infields and oversized gloves. That's higher than all but five of the 18 shortstops now enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

In addition, he played in three World Series in which he compiled a .294 batting mark, including .381 in the 1936 Series for the N.Y. Giants. Added to this, Dick was elected in the first All Star Game ever played (1933) and again in 1937.

He got his nickname "Rowdy Richard" for his aggressive style of play and fiery attitude, but at 5'9" and 160 pounds he let none of the bigger guys push him around. In short, he was a tough kid playing in the hard times of the Great Depression.

While old-timers remember Rowdy Richard as one of the premier shortstops of the late 1920's and all through the 1930's, little is ever written about what he brought to the clubs he played for. Dick was involved in several trades, never as an afterthought, but as a key figure in those trades. After three seasons over .300 with the Pirates, he was traded to the Phillies in 1931. He helped those perennial cellar dwellers finish fourth in 1932, the only first division finish for a Phillies' team in a thirty two year period, 1918-1949! Bill Terry, manager of the Giants, implored owner Horace Stoneham with "Get me Bartell and I'll give you a pennant." A trade was made and Rowdy Richard helped the Giants win two pennants, 1936 and 1937. Finally, in his one year in the American League, 1940, he teamed up with Charley Gehringer to give the fifth place 1939 Tigers an American League pennant.

Dick died on August 4, 1995 in Alameda, California. He was eighty seven years old and a winner until the day he died.