Word: mize
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What had kept the aged, ailing Yankees in the race? Big, barrel-shaped Veteran Johnny Mize, 37, was one answer. Called up from Kansas City in the spring, he had hit 19 home runs in 68 games. Three other standbys were Sophomore Outfielder Hank Bauer (.341), Shortstop Phil Rizzuto (.330) and Catcher Yogi Berra (.323). They were having the best seasons of their baseball careers...
John Robert Mize, one of the biggest and one of the best first basemen in National League history, left the major leagues yesterday. He hit .320 in 11 years with the St. Louis Cardinals and the New York Giants. On August 23 last year, the Giants waived him out of the league and sold him up the river (Harlem) to the Yankees. He played in only 13 games for the Yanks, mostly as a pinch-hitter, but he got into his first World Series. He pinch hit twice, in two games, hit two singles, and batted in two runs...
...Mize missed out on a lot of good things. With Rip Collins starring at first base, the Cards won three penuants while a groin injury stretched Mize's minor league term to six years. After playing for six years and batting .336 for the Redbirds, he was sold to the Giants in the winter of 1941 for $50,000 and two players. The Cardinals immediately won the first of three consecutive pennants...
...before winning his only championship in '39. He led the league in homers in 1939-40; but when he returned to the Giants in 1946 from three years in the Navy, the Pittsburgh Pirates had a rookie named Ralph Kiner. Kiner played 43 more games than Mize and hit only one more home run to lead the league that year. The next two years Jawn hit 51 and 40; Kiner spoiled the glory with an identical record. At the end of last year, Joe DiMaggio had more home runs than any other active major leaguer: 317. Mize...
...anything happens to Earl Torgeson, manager Billy Southworth will undoubtedly add Mize to the over-lengthening list of ex-Giants on the Boston Braves' roster. It looks like Jawn's only chance...