Mehring Monday 7/27: Appleton's Other Hall of Famers
This
piece was originally written in 2008 for PLAYBALL!
Since the
The election of Goose Gossage
to the National Baseball Hall of Fame marks the first time a player who has worn
the uniform of an
Travis
Jackson had been in baseball for many
years by the time he became the manager of the Appleton Papermakers of the
Wisconsin State League. He was a
shortstop known for hustle and clutch hits on the New York Giant teams from
1921-1936. He was a coach for the
Giants and also managed in the minors for teams like the Jersey City Giants, the
Jackson Senators, the Tampa Smokers, the Owensboro Oilers, the Bluefield
Blue-Grays, and the Hartford Chiefs before making it to
After his time with the
Papermakers,
The Waldo,
The Veterans Committee voted
him to join the Hall in 1982. His
plaque begins Premier defensive shortstop who swung a productive bat.
Known for outstanding arm and exceptional range.
And he spent two seasons in
Earl
Weaver is best known for his only
managerial stop in the major leagues. Weaver
was the man in charge of The Oriole Way from 1968 through 1982 and again from
1985-1986. His Orioles won the AL
East 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1974, and 1979. They made it to the World Series
from 1969-1971 and again in 1979 with a championship over the Cincinnati Reds in
1970.
He began his managerial career
in the South Atlantic League on August 8, 1956 for the Knoxville Smokies.
He was just 10-24 in the final 34 games of that season after replacing
Dick Bartell. Weaver had better luck
at his next few stops Fitzgerald (GA) and Dublin (GA) in the Georgia-Florida
League and Aberdeen (SD) in the Northern League, but his first championship was
his first season in
The year was 1960 and Weaver
took over the Foxes from another future major league manager, Jack McKeon, as
the Orioles became the new parent club in place of the Washington Senators.
Weaver had Boog Powell at first base and that team won the Three I League
with an 82-56 record.
Weaver also spent the 1961
season with the Foxes and the team went 67-62.
The Orioles kept moving Weaver up the ladder as he went on to the Elmira
Pioneers (1962-1965) of the Eastern League and the Rochester Red Wings
(1966-1967) of the International League. When
he got his chance with
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