Looking Back: Larry Gilbert Day in 1948

  Larry Gilbert was the Nashville Vols manager for 10 seasons and previously a 15-year legend of the Southern Association's New Orleans Pelicans. Gilbert decided during the 1948 season that he would retire as manager and join the Vols front office as general manager.
   His intentions were to make the announcement of his retirement after the season, but was persuaded to make the announcement during a special night. Therefore on September 8, 1948, "Larry Gilbert Day" was planned in the Sulphur Dell ballpark with many dignitaries in attendance. Over 8,000 fans attended the ceremony.
   Legendary Nashville Banner sportswriter, Fred Russell, had the future in mind when he wrote in his "Sidelines" column before Gilbert's special day. Russell's column led with the heading "For Historians in the Year 2148." He wrote:
   "Come the year 2000 (won't that number seem odd to the first letter-writers after midnight, December 31, 1999), I'm certain that some researchers will be going to the newspaper files seeking information about an almost legendary baseball character named Larry Gilbert.
   "So this, on Wednesday, September 8, 1948, is in the nature of a column for 50 or 100 or 200 years from now. For 2048, or even 2148. I want to tell future historians that Larry Gilbert was real. Moreover, he was the most extraordinary sports personality I've ever known.
   "He was the most successful manager ever in the Southern Association. Indeed he held the best long-distance managing record in the history of baseball-out of the first division three times in 25 years. He brought Nashville a stretch of baseball prosperity (1939-48) enjoyed by few if any cities. His feat of capturing six straight playoff championships was an all-time minor league record."
   Russell had the correct foresight. Now, nearly 70 years later in 2017, Gilbert is the subject of another story on his fabulous baseball career with his name and record prominently mentioned in most minor league history books, especially in the South. For any researcher and writer of Nashville and Southern Association baseball history, Larry Gilbert's name will always appear.
   Russell continued with his column on Gilbert's strong moral character:
   "Principals and honorable practices in business and sports, in politics and international affairs, seem to sag, with the quickening world pace and its interesting complexities. Thus it may be difficult for you to believe completely what is related here. I only wish you could have known this man.
   "Larry Gilbert was a person who didn't know how to speak anything but the truth. Remember that rough and tumble baseball had its sharp dealings within. Then, in industry so dependant upon publicity and goodwill, there comes times when it is tempting to dodge questions, withhold facts or twist an angle."
   Gilbert's first exposure to professional baseball was as a scoreboard boy at old Athletic Park in his hometown New Orleans. At age 18, he signed with his frost pro contract with Victoria of the Texas League.
   Later, the Boston Braves secured his contract. In 1914, Gilbert played 72 games with the Dodgers and was on their roster in the World Series against the Philadelphia A's. Gilbert walked in his only plate appearance as the Dodgers swept the A's in four games. Subsequently, the New Orleans Pelicans obtained his contact. After the 1919 season Gilbert rejected an opportunity to play for Cleveland to remain in New Orleans.
   Gilbert became the Pelicans' manager in 1923 where he became a Southern Association legend. In New Orleans, he won four championships, including his first year, through 1938. Gilbert is credited with bringing the Nashville Vols into the golden age of baseball. After the 1938 season, Gilbert was swayed to manage the Vols and become a part-owner.
   The Southern Association adopted a playoff system in 1935 in which the first four teams competed to determine the league's representative against the representative of the Texas League. This was referred to as the Shaughnessy Playoffs. The Dixie Series involved the representatives of the Southern Association and Texas League.
   Nashville broke a 23-year championship drought in his second season. During his 10 years in Nashville, the Vols won four Southern Association championships, four Shaughnessy titles and three Dixie crowns. Gilbert won his fourth title during his final year.
   Russell wrote the day after the Gilbert celebration with the caption "Baseball's Hall of Fame May Be Final Award For Larry Gilbert:"
   "'The greatest tribute ever paid a living person in baseball.' That's how last night's Silver Jubilee celebration for Larry Gilbert was summed up by Bill Keefe of New Orleans, one of the many Southern sports writers coming here especially for the occasion, who also wrote:
   "'Commissioner [A. B.] Happy Chandler told me that in his opinion Larry Gilbert had contributed as much to baseball as any one in the history of the game. I feel that a nomination of Gilbert for baseball's Hall of Fame would receive favorable action.'"
   "The old Dell has known no more touching moment than the conclusion of Gilbert's response to eulogies and gifts. 'I had hoped to win a pennant in this my 25^th year of managing,' he said. 'I'm proud of this club of ours and I believe that they will battle on to win the pennant, the playoffs and Dixie Series. Win or not, though, I have decided to retire as active manager when we finish up the year.'
   "Larry's eyes were filling with tears. His voice was cracking.
   "'I want to thank every friend here from the bottom of my heart…thank you, fans…'
   "Larry couldn't get out any more words. Swallowing hard wouldn't drown the lump in his throat. Now his cheeks were wet. Strains of 'Auld Lang Syne' came from the Ryan band. The crowd stood. Ted Murray and Charlie Hurth stepped over to embrace Larry, arming him gently toward the Vols dugout.
   "Men's eyes watered. They just gritted and looked far off. Women were not ashamed to get out their handkerchiefs. In a baseball park it was an unforgettable scene."
   Murray was the Nashville Vols' president while Hurth was the Southern Association's president. The Elks Lodge sponsored the evening's events. Gilbert was presented with a Chrysler and a silver service from the league.
   Gilbert "received everything from a spoon to a TV set." The inscription on the silver service read, "To Larry Gilbert for 25 years of Cordial Relations." Following the game that the Vols won 7-5, a buffet dinner was held at the Elks Lodge.
   After being encouraged by the fans Chandler, a Kentuckian, sang "My Old Kentucky Home." Other dignitaries at the event were Nashville mayor Tom Cummings, George Trautman (head of the minor leagues), Hall of Famer Mel Ott, former Vols' players Hugh Hill, Humpty McElveen and Hub Perdue, Bill Schwartz (former Vols' manager), James T. Gallagher (Cubs general manager), owners and officials from each Southern Association's club, baseball scouts and Mrs. Charles Mader (Gilbert's mother). Hurth was the emcee.
   It was also reported "Nashville florists sent flowers and orchids to Mrs. Gilbert and her mother. It was the wife who wept first, and longest, at the tribute coming over the microphone, and when old Larry himself choked up, even the Vol ballplayers couldn't fight off a few tears."
   Also in attendance and in a Vols' uniform was Charlie Gilbert, Larry's son. Charlie had a major league career, which began in 1940 with Brooklyn and spanned six years mostly as a utility player. He also played for the Cubs and Phillies. Tookie Gilbert was 10 years younger than his brother, Charlie. Tookie also played in the big leagues with the Giants in parts of 1950 and 1953. Tookie played for the Vols in 1949.
   The 1948 Vols won the Southern Association title with a 95-58 record, three games better than second place Memphis. Charlie finished his baseball career playing for his father in 1948 enjoying a speculator year, He batted .362, collected 42 home runs and batted in 110 runs with 178 runs scored to lead the league.
   The next year, Rollie Hemsley managed the Vols to another Southern Association championship. Gilbert did move into the front office as general manager and sold his interest in the club to Ted Murray, Fay Murray's son, in 1955. Gilbert then retired to his hometown New Orleans after 45 years in professional baseball. Gilbert died in 1965 at age 73.
   Fred Russell would be pleased to know that his glimpse into the future was accurate. In May 2017, 69 years after Russell's September 1948 column, Larry Gilbert is being remembered and written about as a legend by a Nashville baseball historian using newspaper files.
Traughber's Tidbit: Up until 1916, when baseballs hit into the stands, the fans were not allowed to keep them as a souvenir. Chicago Cubs owner Charles Weegham allowed his fans to keep the baseball eliminating confrontations with the fans and ballpark officials. That practice spread around the major leagues.
   But in 1923, in Philadelphia's Baker Bowl, a young boy was put in jail overnight for keeping a ball hit into the bleachers. And in 1937, ushers roughed up a Yankees' fan when he attempted to retrieve a ball wedged in the home plate screen. He won a lawsuit against the Yankees and was awarded $7,500.
Tidbit Two: Excerpt from the book "Nashville Baseball History: From Sulphur Dell to the Sounds" due June 1 (foreword by Farrell Owens). From 1894: "The Nashville Tigers, of the Southern League, played the first night game in the city. The July 4, 1894 edition of The Daily American, boldly proclaimed in headlines, 'BASE BALL BY ELECTRIC LIGHT!' and, 'Grand Pyrotechnic Display.'