Thanks Mr. Veeck

[JACKIE42]

In 1952, the St. Louis Browns were managed by Rogers Hornsby. While Hornsby was one of baseball's greatest players in his day, his demanding demeanor was not appreciated by his players..

In the summer of 1952, the Browns players got together and asked the team owner, Bill Veeck, to fire Hornsby. Veeck, a real players' owner, went ahead and fired Hornsby. The happy Browns players gave Veeck this trophy. The inscription reads:

"To Bill Veeck - For the greatest play since the Emancipation Proclamation. June 10, 1952. From the players of the St. Louis Browns."

[westsidegrounds]

Amazing, I've heard the story (apparently Hornsby was on the verge of getting canned anyhow, the player protests were just the final straw) but I never thought the actual cup was still around. Where is it?

[JACKIE42]

Amazing, I've heard the story (apparently Hornsby was on the verge of getting canned anyhow, the player protests were just the final straw) but I never thought the actual cup was still around. Where is it?

Its privately owned, but not by me.

[seth]

i have that trophy

i have this trophy in my collection.

http://www.seth.com/coll_memorabilia_06.html

seth swirsky
seth.com

[Bill_McCurdy]

Thanks. Jackie!

Thanks, Jackie, for bringing this special event to light for others who do not ordinarily read "This Date in Browns History." Here's how we covered it there only five days ago. - It's also important to point out who the real mastermind behind the trophy award was.

June 10, 1952: Veeck Fires Hornsby; Browns Thank Veeck!

Following three straight road losses to the New York Yankees, owner Bill Veeck fires Rogers Hornsby as manager of the St. Louis Browns while the club is preparing for a series in Boston with the Red Sox. The Browns' current record of 22-29 is not the major reason for Hornsby's dismissal. The Browns have been deeper down in early June in many other years. This time the firing is due to an onslaught of complaints from Brownie players about the despotic Hornsby. Perhaps the people-smart Veeck even senses that the people-dumb Hornsby may be in danger of harm from the Browns and may be in need of removal for his own safety. Regardless of the total reasons, the Brownie players respond with the all the joy of a liberated nation. With Ned Garver serving as their spokesman, they present owner Bill Veeck with a trophy for freeing them from Rajah's tyranny. As it turns out, the apparently player-driven act is actually another publicity stunt that originates in the mind of Bill Veeck. The attention-getting ruse is carried out with the help of team travel secretary, Bill Durney. In a move that goes almost unnoticed in the light of all the attention upon the banishment of Hornsby, the Browns name former great Cardinal shortstop Marty Marion as their playing manager. Unknown to all on this date, Marty Marion also will be recorded by history as the last manager of the St. Louis Browns.

[Bill_McCurdy]

the publicity stunt

Here's one source that supports the reality that owner Bill Veeck and traveling secretary Bill Durney arranged for the trophy presentation. If you need more proof, talk to some of the old Browns who were there on the '52 club. Even those who hold out that they had the idea and the time to prepare a trophy during the baseball season will give you a wink and a smile along with their claim for full credit.

June 10, 1952: The St. Louis Browns fire manager Rogers Hornsby in Boston. The players present owner Bill Veeck with a trophy for freeing them from Rajah's tyranny. The stunt was actually the work of Veeck and team traveling secretary Bill Durney. The Browns name Marty Marion as their player-manager.

reference ... http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseb...Veeck_Bill.stm

[westsidegrounds]

i have this trophy in my collection.

http://www.seth.com/coll_memorabilia_06.html

seth swirsky
seth.com

Cau tell us how/where you found it?

[westsidegrounds]

Thanks, Jackie, for bringing this special event to light for others who do not ordinarily read "This Date in Browns History." Here's how we covered it there only five days ago. - It's also important to point out who the real mastermind behind the trophy award was.

Veeck himself went to some trouble in Veeck as in Wreck to deny that the trophy was his idea.

[Bill_McCurdy]

Veeck himself went to some trouble in Veeck as in Wreck to deny that the trophy was his idea. - westsidegrounds

WSG -

I'm aware of Veeck's denials in "Veeck As In Wreck", but I also didn't believe Inspector Renaud when he declared in the movie "Casablanca" that he was "shocked" to find that gambling was going on at Rick's Cafe. Hanging out with some of the old Browns over the years has led me to believe that it was thought up or helped along by Veeck or traveling secretary Bill Durney. In fact, it may be that it was Durney's idea and that Veeck really is telling the truth here. That's OK. This just may be one of those stories that is best remembered by our lack of total certainty over what really happened.

[westsidegrounds]

WSG -

I'm aware of Veeck's denials in "Veeck As In Wreck", but I also didn't believe Inspector Renaud when he declared in the movie "Casablanca" that he was "shocked" to find that gambling was going on at Rick's Cafe. Hanging out with some of the old Browns over the years has led me to believe that it was thought up or helped along by Veeck or traveling secretary Bill Durney. In fact, it may be that it was Durney's idea and that Veeck really is telling the truth here. That's OK. This just may be one of those stories that is best remembered by our lack of total certainty over what really happened.

Do you happen to know what Garver says about the incident, if anything? I'd be inclined to trust him.

The thing about the VAIW account is that - if I remember right - Ol' Bill does go into quite a bit of detail over an incident that probably very few people would have remembered or cared about when the book was published, that's what leads me to suspect he wasn't involved - if it had indeed been a PR idea of his that misfired, why not just let it go ...

[Bill_McCurdy]

Good Idea, WSG!

Do you happen to know what Garver says about the incident, if anything? I'd be inclined to trust him. ... wetsidegrounds

No. I don't know for sure what Ned thinks, WSG, because he's one of the guys who teases about this issue, but I know Ned well enough to ask him for the flat out truth and accept his word on it. He's not wired, but I will write him and ask for an answer by snail mail. When I hear something from Ned, I'll post it here.

[SusanDurney]

Mr. Swirsky...My father was Bill Veeck's "partner in crime" or "co-liberator" depending on who you ask. I'd love to know how you came to posess the trophy. It is an icon of my youth.

[dragoon]

Unfair

True, Hornsby was not liked by his players, but his team was 22 and 29 when he was fired, just 1.5 games behind the A's. He was very high on Jim Rivera and they might not have essentially gave away Jungle Jim to the White Sox had the Rajah stayed at the helm. 1952 squad had more talent than their record. Had the detested Hornsby remained they might have played close to .500 and finished 5th.

[Brownieand45sfan]

Interesting, dragoon!

A lookee here shows that attendance dipped after Hornsby left: http://www.baseball-reference.com/te...e-scores.shtml

As it was, the Browns attendance for '52 increased dramatically during an era when baseball attendance was in a steep decline. The Sunday doubleheader was in vogue and, perhaps recession-related, fans appear to have been EXTREMELY conscious about getting a good bargain. Home and road the Browns would draw squat on a Saturday and attendance would skyrocket for Sunday.

At any rate ... good Hornsby or bad, Veeck knew how to get fans to loosen their wallets even in a recession.

True, Hornsby was not liked by his players, but his team was 22 and 29 when he was fired, just 1.5 games behind the A's. He was very high on Jim Rivera and they might not have essentially gave away Jungle Jim to the White Sox had the Rajah stayed at the helm. 1952 squad had more talent than their record. Had the detested Hornsby remained they might have played close to .500 and finished 5th.