Clint "Scrap Iron" Courtney turns 78 tomorrow. The first catcher to wear glasses, Courtney was better known as a fearless battler. Obtained by the Browns at the request of manager Rogers Hornsby, Courtney was TSN AL Rookie of the Year in 1952 (.286, 5 HR, 50 RBI, 116 G). He twice batted over .300 as a platoon player. "Scrap Iron's" most famous baseball brawl came in 1953 when the Browns met the Yankees. Courtney and Phil Rizzuto collided at second base, and Billy Martin jumped on Courtney in a wild melee that nearly provoked a riot among the few fans at St. Louis. The incident produced a then-AL record $850 in fines. Courtney died on June 16, 1975 while manager of Richmond (International League), exactly two years to the day after he was hired for the position.
The Courtney Highlights:
November 23, 1951: The Yankees send young C Clint Courtney to the Browns for P Jim McDonald. Courtney, the first major league catcher to wear glasses, appeared in one game for New York.
» July 16, 1953: The Browns tie a record with three successive HRs -- by Clint Courtney, Dick Kryhoski, and Jim Dyck -- in the first inning. Their five bases-empty HRs in three innings establishes a new mark. It's enough to beat the Yankees 8-6.
» April 15, 1954: The Orioles Clint Courtney hits the first home run in Memorial Stadium. Following a 90-minute parade, they draw an Opening Day record crowd of 46,354 in a 3–1 afternoon win against the White Sox. Bob Turley strikes out nine in besting Virgil Trucks. Vern Stephens and Clint Courtney homer for the O's.
» June 6, 1954: C Clint Courtney of the Orioles makes an unassisted DP in a 7-5 win against the Yankees.
» August 29, 1954: Orioles bespectacled C Clint Courtney goes 5-for-5, as Baltimore defeats the Senators 5-0.
» December 6, 1954: The Orioles conclude their 2nd large trade in three weeks sending C Clint Courtney, SS Jim Brideweser, and P Bob Chakales to the White Sox for C Matt Batts, infielder Fred Marsh, and pitchers Don Johnson and Don Ferrarese. Courtney batted .270 in 397 at bats, and struck out an American League-low seven times, the league's lowest since Joe Sewell hung up his spikes in 1933.
» April 3, 1960: The Orioles pick up C Clint Courtney, along with SS Ron Samford, from the Senators for 2B Billy Gardner.
» May 27, 1960: Since there is no rule limiting the size or shape of the catcher's mitt, Baltimore manager Paul Richards combats the passed-ball problem while catching Hoyt Wilhelm (38 in 1959; 11 so far this year) by devising an oversized mitt to gather in Hoyt's fluttering knuckler. It is half again as large as the standard glove and 40 ounces heavier. Wilhelm goes the distance in beating New York 3–2 at Yankee Stadium. Clint Courtney has no passed balls behind the plate.
» June 19, 1960: In a brilliant pair of pitching performances, the Orioles Hoyt Wilhelm and Milt Pappas throw shutouts to beat the host Tigers. Wilhelm allows two hits in winning the opener, 2–0, over Bunning, and Pappas allows three hits in winning the nitecap, 1–0, over Don Mossi. Gentile and Hansen homer in the opener as Clint Courtney, using the big glove, is twice charged with batter interference, the 1st loading the bases in the 4th.
» August 15, 1960: Behind Art Ditmar's 5-hitter and Mickey Mantle's two home runs, off Jerry Walker and Hoyt Wilhelm, New York cops a 4–3 win and first place in the American League. The 2nd home run comes after C Clint Courtney drops a Mantle foul pop-up. Baltimore's loss is only its 2nd in the last 15 games. Baltimore and Chicago now trail by a half-game.
Courtney died on June 16, 1975 while manager of Richmond (International League), exactly two years to the day after he was hired for the position.
The Courtney Highlights:
November 23, 1951: The Yankees send young C Clint Courtney to the Browns for P Jim McDonald. Courtney, the first major league catcher to wear glasses, appeared in one game for New York.
» July 16, 1953: The Browns tie a record with three successive HRs -- by Clint Courtney, Dick Kryhoski, and Jim Dyck -- in the first inning. Their five bases-empty HRs in three innings establishes a new mark. It's enough to beat the Yankees 8-6.
» April 15, 1954: The Orioles Clint Courtney hits the first home run in Memorial Stadium. Following a 90-minute parade, they draw an Opening Day record crowd of 46,354 in a 3–1 afternoon win against the White Sox. Bob Turley strikes out nine in besting Virgil Trucks. Vern Stephens and Clint Courtney homer for the O's.
» June 6, 1954: C Clint Courtney of the Orioles makes an unassisted DP in a 7-5 win against the Yankees.
» August 29, 1954: Orioles bespectacled C Clint Courtney goes 5-for-5, as Baltimore defeats the Senators 5-0.
» December 6, 1954: The Orioles conclude their 2nd large trade in three weeks sending C Clint Courtney, SS Jim Brideweser, and P Bob Chakales to the White Sox for C Matt Batts, infielder Fred Marsh, and pitchers Don Johnson and Don Ferrarese. Courtney batted .270 in 397 at bats, and struck out an American League-low seven times, the league's lowest since Joe Sewell hung up his spikes in 1933.
» April 3, 1960: The Orioles pick up C Clint Courtney, along with SS Ron Samford, from the Senators for 2B Billy Gardner.
» May 27, 1960: Since there is no rule limiting the size or shape of the catcher's mitt, Baltimore manager Paul Richards combats the passed-ball problem while catching Hoyt Wilhelm (38 in 1959; 11 so far this year) by devising an oversized mitt to gather in Hoyt's fluttering knuckler. It is half again as large as the standard glove and 40 ounces heavier. Wilhelm goes the distance in beating New York 3–2 at Yankee Stadium. Clint Courtney has no passed balls behind the plate.
» June 19, 1960: In a brilliant pair of pitching performances, the Orioles Hoyt Wilhelm and Milt Pappas throw shutouts to beat the host Tigers. Wilhelm allows two hits in winning the opener, 2–0, over Bunning, and Pappas allows three hits in winning the nitecap, 1–0, over Don Mossi. Gentile and Hansen homer in the opener as Clint Courtney, using the big glove, is twice charged with batter interference, the 1st loading the bases in the 4th.
» August 15, 1960: Behind Art Ditmar's 5-hitter and Mickey Mantle's two home runs, off Jerry Walker and Hoyt Wilhelm, New York cops a 4–3 win and first place in the American League. The 2nd home run comes after C Clint Courtney drops a Mantle foul pop-up. Baltimore's loss is only its 2nd in the last 15 games. Baltimore and Chicago now trail by a half-game.
Courtney died on June 16, 1975 while manager of Richmond (International League), exactly two years to the day after he was hired for the position.
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