A seven-time .300 hiiter and two-time All-Star, Dick Bartell played shortstop for four National League teams in the 1920s and 1930s, before being dealt to the Detroit Tigers. Late in his career, during World War II, the veteran returned to the Giants as a playing coach. His best years came with the Giants, where he hit for more power than he normally did, and anchored their infield on back-to-back pennant-winners in 1936 and 1937.
Teams Dick Bartell Played For
Pittsburgh Pirates (1927-1930) Philadelphia Phillies (1931-1934) New York Giants (1935-1938) Chicago Cubs (1939) Detroit Tigers (1940-1941) New York Giants (1941-1946)
Where does Dick Bartell rank among baseball greats?
Dick Bartell ranks #38 among the Top 50 all-time at SS. Rankings ⇒
Bartell's Boner Charlie Gehringer, who was Bartell's double play partner on the 1940 Detroit Tigers, recalled the seventh game of the World Series, which the Tigers lost to the Reds, 2-1.
"We were leading 1-0 late in the game, when Frank McCormick led off with a double. The next guy up hit a ball over Bruce Campbell's head in right field. Campbell picked it up right away and threw it into Bartell. Bartell thought, "Gee, with that double McCormick must've scored," but McCormick had waited to see whether it was going to be caught. So McCormick, who was no speed demon, was just rounding third when Bartell got the ball. I kept yelling, "Home, home, home!" Gee whiz, with Bartell's arm, he's a dead pigeon. But he never did throw the ball. Even after he looked and still had a chance, he didn't throw. And to this day, I don't know why. I'll have to ask him some day. Must have bet on the other team."
Born Richard William Bartell was born on November 22, 1907, in Chicago, IL.
Post-Season Appearances
1936 World Series
1937 World Series
1940 World Series
Transactions November 6, 1930: Traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Philadelphia Phillies for Tommy Thevenow and Claude Willoughby; November 1, 1934: Traded by the Philadelphia Phillies to the New York Giants for Pretzel Pezzullo, Blondy Ryan, Johnny Vergez, George Watkins, and cash; December 6, 1938: Traded by the New York Giants with Hank Leiber and Gus Mancuso to the Chicago Cubs for Frank Demaree, Billy Jurges, and Ken O'Dea; December 6, 1939: Traded by the Chicago Cubs to the Detroit Tigers for Billy Rogell; May 15, 1941: Signed as a Free Agent with the New York Giants; December 2, 1946: Released by the New York Giants.
