Leo Durocher
Leo Durocher may best be remembered for uttering the famous phrase, "Nice guys finish last." Yet he was far more than a footnote person in baseball history. He roomed with Babe Ruth, won a World Series title with Dizzy Dean, tutored Pee Wee Reese, dated and married movie starlets, was suspended for a full year for consorting with gamblers, gave Roy Campanella the Dodgers' catching job, was friends with gangster Bugsy Siegel, managed the Giants to the famous playoff game that produced Bobby Thomson's "Shot Heard 'Round the World", led the Giants to their last World Series title in New York City, nearly coaxed the Cubs to a pennant in 1969, and wore the orange and black of the Houston Astros. When the dust had settled on his controversial and colorful career, Durocher had played in more than 1,600 games and won 2,008 as a skipper. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1994.
Played For
New York Yankees (1925-1929)
Cincinnati Reds (1930-1933)
St. Louis Cardinals (1933-1937)
Brooklyn Dodgers (1938-1945)
Managed
Brooklyn Dodgers (1939-1948)
New York Giants (1948-1955)
Chicago Cubs (1966-1972)
Houston Astros (1972-1973)
Best Season: 1935
A mediocre hitter at best, Durocher hit .265 with a career-high 78 RBI and eight home runs. In the field he was especially valuable, posting a 5.16 range factor at shortstop, one of the best marks in the league. However, the Cardinals failed to repeat as NL champs.
Durocher vs. Stengel
Durocher had an ongoing feud with Casey Stengel. In May of 1936, the two reportedly agreed to meet beneath the stands at Ebbets Field to solve their differences. Apparently, Durocher emerged with a cut lip and Stengel with a bruised eye.
Most Times Ejected, Manager, All-Time
1. John McGraw... 131
2. Leo Durocher... 124
3. Bobby Cox... 117
4. Earl Weaver... 98
5. Frankie Frisch... 86
6. Paul Richards... 80
7. Tony LaRussa... 73
8. Lou Piniella...71
9. Clark Griffith... 67
10. Bill Dahlen... 65
11. Joe Torre... 64
Source: Doug Pappas and SABR
Description
Leo Durocher was a dapper man who loved being in the action. He adored Hollywood starlets and craved spending time with celebrities. Two of his favorites were Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, who he once allowed to work out with the team.
Durocher would do anything to win. He had supreme confidence and refused to back down from anyone. Giants broadcaster Ernie Harwell said of Leo: "He was confidence personified."
Durocher was an extremely superstitious man. His trademarks were sitting or standing in the same spot in the dugout when things were going well, refusing to allow anyone to touch one of his players' gloves when that player was on a hot streak, and wearing the same socks when his team was on a winning streak.
Where He Played
Durocher was a shortstop. He played 1,509 games at short, 98 at second (mostly in his first three seasons), and one at third base.
As a Manager
Durocher guided the 1951 Giants to the greatest comeback in baseball history. The team went 39-8 down the stretch to catch the Brooklyn Dodgers and force a three-game playoff. Of course, Bobby Thomson's dramatic homer won that series for Leo's team.
Born
Leo Ernest Durocher was born on July 27, 1905, in West Springfield, MA.
Died
October 7, 1991, Palm Springs, CA
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Primary Position: SS
Primary Team: BRO
Major League Debut
October 2, 1925 ... Durocher made his debut in the final game of the '25 season, the Yankees having finished well out of the hunt in the American League.
Nine Other Players Who Debuted in 1925
Jimmie Foxx
Mickey Cochrane
Lefty Grove
Buddy Myer
Leo Durocher
Billy Rogell
Freddie Fitzsimmons
Mule Haas
Chuck Dressen
Nicknames
The Lip, The Little Shepherd of Coogan's Bluff
Uniform Numbers
#7 (1929), #10 (1932-1933 Reds), #2 (1933-1943, 1945-1946, 1948-1955, 1966-1973)
Similar Players
Players: Everett Scott, Wally Gerber, Tim Foli, Freddie Patek; Managers: Eddie Stanky, Billy Martin, Bobby Valentine
Related Players
One of Durocher's favorite players was Alvin Dark, who was quite similar to "Leo the Lip" ... Durocher and Jackie Robinson had a deep dislike for each other. In 1951, when Jackie's Dodgers built a 13 1/2 game lead over Durocher's Giants in August, Robinson led his teammates in singing "The Giants are dead" in the clubhouse at the Polo Grounds, knowing full well that Leo and his team could hear them. Durocher rallied his team to catch the Dodgers, and the come-from-behind pennant victory was his proudest moment in baseball.
| Hall of Fame Voting |
| Year |
Election |
Votes |
Pct |
| 1949 |
BBWAA |
1 |
.7% |
1952 |
BBWAA |
1 |
.4% |
1958 |
BBWAA |
28 |
10.5% |
1960 |
BBWAA |
10 |
3.7% |
1962 |
BBWAA |
1 |
.6% |
1964 |
BBWAA |
15 |
7.5% |
1964 |
Run Off |
2 |
.9% |
1994 |
Veterans |
|
% |
|
Post-Season Appearances
1928 World Series
1934 World Series
Transactions
February 2, 1930: Selected off waivers by the Cincinnati Reds from the New York Yankees; May 7, 1933: Traded by the Cincinnati Reds with Dutch Henry and Jack Ogden to the St. Louis Cardinals for Paul Derringer, Sparky Adams, and Allyn Stout; October 4, 1937: Traded by the St. Louis Cardinals to the Brooklyn Dodgers for Johnny Cooney, Jim Bucher, Joe Stripp, and Roy Henshaw.
The Cincinnati Reds traded Durocher for Paul Derringer on May 7, 1933, sending him to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for the pitcher. Derringer ended up pitching for more than a decade, winning 161 games and helping the Reds to two World Series. Durocher played in the 1934 World Series for the Cardinals, as one of the World Champion "Gas House Gang."
All-Star Selections
1936 NL
1938 NL
1940 NL
Best Strength as a Player
In-game managing.
Largest Weakness as a Player
Discipline — Durocher refused to be disciplined by management, which often landed him in trouble. Durocher also had a life-long problem with being honest. He was essentially run out of the American League as a player after he stoled items from teammates in the Yankee clubhouse.
Learn More about Leo Durocher
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