Dizzy Dean

Jay Hanna "Dizzy" Dean (January 16, 1910–July 17, 1974) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball, elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. He was born in Lucas, Arkansas. He was a pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals (1930–1937), the Chicago Cubs (1938–1941), and briefly for the St. Louis Browns (1947).

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Dean was best known for leading the 1934 "Gashouse Gang" team. He had a 30–7 record with a 2.66 ERA during the regular season, during the regular season and 2 wins during the World Series, including the series-winning 7th game. (The Cardinals' other 2 wins during the series came from Dizzy's brother Paul.) After the season, Dizzy Dean was awarded with the National League's Most Valuable Player Award.

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By 1938, Dean's arm was largely gone. Chicago Cubs Scout Clarence "Pants" Rowland was tasked with the unenviable job of obeying owner P. K. Wrigley's direct order to buy a washed-up Dizzy Dean's contract at any cost. Rowland signed the ragged righty for $185,000, one of the most expensive loss-leader contracts in baseball history. He limped along for the Cubs until 1941 when he retired.

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Dizzy Dean's 1947 appearance came on the last day of the season. Although he had retired as a player years earlier, Dean was the broadcaster for Browns games at the time. He boasted on the air that he could perform better than the perennially losing Browns. Management took him up on his offer and had him pitch the last game of the year. Dean pitched four innings, allowing no runs, and rapped a single in his only at-bat.

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He became a well-known sportscaster, famous for his wit and often-colorful butchering of the English language. Dean died at age 64 in Reno, Nevada.

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January 16: January 16 is the 16th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 349 days remaining (350 in leap years)....

1910: 1910 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar)....

July 17: July 17 is the 198th day (199th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 167 days remaining....

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