Skip to main content

Sunday School: History Lesson 53

Claude Passeau was a pitcher with the Phillies from 1936-1939. He was included as a throw-in in a trade with Pittsburgh that sent Earl Grace to the Phils for Al Todd. Passeau spent the first half of his first season with Philadelphia as a relief pitcher, and was given his first start against Brooklyn on July 4th. On that day he shut out the Dodgers 4-0. Passeau would go on to win 4 of his next 6 games and had locked his place in the Phillies' starting rotation.

The following season, in 1937, Passeau would fast become the work horse of the Phils' staff. His 34 starts and 292 1/3 innings pitched led the National League. Passeau's win-loss record was not outstanding at 14-18, but he completed 18 games including a shutout of the Giants.

Passeau, a Mississippi native, experienced success thanks to the speed of his pitches. After his playing days were over, he recalled, "I never learned to throw a curveball. I'd throw a fastball and it would sail. That's what I got by on. I was one who would start you off with a fastball. They knew what I was throwing. I would throw for the middle of the plate and it would sail one way or the other. They didn't take very many pitches on me."

Passeau developed a reputation for intimidating hitters. He told stories of intentionally hitting Leo Durocher for trying to bunt, to speed up a game. Passeau said, "I let him have it. I guarantee you, right in the chest."

Through three full seasons with the Phillies, Passeau put together a 36-51 record. After starting the 1939 season with a 2-4 record through 8 starts, Passeau was traded to the Cubs for Ray Harrell, Kirby Higbe and Joe Marty. This would prove to be a poor trade for the Phillies as Harrell only pitched that one year with the Phils, Higbe pitched 1 1/2 seasons with the Phils, and Marty, an outfielder, was never a star in his 2 1/2 seasons with the team.

With the Cubs, Passeau excelled. During his first full season with Chicago, Passeau won 20 games and posted a 2.50 ERA, which was 2nd lowest in the league. Passeau also went on to become a 4-time All-star for the Cubs. The highlight of his career came in game 3 of the 1945 World Series, when he threw a complete game one-hit shutout in one of his two starts against the eventual champion Detroit Tigers.

The Passeau to Chicago deal was just one on a long list of poor deals the Phillies have made over their long history.

---------------------------------

Follow PhoulBallz.com on Twitter HERE!


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Diekman a Late Addition to Mesa AFL Roster

On Wednesday, Phillies lefty pitching prospect Jacob Diekman made his Arizona Fall League debut. Diekman, who was drafted in the 30th round of the 2007 amateur draft, was assigned to Mesa late, in order to increase his 2010 innings total, according to Mesa hitting coach Mark Parent, who managed Diekman in Lakewood this past season. Diekman, 23, posted a 2-0 record with 1.90 ERA in 21 games with Class A Lakewood before being promoted to High-A Clearwater on June 24th. In 24 games with the Threshers, Diekman went 0-2 with a 3.66 ERA. Combined, Diekman tossed 55 2/3 innings and held opponents to a .187 batting average against at two levels in 2010. However, after not pitching in an official game since he threw a shutout inning to wrap up the Clearwater season on September 5th, Diekman was unable to record an out as all seven batters he faced reached base, six with hits, one on an error. Diekman was charged with 5 earned runs in the outing. Diekman had spent time at instructional ball from

Who is Your Favorite Willie 'Mays' Hayes?

PhoulBallz.com is wondering which individual who has portrayed Willie "Mays" Hayes is the favorite of the public. Hayes, of course, is the character made famous in the Major League motion picture series. In Major League , Willie "Mays" Hayes was portrayed by budding Hollywood actor Wesley Snipes, who would go on to action movie superstardom. Snipes has starred in major motion pictures like the Blade trilogy, Passenger 57 , Undisputed and many more. Snipes remains an impact Hollywood actor, despite legal troubles related to income tax evasion. Snipes was replaced for the sequel, Major League II when his busy career, and possibly the film's budget, would not allow him to return, by Omar Epps. Another budding actor, Epps had previously worked with director David S. Ward, on the film The Program , and landed the role of Hayes, who had become a Hollywood action star over the off-season that occured between the two films. Epps' career portraying athletes rolle

McGwire Stays Phony, Despite Admitting Drug Use

Mark McGwire made an effort to publicly come clean today, admitting to the world that he took performance enhancing drugs during his playing career. Steroids and human growth hormones were among the drugs that McGwire admitted to using. MLB Network featured a one on one interview with Bob Costas and McGwire on Monday evening. The broadcast was virtually garbage, thanks to McGwire. Ahead is a list of quotes from McGwire's interview. McGwire repeatedly stated his point of view that there were no dishonorable intentions involved when taking steroids, and that he was merely using them as a means to recover from varying ailments. When asked if he felt like he cheated... "As I look back now...I can see how people would say that. As far as the talent goes and the hand-eye coordination, the ability, the genetics I was given...I don't see it." "I did not take this for any strength purposes." Denial. Read on for similar B.S. He whined about the abuse he's taken at