Skip to main content

Sunday School: Phillies History Lesson 63

Russ Meyer was a pitcher with the Phillies from 1949-1952. Meyer, an Illinois native, came up with the Cubs and pitched parts of three seasons for Chicago, mainly as a reliever. Following the 1948 season, the Phillies, who were in need of pitching help, purchased Meyer's contract from the Cubs for $20,000.

Meyer would become a starter with the Phillies in 1949. His first season playing for Philadelphia was his best as a pro. In 37 games, 28 of which were starts, he posted a 17-8 record with 14 complete games, 2 shut outs, a 3.08 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. His ERA was lowest in the National League among right-handers.

The following year, Meyer suffered an arm injury following spring training, which limited him to 25 starts. However, when the Phillies needed him most, Meyer surely came through. As the season wound down and the 1950 pennant chase heated up, the Phils held a slim lead in the standings over Brooklyn, after losing 3 straight games to Brooklyn in early September. In the 4th game of that series, Meyer stepped up to earn the 4-3 win and stop the bleeding. The Phillies held on to win the NL Pennant over the Dodgers in the final week of the season.

Over the two seasons that followed, Meyer went 21-23 with a 3.28 ERA and 21 complete games for Philadelphia.

After the 1952 season, Meyer was dealt in a blockbuster 4-team trade that sent him to his former arch rival, the Brooklyn Dodgers. The tables completely turned, as Meyer helped his new club advance to the World Series. Meyer posted a 15-5 record in 34 starts and completed 10 games while helping Brooklyn clinch the pennant. The Dodgers would lose to the Yankees in the '53 World Series, but Meyer and his teammates would get their revenge two years later when the Dodgers beat the Yankees in the 1955 Fall Classic.

Despite pitching in three different World Series, Meyer made the most headlines in May 1953 because of his actions during a start at Philadelphia. Objecting to calls by home plate umpire Augie Donatelli, Meyer stormed toward home plate cursing and needed to restrained by his own catcher, Roy Campanella. Meyer was ejected, but before he retired to the visitors' locker room, he heaved a rosin bag 30 feet into the air, threw his mit, and made an obscene gesture toward Donatelli. All of those antics were captured by television cameras. The incident earned Meyer a lot of attention as well as a fine and suspension.

Also, with the Dodgers, Meyer became one of two pitchers in Major League history to go at least 23 straight road starts without a loss, when he spanned 24 consecutive starts without a loss over the 1953 & 1954 seasons.

Meyer continued pitching in the Majors through the 1959 season, spending time back with the Cubs as well as making stops with Kansas City and Boston before his career was over.

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

Be sure to follow PhoulBallz.com on Twitter HERE.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Jason Knapp Q&A

PhoulBallz .com was fortunate enough to meet with Phillies prospect Jason Knapp just one day after he caught the attention of the baseball world with his 7 shut out innings, 14 strike out performance against the Indians' Lake County team. - I asked Jason, the Lakewood BlueClaw , for some thoughts about his big game... I had pretty good command of three pitches (fastball, curve, change up). I was on the same page with my catcher, D'Arnaud , and I ended up, ya know, I felt pretty good. - In a great performance like that, how much credit goes to Travis D'Arnaud , the catcher? More than you might expect, definitely. I didn't shake him off once. He told me what to throw and I do what I'm told. And if it works out, a lot of the credit goes to the catcher. - Does the lack of run support (Lakewood has scored 3 total runs in his 3 starts), in your few starts, increase your stress level, or enhance your focus? No, I just try to go out and do my job every outing. Ya know, we...

PhoulBallz Q&A with Mike Stutes

Mike Stutes completes "The Reading Phils Mike Tri-fecta" over three days, here on PhoulBallz.com. Stutes, a 22 year old, was an 11th round selection by the Phillies in the 2008 amateur draft. Stutes, a right handed starting pitcher, helped lead Oregon State to the College World Series championship in both 2006 and 2007. Stutes and teammate Vance Worley are the first players to begin a season at Reading the year after being drafted since Pat Burrell did it in 1999. Stutes was the Phils' minor league pitcher of the month in August '08, when he went 4-1 with a 1.72 ERA in 6 starts. Check out my Q&A with the third Mike below. Can I get you to talk about the coaching staff and how they help you deal with ups and downs? They've been real positive with me. I started out good and then I hit a rough patch. They've stuck with me through it all. I haven't heard any negative words from them. Every day they try to come out, work with me, try to get me turned around...

Eric B Needs to be Cut (and My Name is Rakim)

While the Phillies are on a hot streak this month, one player on the team is not. Eric Bruntlett is 1-for-12 in July. Since the start of May, Bruntlett's apex in batting average has been .167 on June 14th. Bruntlett's ineptitude can be tolerated no longer. Get rid of this guy NOW! Eric B. is the 2009 Endy Chavez. Remember Endy...the guy who in 2005 managed just 2 hits in his final 42 games played as a Phillie? That is about the sort of output the Phillies are getting from Bruntlett, and it's time to fix this void. Julio Lugo was designated for assignment last week by the Red Sox and is expected to become a free agent. The Metropolitans are rumored to be interested. Why wouldn't the Phillies be interested in a guy who could surely outhit Bruntlett? Lugo was hitting .284 through 37 games played this season with Boston. Suspended Lehigh Valley IronPig Pablo Ozuna is eligible to return next Wednesday. Ozuna is batting .294 through 51 games at triple A. Miguel Cairo is also...