Ollie Carnegie part three: Later career and legacy

On April 4, 1939, Carnegie was re-signed by the Bisons, making it his ninth season with the team. That season, like the last would prove to be a stellar one for Carnegie as he batted .294 with 29 home runs. His long ball total again led the International League. From this point on, Carnegie's offensive totals took a dip, hitting 15 home runs in 1940 and seven in 1941. On January 2, 1942, at the age of 42, the once king of Buffalo baseball was released from his contract. Bisons general manager John Stiglmeier later stated that it was "the hardest thing [he] ever had to do".

Although Carnegie's tenure ended in Buffalo, his playing career did not. He joined the Lockport White Sox of the Class-D PONY League that season, batting a respectable .310 with 16 home runs. He did not play professionally in 1941, but returned in 1942, joining the PONY League Jamestwon Falcons. He also managed the team that year. On the season, he batted .305 in 94 games while the Falcons as a team went 70-54.

In what was one last season of glory, the Buffalo Bisons brought Carnegie back in 1942. Carnegie, who was 46, batted .301 in 39 games. That season would be his last as a player in professional baseball, but he didn't stay completely out of the game. After his last season, the Bisons hired him as a scout and Carnegie and his family set-up shop in Buffalo, New York, where he stayed until his death in 1976.

Carnegie was in some respects the typical minor league player. He worked as a security guard during the off-season to stay fit and help support his family. But in other regards, Carnegie is in a league of his own. To this day, he holds the all-time International League home runs and run batted in record with 258 and 1,044, respectively. He holds the Buffalo Bisons single-season home run record with 45 and is the Bisons all-time doubles (249), games played (1,273), hits (1,362), home runs (258), and run batted in (1,044) leader. Carnegie was an inaugural member of the International League Hall of Fame in 1947 and was also inducted into the Buffalo Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985 and the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 1992. He will be forever remembered as one of the greatest Bisons in history.

Many comment that if it Carnegie hadn't waited until he was was 31 to start playing pro-ball regularly, he would have been an outstanding major leaguer. But Carnegie seemed content with his honest job in the steel mills of his home town, playing semi-pro ball when he could with the local sandlot stars, later joining he pro-circuit to pick up where he left off in Pittsburgh. It's easy for us to now comment about the "should haves" and "could haves" of his career, but there's no question that Ollie Carnegie was one of the greatest minor leaguers of all time.

Ollie Carnegie part two: "Sandlot Bambino" turned minor league superstar

In 1933 with the Bisons, Carnegie received praise from team president Frank J. Offerman. Offerman said of Carnegie that "a finer character has never donned a ball uniform". That season, Carnegie was third in the International League in home runs (36) and slugging percentage (.618). The duo of Carnegie and teammate Ollie Tucker recived the nickname the "home run twins" that season after Tucker also put up an impressive home run total, 27. Carnegie entered the 1934 season "dissatisfied" with his contract, feeling that he deserved more money because of the performance he put on the season before. Carnegie again slugged the third most home runs that season with 29 in 142 games.

Come spring training in 1935, Carnegie did not report and was dubbed a "hold out". He seemed satisfied with making the Bisons sweat while he whacked around Pittsburgh sandlot pitchers as an early-season member of the Dormont club. Finally, in May, Carnegie reported to Buffalo and picked-up where he left off, hitting 31 home runs, the third most in the league. During the off-season, local sandlot players from Pittsburgh and various other major leaguers, including brothers Dizzy Dean and Paul Dean, played on an all-star team that played the Pittsburgh Crawfords, the local Negro league team. Carnegie joined the all-star team in the widely popular game.

In 1935, Carnegie was again in the top-three in International League home run hitters, this time ranking second. He was sidelined for much of the 1936 season with an ankle injury, but still played 74 games. While he was out, the Bisons replaced Carnegie with Donny Dickshot, a player who proclaimed he was the "ugliest man in baseball". "Ugly" Donny proved quite impressive as a sub, batting .359 with 17 long balls in 130 games.

Carnegie was back in full strength for the 1937 season, batting .308 with 21 homers in 134 games. He was tied with fellow minor league journeyman Woody Abernathy for fifth in the league in home runs that season. Although Carnegie was in the top-five amongst home run hitter in the league, he had never led the league. That all changed in 1938. That season, he hit 45 out of the park after early season struggles. At the time, the home run total racked-up by Carnegie was the fourth most all-time in a single season. Due to his outstanding performance, he was award the International League Most Valuable Player Award, now being the only player to receive this honer with no major league appearances. From this point on, there was little question that the sandlot "Bambino" turned pro minor leaguers was one of the best in the history of the league.

Bibliography:

"Oliver Carnegie Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference, LLC.

Paul Kurtz (February 22, 1933). "Carnegie, Packard Return Minor League Contracts". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press.

Paul Kurtz (May 10, 1934). "Carl Frey Accepts Offer From Overton Semi-Pros". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press.

"Dizzy And Daffy Play Here Today". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. October 23, 1934.

"Bisons History: The 1930s". Buffalo Bisons. Minor League Baseball.

Paul Kurtz (April 9, 1938). "Sports Stew—Served Hot". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press.

"Carnegie's Homerun (sic) Mark Ranked Fourth". The United Press. The Pittsburgh Press. January 19, 1939.

Paul Kurtz (January 28, 1939). "Sports Stew—Served Hot". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press.

Woody Abernathy, the never-was

In the modern minor league circuit, it's not rare to see career minor leaguers. Maybe they'll play three seasons in low-A ball before calling it quits, or maybe (and this is if they're lucky) they'll get brought on at the age of 31 to a Triple-A team to bring veteran leadership the organizations' top prospects. Well, in the 1930s, it wasn't this way. Local small-town minor leaguers were folk heroes. Just look at Ernest Thayer's poem, Casey at the Bat and you'll see what I mean.

Woody Abernathy, born October 16, 1908, was one of those folk heroes. During the mid-1930s, he was the king of Baltimore baseball as a member of the Double-A Orioles, who played in the International League. Over his time in the minors, he slugged 210 home runs, an impressive feat for a 13-year career that ended when he was only 31. Abernathy led the IL in home runs twice; first in 1934 with 32, and second two years later when he hit 42 out of the park.

With Major League Baseball now in Baltimore, many forget about Abernathy. Since it was so long ago, who can blame them? I have been hard pressed to find information on Abernathy even when looking for it. But we can't forget Abernathy and the IL Orioles. If not for them, baseball may not be in Baltimore today. The 1930s teams, with Abernathy at the throne, laid the ground work for an MLB franchise in the town.

Abernathy started his baseball career at Auburn University. He was a star at football, but chose to go into professional baseball instead. Joining the Vicksburg Hill Billies in 1928, Abernathy made his professional debut batting .358 with 33 doubles, 16 triples, and two home runs in 123 contests. During the next season, he joined the Montgomery Lions, where he played until 1931 when he joined the Birmingham Barrons.

In 1934, Abernathy began his tenure with Baltimore, batting .309 with 32 home runs on the season. Over the next three seasons, he knocked the ball out of the park, reaching his career high in homers in 1936 when he hit 42. In 1938, Abernathy ended his relationship with the Orioles after joining the Buffalo Bisons, also of the International League.

For the season's to follow, Abernathy did well, hitting .281 in his final season with two American Association clubs; the Milwaukee Brewers and St. Paul Saints. Abernathy was remembered in Baltimore for years to come was the larger than life center field power hitter who never got his shot in the majors.

In retrospect, it's easy to say that Abernathy should have chosen professional football instead of slumming around the minors for years. But Abernathy brought joy to many fans, making their lists of all-time great Orioles. Simply put, he made a name for himself. So what if he made it to the majors? He might have been "just another player". Someone who tried their hand in the majors and made it nowhere. The truth is, Abernathy did make it. Playing Baltimore baseball for the five years made him a mini-folk legend amongst fans and commentators. Maybe this is what modern-day minor league "never-were's" should think about when digging into the plate. I mean, I can remember the first home run I ever say. It was Khalil Greene in 2003 when he was playing with the Portland Beavers. It went right out of the park onto the street outside and gave Portland the lead. I'm sure a lot of you can remember the first home run you ever saw. That's the thing players should take away; the impact of one at-bat is far greater than they can ever imagine. So make the most of it.

Note 1: Hey, if you're looking for more info on the Baltimore Orioles IL team, this site is really cool. http://www.forgottenbirds.com/ Enjoy!

Note 2: I will be posting another mini-bio on Abernathy in the near future about an injury he sustained during his final season in the International League. Check back soon.

Bibliography:

"Woody Abernathy Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference, LLC.

Bob Cavagnaro (December 27, 1935). "Joe Walcot, One-Time Ring Champ, Disappears". Associated Press. The Evening Independent.

"Bleachers To Miss Art Weis". Associated Press. Times Daily. February 6, 1932.

"Baltimore Orioles Rebuilt For 1934 Pennant Tussle". The Gazette. The Gazette. March 31, 1934.

"Baltimore Downs Montreal In Two". Schenectady Gazette. Schenectady Gazette. July 28, 1934.

"Mishkin, ex-Royal, and Braton to Baltimore". The Montreal Gazette. The Montreal Gazette. October 18, 1934.

"1935 International League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference, LLC.

"1936 International League Batting Leaders". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference, LLC.

"Orioles Buy A Player From Newark". United Press International. The Milwaukee Journal. November 6, 1937. '

Kirst, Sean Peter (2003). The Ashes of Lou Gehrig and Other Baseball Essays. McFarland. p. 135. ISBN 0786415789.

Pete Allen, the accidental major leaguer

It is easy to forget with the modern-day 63 million dollar contacts and larger-than-life sports figures, that baseball had a humble beginning. Players who played in the 19th century weren't out for the moon and couldn't get it even if they wanted it. They were, in the purest form, ball players. When they walked onto a field, making it their whole life's purpose to win that game. Then, the heroes of the sandlots would return home to scrape by on their baseball salary and work other jobs just to get by. Baseball was a recreation, not an over-glorified sporting event. It wasn't about the fans, it was about the players. Which, if you ask me, is the game at its best. Players playing because they choose to, not because they were told to at the age of two so they can go off and make millions. But I digress, my point is; simple is better.

Pete Allen was a simple player. In 1893, he had one game in the majors where he made four plate appearances with no hits, no runs, no strikeouts, no nothing. In fact, the team he played for, the Cleveland Spiders, were in such desperate need for a player that they basically took the first person they saw. Where they saw Allen was with the Binghamton Bingoes in the Eastern League. He was fresh out of Amherst College when he batted .229 with the Bingoes.

After his short stint in the majors, Allen didn't play professional baseball until 1895 when he joined the New Castle, Pennsylvania team in the Iron and Oil League. Statistics were not well kept for that season, so we do not know how he faired. The next year, Allen enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine where he graduated two years later and soon entered general practice.

From this point on, professional baseball was out of the picture for Allen. He went on to specialized in protology, writing numerous articles for the American Proctology Society. Later in his life, Allen joined the staffs at Board Street and Methodist Hospitals in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Finally, he served as a professor at Jefferson Medical College before passing away from cerebral vascular disease on April 16, 1946 at the age of 77.

Sometimes I get this feeling that if I sit real close to the dugout while watching a game at local PGE Park, the manager for the team will put me in as a sub or something. Never mind the fact that I haven't played organized baseball since 2004, I just want a one-day contract. One game, like Allen. Nothing over-produced or special, just the chance to stare down the opposing pitcher and get stuck out by a 90 mph fastball down the heart of the plate. And that's what the game is about, the one game, the dream, the chance. Allen lived a lot of our dreams.

Bibliography:

"Pete Allen Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference, LLC.

"Pete Allen Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference, LLC.

"Amherst College Lord Jeffs (Amherst, MA)". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference, LLC.

"Penn Biographies: Jesse Hall Allen (Pete) (1868-1946)". University of Pennsylvania. University of Pennsylvania.

"Professional Baseball Players Who Attended Penn". University of Pennsylvania. University of Pennsylvania.

Browning, Reed (2003). Cy Young: A Baseball Life. University of Massachusetts Press. pp. 320. ISBN 1558493980.

"Deaths". J.A.M.A. jama.com.

Tessein, Carik. "Jesse Hall "Pete" Allen". Find A Grave. Find A Grave.

Sled Allen, baseball player and entertainment promoter

Now, I have never been to a wrestling event, but from what hear is that it is an over-produced soap opera featuring 300 pound men in tights hitting each other. Not my scene. Give me a green field, a hot dog and the sweet scent of pine tar and I’m all set. But one major leaguer decided to trade that all in to promote the aforementioned soap opera (and other things) for a living.

Sled Allen, born Fletcher Manson Allen on August 23, 1886 in West Plains, Missouri was a player and manager with multiple minor league teams over nine seasons. Allen’s career highlight was playing one season with the St. Louis Browns in 1910. In that time, Allen batted a dismal .130 with one run batted in.

Allen later found himself trading in his baseball mit for boxing gloves. He moved to Lubbock, Texas in the 1940s and converted an old church into a nightclub. From there, he promoted many amateur boxing and wrestling matches, and even hosted concerts and dances. Allen later moved into an old building in Lubbock, renovated it, and re-opened it as the “Sled Allen Jamboree Hall”. At the hall, Allen promoted events aimed at progressing racial integration, the most notable being the “Cosmopolitan Dance” in the 1950s. At that dace, Hispanics, African-Americans and Caucasians danced the night away to live performances from Ray Charles and Little Richard.

During many events, Allen would have his son Terry Allen, who is now a country music singer, work the events, selling soda and pop corn to the crowd of spectators. Terry’s mother, Pauline, a pianist who also worked Allen’s events, was 40 when Terry was born and Sled was 60. Allen died on October 16, 1959 at the age of 72, leaving behind a small but important legacy in the town of Lubbock in both the music world and the civil right movement.

Bibliography:

"Sled Allen Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference, LLC.

"Sled Allen Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference, LLC.

"Heading Home: Players Post Baseball Careers". The Dead Ball Era. The Dead Ball Era.

Carr, Joe (1997). Prairie Nights to Neon Lights: The Story of Country Music in West Texas. Texas Tech University Press. pp. 234. ISBN 0896723658.

Himes, Geoffrey. "Buddy Holly: Changing Game". Texas Music. Texas Music Magazine.

Faires, Robert. "Tale of a Tale Spinner". The Austin Chronicle. Austin Chronicle Corp.

Ollie Carnegie part one: "The Sandlot Babe Ruth"

Far too often, the history of career minor leaguers get lost amongst the various superstars, prospects, could-bes, and could haves who pass through teams’ organizations. But in the 1930s, one player stands out. That player was Ollie Carnegie. Carnegie made a name for himself as a sandlot player in Pittsburgh, playing for local town and factory teams, before joining the professional circuit full-time in 1931. In that time, Carnegie set numerous International League records as the Buffalo Bisons prized power hitter. In modern times, memories of Carnegie have been washed away in most people’s minds, but his career home run and RBI records still stand in the International League record books.

Carnegie was born on June 29, 1899 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Italian American parents. He made his professional debut in 1922 with the Flint Vehicles, who were members of the Class-B Michigan-Ontario League. He played only seven games that season, batting .219 in that time. Over the next nine years, Carnegie worked in the local Pittsburgh steel mills while playing sandlot ball. He sat and watched the major league scouts come and go, rejecting contacts as the came because he made the decision to pick to the job security of the mills rather than gamble in the minors.

Carnegie was described by local papers as the “Sandlot Babe Ruth”, demolishing local Pittsburgh pitchers. From 1923 to 1931, he played with numerous local teams including Dormont, McKeesport, Beaver Falls, Canton, South Hills, and Pitcairn. After receiving an SOS from the minor league Johnstown Johnnies in the summer of 1928 for an emergency outfielder, Carnegie played a few games with them until their every-day outfielder recovered from an illness. Johnstown offered Carnegie a contract to continue playing, but like all the other offers he declined.

In 1931, at the age of 31, Carnegie was offered a contract by the Pittsburgh Pirates to play in the minor leagues with the Hazleton Mountaineers, a team which they owned. Originally, Carnegie declined due to his financial security at home. However, he soon lost his job in the midst of the Great Depression and decided to turn to baseball as a full-time profession. He played well with Hazleton, batting .354 with 18 home runs in 226 at-bats. Later that season, the Hazleton club sold him to the Buffalo Bisons, who were members of the Double-A International League. This would be the start of a 12-year record setting tenure.

In his first season with the Bisons, Carnegie batted .345 in 15 games. After the 1931 season was over, he returned to Pittsburgh and played semi-professional sandlot ball with the Dormont, Pennsylvania team. The papers described the “home run hero” as barley being ready for his first game with Dormont, having to change into his uniform in the car taking him to the stadium immediately after it picked him up arriving by train from Buffalo. Right before first pitch, Carnegie walked through the outfield gate to a standing ovation and later in the game, hit a walk-off home run to win it. This was only a brick in the wall of Ollie Carnegie’s achievements over his career.

Carnegie was touted by Buffalo news outlets as the best potential Bisons player ever during his first full season with the team, 1932. Bisons manager, Ray Schalk, was in contact with his former team, the Chicago White Sox, about signing Carnegie, but they were eventually turned-off by his age. Many later speculated that if Carnegie had started playing professionally earlier, he would have been one of the best hitters in Major League Baseball history. But Carnegie seemed content with his humble life in his home town. Working the steel mills and railways seemed to add to Carnegie’s fame in Pittsburgh, as many fans could relate to the Steel Town Bambino.

Bibliography:

"Oliver Carnegie Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference. Sports Reference, LLC.

"These Batsmen Pounding Pill Hard For Dormont Members". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press. June 5, 1927.

"Paul Kurtz, Diamond, Perennial, Nearing Sunset of Career". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press

"Gives Them Thrill". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press. July 31, 1927.

Paul A. R. Kurtz (June 10, 1927). "McKeesport Shows Strong Team in Beating Hoovers". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press.

"These County Loop Swatters Collecting Multitude of Bingles to Rank High". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press. July 3, 1927.

Paul A. R. Kurtz (June 12, 1927). "County League Clouters Headed By Bellevue Star". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press.

Paul A. R. Kurtz (September 18, 1927). "County Loop Swat Honors Won By Bellevue Clouter". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press.

Paul A. R. Kurtz (March 11, 1928). "Harvey Secures Carnegie". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press.

Grays Make First Showing Tomorrow". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press. June 22, 1928.

"Beaver Falls Elks Win Two". The Daily Times. The Daily Times. July 5, 1928.

"Ollie Carnegie to Play on Boll's Team". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press.

"Beckman-Hoovers Open Sunday With Pitcairn Tossers". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press. May 3, 1929.

""Ollie" Socks One". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press. June 2, 1929.

"Pitcairn Tossers Beat Cleveland". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press. April 17, 1930.

Paul A. R. Kurtz (May 28, 1929). "Homewood to Open Home Loop Season". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press.

Paul A. R. Kurtz (July 29, 1930). "Carnegie Sparkles". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press.

"Ollie Carnegie, Sandlot 'Babe Ruth,' May Sign With Pittsbugh Owned Hazleton Ball Club" The Pittsburgh Press.

Paul A. R. Kurtz (December 28, 1930). "Low Funds Hurt Many Good Clubs". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press.

"Sandlot Players to Prime For Interesting Campaign". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press.

Paul A. R. Kurtz (August 2, 1931). "Dormont's Hitting Big Asset In Regaining City League Leadership". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press.

Szalontai, James (2002). Close Shave: The Life and Times of Baseball's Sal Maglie. McFarland. p. 9. ISBN 0786411899.

Paul A. R. Kurtz (September 8, 1931). "Ollie Carnegie Sold To Buffalo Outfit". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press.

Paul A. R. Kurtz (September 22, 1931). "Carnegie's Homer Wins For Dormont". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press.

Paul A. R. Kurtz (March 16, 1932). "Carnegie Signs With Bison Team". The Pittsburgh Press. The Pittsburgh Press

"Notes of Other Camps: Bisons Have Outfielder Find in Ollie Carnegie". The Montreal Gazette. The Montreal Gazette.

"Ollie Carnegie Certain To Advance To Majors". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

"Class of 1992: Ollie Carnegie, Professional Baseball Player". Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame. Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame

"Buffalo Bisons Retired Numbers". Buffalo Bisons. Minor League Baseball.

"Play Ball: Memories of Offermann Stadium". Artvoice. Artvoice.

"Bisons History: The 1940s". Buffalo Bisons. Minor League Baseball.

Joseph Overfield. "Offerman Stadium in Buffalo Hitters Welcome Pitchers Beware". Society for American Baseball Research. Society for American Baseball Research.