Cal Abrams
Encyclopedia
Calvin Ross Abrams nicknamed Abie, was an American left-handed
Major League Baseball
player.
and signed by Joe Labate, a scout for the Brooklyn Dodgers, out of James Madison High School
in Brooklyn
in , and assigned to the Olean Oilers of the Class D PONY League. He played in 19 games that season.
In January 1943, he was inducted into the Army. He was assigned to Battery B 500th Anti-Aircraft Artillery, and served in Europe and the Pacific with two battle stars in the Pacific. Abrams was also awarded the Philippine Liberation Medal
with one bronze star
. He was released from the service in January 1946.
He then played for the Danville Dodgers
in the Class B Three-I League for the season, hitting .345. The next two seasons, Abrams was with the Mobile Bears
in the Class AA Southern Association
.
Abrams was making $90 ($ today) a month in the minors when he got married in 1947, and the most he ever made was $22,000 ($ today) a year with the Baltimore Orioles.
On April 20, 1949, he made his Major League debut with the Dodgers, and then was sent to the Fort Worth Cats
of the AA Texas League
for the rest of the season, where he hit .333. He split between the St. Paul Saints
of the AAA American Association
and the Dodgers. A New York Post headline once read: Mantle, Schmantle. We Got Abie.
In , he changed his uniform number to 18, explaining later: "18 means a lot." The number 18 stands for the Hebrew word for life. He wore this number for the majority of his career.
On October 1, 1950, the Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies
were playing a game that would determine which team would win the National League
pennant. In the bottom of the 9th inning, with nobody out and the game tied 1–1, Abrams was on second base when Duke Snider
hit a single to short center field. He was waved home by third-base coach
Milt Stock
, and was gunned down at the plate by a perfect throw by Phillies center fielder Richie Ashburn
, who had fielded the ball on one bounce. The play resulted in the preservation of the 1–1 tie, and facilitated the Phils' Dick Sisler
's 10th inning pennant-winning home run. Stock was fired after the season for his decision to wave Abrams home.
In 1951, his manager Charlie Dressen, who was "capable of cruelty," failed to play him on "Cal Abrams Day." He finished the season with a .419 on base percentage.
On June 9, 1952, he was traded by the Brooklyn Dodgers to the Cincinnati Reds
for Rudy Rufer and cash. On October 14, 1952, he was traded by the Reds with Gail Henley
and Joe Rossi to the Pittsburgh Pirates
for Gus Bell
.
In , he hit 15 home runs, his career high, and had 13 assists.
On May 25, 1954, he was traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Baltimore Orioles
for Dick Littlefield
. In 1954, he was 7th in the AL with a .400 obp, and 10th in the league with 7 triples.
In , he had a .413 obp, and was 8th in the league in walks with 89. On October 18, 1955, he was traded by the Baltimore Orioles to the Chicago White Sox
for Bobby Adams
.
He remained in the Major Leagues into the season, when he was sent to the Miami Marlins
in the AAA International League
. The next year Abrams retired from play.
In all of his minor league seasons, his lowest batting average was .331.
He played in 567 major league games with the Dodgers, Reds, Pirates, Orioles, and White Sox.
, near Adelphi College, later University. Following the devastating ninth inning loss by his former Dodgers team, again to the Giants
in the final game of a three-game playoff for the National League pennant in 1962, he was asked by an Adelphi student what he thought of the just concluded game. "Who was playing?" Abrams asked in all sincerity. In the 1990s, he was working for the Norwegian Cruise Line, giving talks and signing photographs (Brooklyn) emphasizing his two outstanding on-base percentage seasons.
in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
. He was buried in his Brooklyn Dodgers uniform.
Jewish American Sports Hall of Fame, in Washington, D.C.
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
player.
Baseball career
Abrams was born in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
and signed by Joe Labate, a scout for the Brooklyn Dodgers, out of James Madison High School
James Madison High School (New York)
James Madison High School is a public high school located at 3787 Bedford Avenue, in the Madison section of Brooklyn, New York, and educates grades 9 through 12. It is part of Region 6 in the New York City Department of Education...
in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
in , and assigned to the Olean Oilers of the Class D PONY League. He played in 19 games that season.
In January 1943, he was inducted into the Army. He was assigned to Battery B 500th Anti-Aircraft Artillery, and served in Europe and the Pacific with two battle stars in the Pacific. Abrams was also awarded the Philippine Liberation Medal
Philippine Liberation Medal
The Philippine Liberation Medal is a military award of the Republic of the Philippines which was created by an order of Commonwealth Army of the Philippines Headquarters on December 20, 1944...
with one bronze star
Bronze Star Medal
The Bronze Star Medal is a United States Armed Forces individual military decoration that may be awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service. As a medal it is awarded for merit, and with the "V" for valor device it is awarded for heroism. It is the fourth-highest combat award of the...
. He was released from the service in January 1946.
He then played for the Danville Dodgers
Danville Dodgers
The Danville Dodgers were a minor league baseball team in Danville, Illinois. They played in the class "B" Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League from 1946-1950 and in the Midwest League from 1975-1976. They were affiliated with the Brooklyn Dodgers and later the Los Angeles Dodgers....
in the Class B Three-I League for the season, hitting .345. The next two seasons, Abrams was with the Mobile Bears
Mobile Bears
The Mobile Bears were an American minor league baseball team based in Mobile, Alabama. The franchise was a member of the old Southern Association, a high-level circuit that folded after the 1961 season. Mobile joined the SA in 1908 as the Sea Gulls, but changed its name to the Bears in 1918, and...
in the Class AA Southern Association
Southern Association
The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A , Class A1 and Class AA...
.
Abrams was making $90 ($ today) a month in the minors when he got married in 1947, and the most he ever made was $22,000 ($ today) a year with the Baltimore Orioles.
On April 20, 1949, he made his Major League debut with the Dodgers, and then was sent to the Fort Worth Cats
Fort Worth Cats
The Fort Worth Cats are a professional baseball team based in Fort Worth, Texas, in the United States. The Cats are a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 2002 season the Cats...
of the AA Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
for the rest of the season, where he hit .333. He split between the St. Paul Saints
St. Paul Saints
The St. Paul Saints are a professional baseball team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in the United States. The Saints are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
of the AAA American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
and the Dodgers. A New York Post headline once read: Mantle, Schmantle. We Got Abie.
In , he changed his uniform number to 18, explaining later: "18 means a lot." The number 18 stands for the Hebrew word for life. He wore this number for the majority of his career.
On October 1, 1950, the Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
were playing a game that would determine which team would win the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
pennant. In the bottom of the 9th inning, with nobody out and the game tied 1–1, Abrams was on second base when Duke Snider
Duke Snider
Edwin Donald "Duke" Snider , nicknamed "The Silver Fox" and "The Duke of Flatbush", was a Major League Baseball center fielder and left-handed batter who played for the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers , New York Mets , and San Francisco Giants .Snider was elected to the National Baseball Hall of...
hit a single to short center field. He was waved home by third-base coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
Milt Stock
Milt Stock
Milton Joseph Stock , was an American third baseman in Major League Baseball from 1912 through 1926. He would play for the New York Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, Brooklyn Robins, and St. Louis Cardinals. Stock is believed to be the only major league player to get 4 hits in each of 4 consecutive...
, and was gunned down at the plate by a perfect throw by Phillies center fielder Richie Ashburn
Richie Ashburn
Don Richard "Richie" Ashburn , also known by the nicknames, "Putt-Putt", "The Tilden Flash", and "Whitey" due to his light-blond hair, was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball. He was born in Tilden, Nebraska...
, who had fielded the ball on one bounce. The play resulted in the preservation of the 1–1 tie, and facilitated the Phils' Dick Sisler
Dick Sisler
Richard Alan Sisler was an American player, coach and manager in Major League Baseball. A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Sisler was the son of Hall of Fame first baseman and two-time .400 hitter George Sisler. Younger brother Dave Sisler was a relief pitcher in the 1950s and 1960s with four MLB...
's 10th inning pennant-winning home run. Stock was fired after the season for his decision to wave Abrams home.
In 1951, his manager Charlie Dressen, who was "capable of cruelty," failed to play him on "Cal Abrams Day." He finished the season with a .419 on base percentage.
On June 9, 1952, he was traded by the Brooklyn Dodgers to the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
for Rudy Rufer and cash. On October 14, 1952, he was traded by the Reds with Gail Henley
Gail Henley
Gail Curtice Henley is a former Minor League Baseball manager, who spent one season in the majors as a player with the 1954 Pittsburgh Pirates.-Minor League managing career:*Montgomery Rebels...
and Joe Rossi to the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
for Gus Bell
Gus Bell
David Russell "Gus" Bell, Jr. was an American center and right fielder in Major League Baseball who played with the Pittsburgh Pirates , Cincinnati Reds/Redlegs , New York Mets and Milwaukee Braves...
.
In , he hit 15 home runs, his career high, and had 13 assists.
On May 25, 1954, he was traded by the Pittsburgh Pirates to the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
for Dick Littlefield
Dick Littlefield
Richard Bernard "Dick" Littlefield was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for nine teams between 1950 and 1958.Born in Detroit, Michigan, he died there at age 71....
. In 1954, he was 7th in the AL with a .400 obp, and 10th in the league with 7 triples.
In , he had a .413 obp, and was 8th in the league in walks with 89. On October 18, 1955, he was traded by the Baltimore Orioles to the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
for Bobby Adams
Bobby Adams
Robert Henry Adams was a third baseman/second baseman in Major League Baseball. He played for the Cincinnati Reds & Redlegs , Chicago White Sox , Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs . Adams batted and threw right-handed...
.
He remained in the Major Leagues into the season, when he was sent to the Miami Marlins
Miami Marlins (IL)
The Miami Marlins was the name of a Class AAA American minor league baseball franchise based in Miami, Florida, that played in the International League from 1956 through 1960.The Marlins were a transplanted version of the original Syracuse Chiefs...
in the AAA International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
. The next year Abrams retired from play.
In all of his minor league seasons, his lowest batting average was .331.
He played in 567 major league games with the Dodgers, Reds, Pirates, Orioles, and White Sox.
After baseball
In the late '50s and early '60s, Abrams owned The Blossom Lounge in Garden City South, New YorkGarden City South, New York
Garden City South is a hamlet in Nassau County, New York, United States. The population was 4,024 at the 2010 census.Garden City South is an unincorporated area of the Town of Hempstead.-Geography:...
, near Adelphi College, later University. Following the devastating ninth inning loss by his former Dodgers team, again to the Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
in the final game of a three-game playoff for the National League pennant in 1962, he was asked by an Adelphi student what he thought of the just concluded game. "Who was playing?" Abrams asked in all sincerity. In the 1990s, he was working for the Norwegian Cruise Line, giving talks and signing photographs (Brooklyn) emphasizing his two outstanding on-base percentage seasons.
Death
Abrams died in 1997 after suffering a heart attackMyocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
. He was buried in his Brooklyn Dodgers uniform.
Hall of Fame
In 1996 Abrams, who was Jewish, was inducted into the B'nai B'rithB'nai B'rith
B'nai B'rith International |Covenant]]" is the oldest continually operating Jewish service organization in the world. It was initially founded as the Independent Order of B'nai B'rith in New York City, on , 1843, by Henry Jones and 11 others....
Jewish American Sports Hall of Fame, in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
External links
- Baseball Library profile
- Cal Abrams at Find a GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...