Gus Mancuso
Encyclopedia
August Rodney Mancuso (December 5, 1905 - October 26, 1984), nicknamed "Blackie", was a professional
baseball
player, coach
, scout and radio sports commentator
. He played as a catcher
in Major League Baseball
with the St. Louis Cardinals
(1928, 1930–32, 1941–42), New York Giants
(1933–38, 1942–44), Chicago Cubs
(1939), Brooklyn Dodgers
(1940) and Philadelphia Phillies
(1945). Mancuso batted and threw right-handed. He was regarded as one of the top defensive catchers of the 1930s.
, Mancuso began his professional baseball career in with the Houston Buffaloes
of the Texas League
. In , he hit for a .372 batting average
for the Syracuse Stars in the International League
. He made his Major League debut with the St. Louis Cardinals on April 30, 1928
, and stayed with them until July, when he was sent to the Minneapolis Millers
in the American Association
. He spent with St. Louis's American Association farm club, the Rochester Red Wings
and with Houston.
Mancuso rejoined the Cardinals in 1930
, serving as a reserve catcher backing up Jimmie Wilson
. On September 12, Wilson sprained his ankle and would not play for the rest of the season. Mancuso rose to the occasion, ending the season with a .366 batting average during a hitters' year when the league average was above .300 for the first and only time. The Cardinals won the National League
pennant but, eventually lost to Connie Mack's
Philadelphia Athletics
in the 1930 World Series
. In 1931
Mancuso was once again the reserve catcher to Wilson, leading the league with a 54.3% caught stealing percentage as the Cardinals won their second consecutive National League pennant. The 1931 World Series
was a rematch with the Athletics
as the Cardinals were victorious in a seven-game series. Mancuso only had one plate appearance during the series as a late-inning pinch hitter
. During the 1932
season, Wilson turned 32 years old and shared the catching duties with Mancuso who caught 82 games to Wilson's 75 and hit for a .284 average.
Mancuso was traded to the New York Giants before the 1933
season where new manager
Bill Terry
was rebuilding the team after the resignation of longtime manager John McGraw
. Terry built his team around defense and pitching, leaving Mancuso in charge of the Giants' pitching staff that included; Carl Hubbell
's sharp-breaking screwball
, Hal Schumacher
's diving sinker ball
, Freddie Fitzsimmons
' knuckleball
and Roy Parmelee
who threw a variety of different pitches. Under Mancuso's guidance, the Giants' pitching staff led the National League in earned run average
as the team won their first pennant in nine years.
Although Mancuso led National League catchers in errors
and passed ball
s, he also led in games played
, baserunners caught stealing
, putouts and, finished second in assists
and in range factor
. The Giants went on to defeat the Washington Senators
in the 1933 World Series
. Terry credited Mancuso as a major factor in moving the Giants from sixth place in 1932
to World Series champions in . In an Associated Press
poll of sportswriters, Mancuso finished second to the Yankees' Bill Dickey
as the majors league's all-star catcher based on his ability to handle pitchers so skillfully. Mancuso ranked sixth in voting for the National League Most Valuable Player Award.
In 1935
Mancuso hit for a .298 batting average along with 5 home run
s, 56 runs batted in and earned a spot as a reserve for the National League team in the 1935 All-Star Game
. He had his best season in 1936
, hitting for a .301 batting average with career-highs of 9 home runs and 63 runs batted in as the Giants once again claimed the National League pennant. He led the league's catchers in putouts, baserunners caught stealing, finished second in assists and, once again guided the Giants' pitching staff to the lowest earned run average in the league. The Giants would go down to defeat against the powerful New York Yankees
in the 1936 World Series
. Mancuso finished the year ranked eighth in voting for the National League Most Valuable Player Award.
In 1937
, Mancuso was hitting for a .283 average at mid-season to earn his second berth as a reserve for the National League team in the 1937 All-Star Game
. A few days after the All-Star Game, a foul tip
broke the ring finger on Mancuso's right hand. Harry Danning
replaced him and played well enough that, when Mancuso was healthy again, the two shared the catching duties for the rest of the season. The Giants clinched their second consecutive National League pennant and, once again faced the New York Yankees
in the 1937 World Series
. Mancuso started the first two World Series games but, when he went hitless, Danning took over as the Yankees went on to win the series in five games. Danning took over as the Giants' starting catcher for the 1938
season with Mancuso hitting a respectable .348 with a .411 on base percentage
in 52 games.
Mancuso was traded to the Chicago Cubs before the 1939
season where he shared catching duties with 38 year old player-manager Gabby Hartnett
. He ended the season with a .231 batting average with only 2 home runs and 17 runs batted in. With the shortage of major league players due to the Second World War, Mancuso saw his career extended for another six years. He played the 1940
season with the Brooklyn Dodgers before the Cardinals brought him back to St. Louis for the 1941
season. Mancuso helped develop the Cardinals' rookie catcher and future star, Walker Cooper
but, when Cooper was injured, Mancuso caught the majority of the Cardinals' games in . He was credited with helping the Cardinals to a second place finish due to his work with rookie
pitchers Ernie White
(17-7) and Howie Krist
(10-0), but only managed to post a .229 batting average.
Mancuso returned to the Giants in 1942
as a backup catcher and pitching coach. When Harry Danning was taken into the United States Army, Mancuso became the club's starting catcher at age 37, sharing the job with 35-year-old future Hall of Fame member, Ernie Lombardi
for the 1943
and 1944
seasons. At the age of 38, he was released by the Giants at the end of the 1944 season. Former teammate Freddie Fitzsimmons was managing the Philadelphia Phillies in 1945
and, convinced Mancuso to play one more season as a catcher and full-time pitching coach. He caught 70 games while sharing catching duties with Andy Seminick
but, when Fitzsimmons was fired, Mancuso left the club before the end of the season, playing his final game on September 11 at the age of 40.
, accumulating 1,194 hits
in 4,505 at bats for a .265 career batting average along with 53 home runs, 543 runs batted in and an on base percentage
of .328. He retired with a .977 fielding percentage. A two-time All-Star
, he led National League catchers three times in putouts, and twice in baserunners caught stealing and in range factor. Mancuso was a member of five pennant
-winning teams. He caught for five pitchers who were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame (Carl Hubbell, Grover Cleveland Alexander
, Dizzy Dean
, Burleigh Grimes
and Jesse Haines
).
and in he took over as manger of the San Antonio Missions
. In 1950
, he was hired as the pitching coach for the Cincinnati Reds
.
In Mancuso began a career as a broadcaster with his hometown Houston team in the Texas League. He later moved to St. Louis where he worked with play-by-play announcer Harry Caray
on the Cardinals' radio network until . He also served as a scout for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Houston Colt .45s
. His younger brother, Frank Mancuso
, also was a major league catcher in the mid-1940s. In Mancuso was seriously injured in a traffic accident which killed his wife, Lorena Mancuso.
Mancuso was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame
in and was elected to the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame
in . Mancuso died in 1984 at the age of 78 in Houston, Texas
.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player, 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...
, scout and radio sports commentator
Sports commentator
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
. He played as a catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
in 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...
with the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
(1928, 1930–32, 1941–42), New York 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....
(1933–38, 1942–44), Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
(1939), Brooklyn Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
(1940) 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...
(1945). Mancuso batted and threw right-handed. He was regarded as one of the top defensive catchers of the 1930s.
Baseball career
Born in Galveston, TexasGalveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
, Mancuso began his professional baseball career in with the Houston Buffaloes
Houston Buffaloes
The Houston Buffaloes or Buffs were an American minor league baseball team that was founded in 1888, played in the Texas League in the years 1888-90, 1892, 1895-99, and 1907-1958 ; in the South Texas League in the years 1903-06; and in the American Association from 1959-61...
of the 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...
. In , he hit for a .372 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
for the Syracuse Stars in the 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...
. He made his Major League debut with the St. Louis Cardinals on April 30, 1928
1928 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 37th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 37th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 95-59 during the season and finished first in the National League...
, and stayed with them until July, when he was sent to the Minneapolis Millers
Minneapolis Millers
The Minneapolis Millers were an American professional minor league baseball team that played in Minneapolis, Minnesota, until 1960. In the 19th century a different Minneapolis Millers were part of the Western League.The team played first in Athletic Park and later Nicollet Park.The name Minneapolis...
in the 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...
. He spent with St. Louis's American Association farm club, the Rochester Red Wings
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
and with Houston.
Mancuso rejoined the Cardinals in 1930
1930 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 49th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 39th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 92-62 during the season and finished first in the National League...
, serving as a reserve catcher backing up Jimmie Wilson
Jimmie Wilson
James Wilson , nicknamed "Ace," was an American professional athlete in soccer and baseball.He began his professional sports career as a soccer outside right in the National Association Football League and American Soccer League before becoming a catcher, manager and coach in Major League Baseball...
. On September 12, Wilson sprained his ankle and would not play for the rest of the season. Mancuso rose to the occasion, ending the season with a .366 batting average during a hitters' year when the league average was above .300 for the first and only time. The Cardinals won 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 but, eventually lost to Connie Mack's
Connie Mack (baseball)
Cornelius McGillicuddy, Sr. , better known as Connie Mack, was an American professional baseball player, manager, and team owner. The longest-serving manager in Major League Baseball history, he holds records for wins , losses , and games managed , with his victory total being almost 1,000 more...
Philadelphia Athletics
1930 Philadelphia Athletics season
The Philadelphia Athletics season involved the A's finishing first in the American League with a record of 102 wins and 52 losses. It was their second of three consecutive pennants. In the 1930 World Series, they defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in six games. This was the A's final World Series...
in the 1930 World Series
1930 World Series
In the 1930 World Series, the Philadelphia Athletics defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in six games, 4–2. Philadelphia's pitching ace Lefty Grove won two games.The St...
. In 1931
1931 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 50th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 40th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 101-53 during the season and finished first in the National League...
Mancuso was once again the reserve catcher to Wilson, leading the league with a 54.3% caught stealing percentage as the Cardinals won their second consecutive National League pennant. The 1931 World Series
1931 World Series
In the 1931 World Series, the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Philadelphia Athletics in seven games, a rematch and reversal of fortunes of the 1930 World Series.The same two teams faced off during the 1930 World Series and the Athletics were victorious...
was a rematch with the Athletics
1931 Philadelphia Athletics season
The Philadelphia Athletics season involved the A's finishing first in the American League with a record of 107 wins and 45 losses. It was the team's third consecutive pennant-winning season and its third consecutive season with over 100 wins. However, in a major upset, the A's lost the 1931 World...
as the Cardinals were victorious in a seven-game series. Mancuso only had one plate appearance during the series as a late-inning pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
. During the 1932
1932 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 51st season in St. Louis, Missouri and its 41st season in the National League. The Cardinals went 72-82 during the season and finished 6th in the National League.- Offseason :...
season, Wilson turned 32 years old and shared the catching duties with Mancuso who caught 82 games to Wilson's 75 and hit for a .284 average.
Mancuso was traded to the New York Giants before the 1933
1933 New York Giants (MLB) season
-Offseason:* December 29, 1932: Shanty Hogan was purchased from the Giants by the Boston Braves.- Roster :- Starters by position:Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in...
season where new manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
Bill Terry
Bill Terry
William Harold Terry was a Major League Baseball first baseman and manager. Considered one of the greatest players of all time, Terry was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1954. In 1999, he ranked number 59 on The Sporting News list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players, and was a nominee...
was rebuilding the team after the resignation of longtime manager John McGraw
John McGraw
John McGraw may refer to:* John McGraw , , New York lumber tycoon, and one of the founding trustees of Cornell University* John McGraw , , Governor of Washington state from 1893–1897...
. Terry built his team around defense and pitching, leaving Mancuso in charge of the Giants' pitching staff that included; Carl Hubbell
Carl Hubbell
Carl Owen Hubbell was an American baseball player. He was a member of the New York Giants in the National League from 1928 to 1943, and remained on the Giants' payroll for the rest of his life, long after their move to San Francisco.Twice voted the National League's Most Valuable Player, Hubbell...
's sharp-breaking screwball
Screwball
A screwball , is a baseball pitch that is thrown so as to break in the opposite direction of a slider or curveball. Depending on the pitcher's arm angle, the ball may also have a sinking action....
, Hal Schumacher
Hal Schumacher
Harold Henry Schumacher was an American baseball player. He played in the majors from 1931-1946 for the New York Giants. Hal was still a student at St. Lawrence University when he first signed with the Giants, graduating in 1933.-External links:...
's diving sinker ball
Sinker (baseball)
In baseball, a sinker , is a type of fastball pitch which has significant downward and horizontal movement. The sinker is known for inducing a lot of ground balls...
, Freddie Fitzsimmons
Freddie Fitzsimmons
Frederick Landis Fitzsimmons , nicknamed "Fat Freddie," was an American right-handed pitcher, manager and coach in Major League Baseball who played from 1925 to 1943 with the New York Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers...
' knuckleball
Knuckleball
A knuckleball is a baseball pitch with an erratic, unpredictable motion. The pitch is thrown so as to minimize the spin of the ball in flight. This causes vortices over the stitched seams of the baseball during its trajectory, which in turn can cause the pitch to change direction—and even...
and Roy Parmelee
Roy Parmelee
Le Roy Earl Parmelee , was a professional baseball player who played pitcher in the Major Leagues from -. He would play for the New York Giants, Philadelphia Athletics, Chicago Cubs, and St. Louis Cardinals.-External links:...
who threw a variety of different pitches. Under Mancuso's guidance, the Giants' pitching staff led the National League in earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
as the team won their first pennant in nine years.
Although Mancuso led National League catchers in errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
and passed ball
Passed ball
In baseball, a catcher is charged with a passed ball when he fails to hold or control a legally pitched ball that, with ordinary effort, should have been maintained under his control. When, as a result of this loss of control, the batter or a runner on base advances, the catcher is thereby charged...
s, he also led in games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
, baserunners caught stealing
Caught stealing
In baseball, a runner is charged, and the fielders involved are credited, with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or lead off from one base to another without the ball being batted and then is tagged out by a fielder while making the attempt...
, putouts and, finished second in assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
and in range factor
Range Factor
Range Factor is a baseball statistic developed by Bill James. It is calculated by dividing putouts and assists by number of innings or games played at a given defense position...
. The Giants went on to defeat the Washington Senators
1933 Washington Senators season
The Washington Senators was a season in American baseball. They won 99 games, lost 53, and finished in first place in the American League. It was their third, and last, pennant of their existence. The team was managed by Joe Cronin and played home games at Griffith Stadium...
in the 1933 World Series
1933 World Series
The 1933 World Series featured the New York Giants and the Washington Senators, with the Giants winning in five games for their first championship since , and their fourth overall....
. Terry credited Mancuso as a major factor in moving the Giants from sixth place in 1932
1932 New York Giants (MLB) season
The 1932 New York Giants season was a season in American baseball. The team finished tied for sixth in the National League, 18 games behind the Chicago Cubs.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
to World Series champions in . In an Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
poll of sportswriters, Mancuso finished second to the Yankees' Bill Dickey
Bill Dickey
William Malcolm Dickey was a Major League Baseball catcher and manager.He played his entire 19-year baseball career with the New York Yankees . During Dickey's playing career, the Yankees went to the World Series nine times, winning eight championships...
as the majors league's all-star catcher based on his ability to handle pitchers so skillfully. Mancuso ranked sixth in voting for the National League Most Valuable Player Award.
In 1935
1935 New York Giants (MLB) season
- Offseason :* November 1, 1934: Johnny Vergez, Pretzel Pezzullo, Blondy Ryan, George Watkins and cash were traded by the Giants to the Philadelphia Phillies for Dick Bartell....
Mancuso hit for a .298 batting average along with 5 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s, 56 runs batted in and earned a spot as a reserve for the National League team in the 1935 All-Star Game
1935 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1935 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 3rd playing of the mid-summer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 8, 1935 at Cleveland Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio the home of the...
. He had his best season in 1936
1936 New York Giants (MLB) season
- Roster:- Starters by position:Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in-Other batters:Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg...
, hitting for a .301 batting average with career-highs of 9 home runs and 63 runs batted in as the Giants once again claimed the National League pennant. He led the league's catchers in putouts, baserunners caught stealing, finished second in assists and, once again guided the Giants' pitching staff to the lowest earned run average in the league. The Giants would go down to defeat against the powerful New York Yankees
1936 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was the team's 34th season in New York and its 36th season overall. The team finished with a record of 102-51, winning their 8th pennant, finishing 19.5 games ahead of the Detroit Tigers. New York was managed by Joe McCarthy. The Yankees played at Yankee Stadium...
in the 1936 World Series
1936 World Series
The 1936 World Series matched the New York Yankees against the New York Giants, with the Yankees winning in six games to earn their fifth championship....
. Mancuso finished the year ranked eighth in voting for the National League Most Valuable Player Award.
In 1937
1937 New York Giants (MLB) season
-Offseason:* January 6, 1937: Tommy Thevenow was purchased by the Giants from the Cincinnati Reds.* January 25, 1937: Ed Madjeski was purchased by the Giants from the New York Yankees.-Notable transactions:...
, Mancuso was hitting for a .283 average at mid-season to earn his second berth as a reserve for the National League team in the 1937 All-Star Game
1937 Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The 1937 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the fifth playing of the mid-summer classic between the all-stars of the American League and National League , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball. The game was held on July 7, 1937, at Griffith Stadium in Washington, D.C., the home of...
. A few days after the All-Star Game, a foul tip
Foul tip
In baseball, a foul tip is defined as "a batted ball that goes sharp directly from the bat to the catcher’s hands and is legally caught. It is not a foul tip unless caught and any foul tip that is caught is a strike, and the ball is in play."...
broke the ring finger on Mancuso's right hand. Harry Danning
Harry Danning
Harry Danning, nicknamed Harry the Horse was a professional baseball player. He played his entire Major League Baseball career as a catcher for the New York Giants, and was considered one of the top defensive catchers of his era. He batted and threw right-handed...
replaced him and played well enough that, when Mancuso was healthy again, the two shared the catching duties for the rest of the season. The Giants clinched their second consecutive National League pennant and, once again faced the New York Yankees
1937 New York Yankees season
The New York Yankees season was their 35th season. The team finished with a record of 102-52, winning their 9th pennant, finishing 13 games ahead of the Detroit Tigers. New York was managed by Joe McCarthy. The Yankees played at Yankee Stadium. In the World Series, they beat the New York Giants...
in the 1937 World Series
1937 World Series
The 1937 World Series featured the defending champion New York Yankees and the New York Giants in a rematch of the 1936 Series. The Yankees won the Series in five games for their second championship in a row and their sixth in fifteen years. It also broke a tie that they had reached in 1936, with...
. Mancuso started the first two World Series games but, when he went hitless, Danning took over as the Yankees went on to win the series in five games. Danning took over as the Giants' starting catcher for the 1938
1938 New York Giants (MLB) season
- Offseason :* December 1, 1937: Ed Madjeski was purchased from the Giants by the Louisville Colonels.- Roster :- Starters by position :Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in- Other batters :Note: G = Games...
season with Mancuso hitting a respectable .348 with a .411 on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
in 52 games.
Mancuso was traded to the Chicago Cubs before the 1939
1939 Chicago Cubs season
- Roster :- Starters by position :Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in- Other batters :Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg...
season where he shared catching duties with 38 year old player-manager Gabby Hartnett
Gabby Hartnett
Charles Leo "Gabby" Hartnett was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played almost his entire career in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Chicago Cubs. Until the career of Johnny Bench, Hartnett was considered the greatest catcher in the history of the National League...
. He ended the season with a .231 batting average with only 2 home runs and 17 runs batted in. With the shortage of major league players due to the Second World War, Mancuso saw his career extended for another six years. He played the 1940
1940 Brooklyn Dodgers season
The Brooklyn Dodgers finished the season in second place. It was their best finish in 16 years.- Offseason :* December 8, 1939: Al Todd was traded by the Dodgers to the Chicago Cubs for Gus Mancuso and Newt Kimball....
season with the Brooklyn Dodgers before the Cardinals brought him back to St. Louis for the 1941
1941 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 60th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 50th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 97-56 during the season and finished 2nd in the National League.- Offseason :...
season. Mancuso helped develop the Cardinals' rookie catcher and future star, Walker Cooper
Walker Cooper
William Walker Cooper was an American professional baseball player. He was a catcher in Major League Baseball who played for six National League teams from 1940 to 1957...
but, when Cooper was injured, Mancuso caught the majority of the Cardinals' games in . He was credited with helping the Cardinals to a second place finish due to his work with rookie
Rookie
Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of their sport or has little or no professional experience. The term also has the more general meaning of anyone new to a profession, training or activity Rookie is a term for a person who is in his or her first year of play of...
pitchers Ernie White
Ernie White
Ernest Daniel White was an American professional baseball player who pitched in the major leagues from 1940–43 and 1946-48. A native of Pacolet Mills, South Carolina, he threw left-handed, batted right-handed, stood 5'11½" tall and weighed 175 pounds .White pitched for two National League clubs,...
(17-7) and Howie Krist
Howie Krist
Howard Wilbur Krist was a pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1937-1946. "Spud" played his entire career for the St. Louis Cardinals of the National League, and was a member of the 1942 and 1946 World Series Championship teams.Krist's 10-0 record in 1941, his first full season, is the third-best...
(10-0), but only managed to post a .229 batting average.
Mancuso returned to the Giants in 1942
1942 New York Giants (MLB) season
- Offseason :* Prior to 1942 season: Al Sima was signed as an amateur free agent by the Giants.- Roster :- Starters by position :Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in...
as a backup catcher and pitching coach. When Harry Danning was taken into the United States Army, Mancuso became the club's starting catcher at age 37, sharing the job with 35-year-old future Hall of Fame member, Ernie Lombardi
Ernie Lombardi
Ernesto Natali "Ernie" Lombardi , was a Major League Baseball catcher for the Brooklyn Robins, the Cincinnati Reds, the Boston Braves and the New York Giants during a Hall of Fame career that spanned 17 years, from 1931 to 1947. He had several nicknames, including "Schnozz", "Lumbago", "Bocci",...
for the 1943
1943 New York Giants (MLB) season
The New York Giants season was a season in Major League Baseball. The Giants finished eighth in the National League with a record of 55 wins and 98 losses.- Roster :- Starters by position :...
and 1944
1944 New York Giants (MLB) season
The New York Giants season was a season in American baseball. The team finished in 5th place in the National League with a record of 67 wins and 87 losses.- Offseason :* Prior to 1944 season: Art Fowler was signed by the Giants as an amateur free agent....
seasons. At the age of 38, he was released by the Giants at the end of the 1944 season. Former teammate Freddie Fitzsimmons was managing the Philadelphia Phillies in 1945
1945 Philadelphia Phillies season
- Offseason :* February 10, 1945: Jimmie Foxx was signed as a free agent by the Phillies.* Prior to 1945 season **Tommy Lasorda was signed as an amateur free agent by the Phillies....
and, convinced Mancuso to play one more season as a catcher and full-time pitching coach. He caught 70 games while sharing catching duties with Andy Seminick
Andy Seminick
Andrew Wasal Seminick was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies between 1943 and 1951, and the Cincinnati Reds/Redlegs from 1952 through part of 1955, when he rejoined the Phillies for the rest of his career until...
but, when Fitzsimmons was fired, Mancuso left the club before the end of the season, playing his final game on September 11 at the age of 40.
Career statistics
In a 17 year major league career, Mancuso played in 1,460 gamesGames played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
, accumulating 1,194 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
in 4,505 at bats for a .265 career batting average along with 53 home runs, 543 runs batted in and an on base percentage
On base percentage
In baseball statistics, on-base percentage is a measure of how often a batter reaches base for any reason other than a fielding error, fielder's choice, dropped/uncaught third strike, fielder's obstruction, or catcher's interference In baseball statistics, on-base percentage (OBP) (sometimes...
of .328. He retired with a .977 fielding percentage. A two-time All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
, he led National League catchers three times in putouts, and twice in baserunners caught stealing and in range factor. Mancuso was a member of five pennant
Pennant (sports)
A pennant is a commemorative flag typically used to show support for a particular athletic team. Pennants have been historically used in all types of athletic levels: high school, collegiate, professional etc. Traditionally, pennants were made of felt and fashioned in the official colors of a...
-winning teams. He caught for five pitchers who were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame (Carl Hubbell, Grover Cleveland Alexander
Grover Cleveland Alexander
Grover Cleveland Alexander , nicknamed "Old Pete", was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and St. Louis Cardinals and was elected into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1938.-Career:Alexander was born in Elba, Nebraska, one of thirteen...
, Dizzy Dean
Dizzy Dean
Jay Hanna "Dizzy" Dean was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the last National League pitcher to win 30 games in one season. Dean was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953....
, Burleigh Grimes
Burleigh Grimes
Burleigh Arland Grimes was an American professional baseball player, and the last pitcher officially permitted to throw the spitball. He was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1954. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964.-Career:Nicknamed "Ol' Stubblebeard", Grimes was...
and Jesse Haines
Jesse Haines
Jesse Joseph "Pop" Haines, was a right-handed Major League Baseball pitcher and knuckleballer. He played briefly in 1918, then from 1920 to 1937.-Career:...
).
Coaching and broadcasting career
In , Mancuso became the player-manager of the minor league Tulsa OilersTulsa Oilers (baseball)
The Tulsa Oilers, located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, were a minor league baseball team that existed on-and-off in multiple leagues from 1905 to 1976. For most of their history, they played at Oiler Park, which opened on July 11, 1934, and was located on the Tulsa County Fairgrounds at 15th Street and...
and in he took over as manger of the San Antonio Missions
San Antonio Missions
The San Antonio Missions are a minor league baseball team based in San Antonio, Texas. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres major-league club. The Missions play in Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium, located in San Antonio...
. In 1950
1950 Cincinnati Reds season
The Cincinnati Reds season was a season in American baseball. The team finished sixth in the National League with a record of 66-87, 24½ games behind the Philadelphia Phillies.- Offseason :* December 14, 1949: Harry Walker was traded by the Reds to the St...
, he was hired as the pitching coach for 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....
.
In Mancuso began a career as a broadcaster with his hometown Houston team in the Texas League. He later moved to St. Louis where he worked with play-by-play announcer Harry Caray
Harry Caray
Harry Caray, born Harry Christopher Carabina, was an American baseball broadcaster on radio and television. He covered four Major League Baseball teams, beginning with a long tenure calling the games of the St...
on the Cardinals' radio network until . He also served as a scout for the St. Louis Cardinals and the Houston Colt .45s
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
. His younger brother, Frank Mancuso
Frank Mancuso
Frank Octavius Mancuso was a catcher in Major League Baseball who played for two teams between 1944 and 1947. Listed at 6' 0", 195 lb., Mancuso batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Houston, Texas. His older brother, Gus Mancuso, also was a major league catcher...
, also was a major league catcher in the mid-1940s. In Mancuso was seriously injured in a traffic accident which killed his wife, Lorena Mancuso.
Mancuso was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame
Texas Sports Hall of Fame
The Texas Sports Hall of Fame recognizes athletes, coaches, and administrators who have made "lasting fame and honor to Texas sports". It was established in 1951 by the Texas Sports Writers Association. Once it made its first induction in 1951, Texas became the first U.S...
in and was elected to the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame
National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame
The National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame is a nonprofit institution honoring exceptional U.S. athletes of Italian descent. Since its founding in 1977, more than 200 Italian Americans have been inducted into this hall of fame....
in . Mancuso died in 1984 at the age of 78 in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
.
Related links
External links
- Baseball Library - profile and chronology
- Baseball Reference - career statistics and analysis
- The Baseball Biography Project: Gus Mancuso