Ted Kluszewski
Encyclopedia
Theodore Bernard "Big Klu" Kluszewski (September 10, 1924 – March 29, 1988) was a Major League
first baseman
from 1947 through 1961. He batted and threw left-handed.
and attended Argo Community High School
. He was discovered at Indiana University
, where he played football
as well as baseball. Due to wartime travel restrictions, the Cincinnati Reds
, who normally held spring training
in Tampa
, Florida
, were forced to train at the university from to . Kluszewski drew the attention of Reds' groundskeeper Matty Schwab. Schwab saw Kluszewski hitting balls over an embankment near the baseball diamond that none of the other Reds players was able to get near. Reds scouts were sufficiently impressed, but Kluszewski, who was also a standout tight end
on the Hoosier football squad, did not immediately sign, because he didn't want to endanger his collegiate football eligibility. Instead, he signed after he graduated in . After batting
.325 and .377 in two minor league
seasons, he was called up to Cincinnati and became the Reds' starting first baseman at the end of .
Soon after the 6'-2" (1.89 m), 240-pound (108.8 kg) Ted Kluszewski joined the Reds, he cut off the sleeves of his uniform, much to the chagrin of the Reds front office. He did it because the tight sleeves constricted his large biceps and shoulders and interfered with his swing. "They got pretty upset, but it was either that or change my swing — and I wasn't about to change my swing", said Kluszewski. Kluszewski became notorious for his strength; Hall of Fame manager Leo Durocher
was asked to name five of the strongest players in baseball, he complied. When it was pointed out that he'd left Ted Kluszewski off his list, Durocher said: "Kluszewski? I'm talking about human beings!"
Kluszewski was selected as an All-Star
in four seasons, and was a career .298 hitter with 279 home run
s and 1028 RBI
in 1718 games. In ten of his fifteen seasons, Kluszewski walked
(492) more often than he struck out
(365). In 1955, he hit 47 homers while striking out only 40 times. No player since him has hit 40 homers and struck out 40 or fewer times in the same season (Barry Bonds
missed duplicating this feat by one strikeout in 2004).
"Big Klu" enjoyed his most productive years from through , with home run totals of 40, 49, 47 and 35 while driving in over 100 baserunners in each, including a league-leading 141 RBIs in . He also hit .300 or better eight times. Kluszewski also led National League
first basemen in fielding percentage
five straight years, a major league record.
However, injuries began taking their toll; Kluszewski was limited to playing just four full seasons in his fifteen-year career. He spent his last four seasons as a part-time player with several teams. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates
before the season, and in August he was sent to the Chicago White Sox
to give the team added punch.
The White Sox won the 1959 American League
pennant, and faced the Los Angeles Dodgers
in the World Series
. In the first game at Chicago's Comiskey Park
, Kluszewski hit two home runs and drove in five in an 11–0 rout of the Dodgers. However, the Dodgers would win the next four out of five games to win the series with pitching that neutralized the White Sox, except for Kluszewski, who hit .391 with three home runs and ten RBIs (tying Gil Hodges'
mark set in the same series). Around that time, Sox owner Bill Veeck
introduced uniforms with players' names on the backs. During a road trip to New York, Ted Kluszewski became the first player to appear in a game with his name misspelled with a backwards "z" and an "x" instead of the second "k".
When Major League Baseball expanded in , Kluszewski was left unprotected in the expansion draft and selected by the Los Angeles Angels
. Although hampered by back and leg problems, Kluszewski was the star of the Angels' first game ever, on April 11, against the Baltimore Orioles
at Memorial Stadium
, belting two home runs off of Milt Pappas
as the Angels defeated the Orioles 7-2. During his final season, Kluszewski hit .243 with 15 home runs and 39 RBIs in 107 games.
After retiring as a player, Kluszewski was a hitting coach under Sparky Anderson
with the Cincinnati Reds during their outstanding teams in the 1970's. In , he became the Reds' minor league hitting instructor, a position he held until , when he suffered a massive heart attack
and underwent emergency bypass surgery
. He retired afterward.
Kluszewski died on March 29, in Cincinnati at age 63. His #18 was retired by the Reds on July 18, before a game against the San Diego Padres
at Cinergy Field
. His widow, the former Eleanor Guckel, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
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...
first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
from 1947 through 1961. He batted and threw left-handed.
Career
Ted Kluszewski was born in Argo, IllinoisIllinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and attended Argo Community High School
Argo Community High School
Argo Community High School District 217 is a school located in Summit, Illinois, United States. The district draws students from the communities of Summit, Bedford Park, Bridgeview, Justice, Willow Springs, and a portion of Hickory Hills....
. He was discovered at Indiana University
Indiana University Bloomington
Indiana University Bloomington is a public research university located in Bloomington, Indiana, in the United States. IU Bloomington is the flagship campus of the Indiana University system. Being the flagship campus, IU Bloomington is often referred to simply as IU or Indiana...
, where he played football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
as well as baseball. Due to wartime travel restrictions, 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....
, who normally held spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
in Tampa
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, were forced to train at the university from to . Kluszewski drew the attention of Reds' groundskeeper Matty Schwab. Schwab saw Kluszewski hitting balls over an embankment near the baseball diamond that none of the other Reds players was able to get near. Reds scouts were sufficiently impressed, but Kluszewski, who was also a standout tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
on the Hoosier football squad, did not immediately sign, because he didn't want to endanger his collegiate football eligibility. Instead, he signed after he graduated in . After batting
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 :...
.325 and .377 in two minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
seasons, he was called up to Cincinnati and became the Reds' starting first baseman at the end of .
Soon after the 6'-2" (1.89 m), 240-pound (108.8 kg) Ted Kluszewski joined the Reds, he cut off the sleeves of his uniform, much to the chagrin of the Reds front office. He did it because the tight sleeves constricted his large biceps and shoulders and interfered with his swing. "They got pretty upset, but it was either that or change my swing — and I wasn't about to change my swing", said Kluszewski. Kluszewski became notorious for his strength; Hall of Fame manager Leo Durocher
Leo Durocher
Leo Ernest Durocher , nicknamed Leo the Lip, was an American infielder and manager in Major League Baseball. Upon his retirement, he ranked fifth all-time among managers with 2,009 career victories, second only to John McGraw in National League history. Durocher still ranks tenth in career wins by...
was asked to name five of the strongest players in baseball, he complied. When it was pointed out that he'd left Ted Kluszewski off his list, Durocher said: "Kluszewski? I'm talking about human beings!"
Kluszewski was selected as an 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...
in four seasons, and was a career .298 hitter with 279 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 and 1028 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
in 1718 games. In ten of his fifteen seasons, Kluszewski walked
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
(492) more often than he struck out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
(365). In 1955, he hit 47 homers while striking out only 40 times. No player since him has hit 40 homers and struck out 40 or fewer times in the same season (Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds
Barry Lamar Bonds is an American former Major League Baseball outfielder. Bonds played from 1986 to 2007, for the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds...
missed duplicating this feat by one strikeout in 2004).
"Big Klu" enjoyed his most productive years from through , with home run totals of 40, 49, 47 and 35 while driving in over 100 baserunners in each, including a league-leading 141 RBIs in . He also hit .300 or better eight times. Kluszewski also led 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...
first basemen in fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
five straight years, a major league record.
However, injuries began taking their toll; Kluszewski was limited to playing just four full seasons in his fifteen-year career. He spent his last four seasons as a part-time player with several teams. He was traded 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...
before the season, and in August he was sent 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...
to give the team added punch.
The White Sox won the 1959 American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
pennant, and faced the Los Angeles 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...
in the World Series
1959 World Series
The 1959 World Series featured the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers beating the American League champion Chicago White Sox, four games to two. It was the first pennant for the White Sox in 40 years . They would have to wait until 2005 to win another championship...
. In the first game at Chicago's Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park was the ballpark in which the Chicago White Sox played from 1910 to 1990. It was built by Charles Comiskey after a design by Zachary Taylor Davis, and was the site of four World Series and more than 6,000 major league games...
, Kluszewski hit two home runs and drove in five in an 11–0 rout of the Dodgers. However, the Dodgers would win the next four out of five games to win the series with pitching that neutralized the White Sox, except for Kluszewski, who hit .391 with three home runs and ten RBIs (tying Gil Hodges'
Gil Hodges
Gilbert Ray Hodges was an American Major League Baseball first baseman and manager. During an 18-year baseball career, he played in 1943 and from 1947–63, spending most of his career with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers...
mark set in the same series). Around that time, Sox owner Bill Veeck
Bill Veeck
William Louis Veeck, Jr. , also known as "Sport Shirt Bill", was a native of Chicago, Illinois, and a franchise owner and promoter in Major League Baseball. He was best known for his publicity stunts to raise attendance. Veeck was at various times the owner of the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis...
introduced uniforms with players' names on the backs. During a road trip to New York, Ted Kluszewski became the first player to appear in a game with his name misspelled with a backwards "z" and an "x" instead of the second "k".
When Major League Baseball expanded in , Kluszewski was left unprotected in the expansion draft and selected by the Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
. Although hampered by back and leg problems, Kluszewski was the star of the Angels' first game ever, on April 11, against 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...
at Memorial Stadium
Memorial Stadium (Baltimore)
Memorial Stadium was a sports stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, that formerly stood on 33rd Street on an over-sized block also bounded by Ellerslie Avenue , 36th Street , and Ednor Road...
, belting two home runs off of Milt Pappas
Milt Pappas
Milton Steven "Milt" Pappas is a former professional baseball pitcher...
as the Angels defeated the Orioles 7-2. During his final season, Kluszewski hit .243 with 15 home runs and 39 RBIs in 107 games.
After retiring as a player, Kluszewski was a hitting coach under Sparky Anderson
Sparky Anderson
George Lee "Sparky" Anderson was an American Major League Baseball manager. He managed the National League's Cincinnati Reds to the 1975 and 1976 championships, then added a third title in 1984 with the Detroit Tigers of the American League. He was the first manager to win the World Series in both...
with the Cincinnati Reds during their outstanding teams in the 1970's. In , he became the Reds' minor league hitting instructor, a position he held until , when he suffered a massive heart attack
Myocardial 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...
and underwent emergency bypass surgery
Coronary artery bypass surgery
Coronary artery bypass surgery, also coronary artery bypass graft surgery, and colloquially heart bypass or bypass surgery is a surgical procedure performed to relieve angina and reduce the risk of death from coronary artery disease...
. He retired afterward.
Kluszewski died on March 29, in Cincinnati at age 63. His #18 was retired by the Reds on July 18, before a game against the San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...
at Cinergy Field
Cinergy Field
Riverfront Stadium , later known as Cinergy Field , was the home of the Cincinnati Reds National League baseball team and the Cincinnati Bengals National Football League team. Located on the Ohio River in downtown Cincinnati, the stadium was best known as the home of "The Big Red Machine," as the...
. His widow, the former Eleanor Guckel, threw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Highlights
- 4-time All-Star (1953–56)
- 3-time Top 10 MVPMLB Most Valuable Player AwardThe Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
(7th, 1953; 2nd, 1954; 6th, 1955) - 7-time Top 10 in batting average (1949–50, 1952–56)
- Led league in home runs (49) and in RBI (141) in 1954
- 5 times led first basemen in fielding percentage (1951–55), a major league record
- Set a National LeagueNational LeagueThe 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...
record scoring runsRun (baseball)In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
in consecutive games (17, 1955) - Kluszewski, Gus BellGus BellDavid 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...
and Bob ThurmanBob ThurmanRobert Burns Thurman was a professional baseball pitcher, outfielder and pinch-hitter. He played in the Negro Leagues, the Puerto Rican winter league , and for a few years at the end of his career, in Major League Baseball with the Cincinnati Reds...
became the second trio of teammates with a three-home run game in the same season (1956), sharing a major league single season record with Duke SniderDuke SniderEdwin 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...
, Roy CampanellaRoy CampanellaRoy Campanella , nicknamed "Campy", was an American baseball player, primarily at the position of catcher, in the Negro leagues and Major League Baseball...
and Tommy BrownTommy BrownThomas Michael "Buckshot" Brown was a Major League Baseball Utility player from to . Brown became the youngest player ever to hit a home run in the Major Leagues when he homered on August 20, 1945 at the age of 17...
of the Brooklyn Dodgers and Cory SnyderCory SnyderJames Cory Snyder is a former Major League Baseball player for the Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, and Los Angeles Dodgers from 1986 to 1994. Snyder's best season came in 1987 with the Indians when he hit 33 home runs and had 82 runs batted in...
, Joe CarterJoe CarterJoseph Christopher Carter is a former right fielder in Major League Baseball who played from to . Carter is most famous for hitting a walk-off home run to win the 1993 World Series for the Toronto Blue Jays....
and Brook JacobyBrook JacobyBrook Wallace Jacoby is a former Major League Baseball third baseman and the current hitting coach of the Cincinnati Reds. Jacoby played in the major leagues from 1981 through 1992, and in Japan in 1993. He batted and threw right-handed. His father Brook Wallace Jacoby Sr...
of the Cleveland IndiansCleveland IndiansThe Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
.
Honors
- Kluszewski was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and MuseumCincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and MuseumThe Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum is an entity established by Major League Baseball's Cincinnati Reds franchise that pays homage to the team's past through displays, photographs and multimedia...
in .
- Great American Ball ParkGreat American Ball ParkThe Great American Ball Park is a Major League Baseball park in Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the home of the National League's Cincinnati Reds. It opened in 2003, replacing the Reds' former home, Cinergy Field, which was known as Riverfront Stadium from its opening in June 1970 until the 1996...
, the home of the Cincinnati Reds, opened on March 31, . Before the inaugural game, the Reds dedicated a bronze statue of Kluszewski on the Crosley Terrace area outside the main gate. Statues of Crosley FieldCrosley FieldCrosley Field was a Major League Baseball park located in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was the home field of the National League's Cincinnati Reds from 1912 through June 24, 1970, and the original Cincinnati Bengals football team, members of the second and third American Football League...
era stars Ernie LombardiErnie LombardiErnesto 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",...
, Joe NuxhallJoe NuxhallJoseph Henry Nuxhall was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, mostly for the Cincinnati Reds. Immediately after retiring as a player, he became a radio broadcaster for the Reds from 1967 through 2004, and continued part-time up until his death in 2007...
, and Frank RobinsonFrank RobinsonFrank Robinson , is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He played from 1956–1976, most notably for the Cincinnati Reds and the Baltimore Orioles. He is the only player to win league MVP honors in both the National and American Leagues...
were erected later. The statues were sculpted by Cincinnati artist Tom Tsuchiya.
- Ted Kluszewski is mentioned in the first line of the chorus to Terry Cashman'sTerry CashmanTerry Cashman is a record producer and singer-songwriter, best known for his 1981 hit, "Talkin' Baseball." While the song is well recognized today, it was all but ignored by typical Top 40 radio during its chart life, making only the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.Cashman was the lead singer...
1981 song "Talkin' BaseballTalkin' Baseball"Talkin' Baseball" is a 1981 song written and performed by Terry Cashman. The song describes the history of American major league baseball from the 1950s to the beginning of the 1980s. The song was originally released during the 1981 Major League Baseball strike, and was inspired by a picture of...
," a musical tribute to baseball.
- A 1976 EsquireEsquire (magazine)Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
magazine article by sportswriter Harry Stein featured an "All Time All-Star Argument Starter" consisting of five ethnic baseball teams. Kluszewski was the first baseman on Stein's PolishPolesthumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
team.
See also
- List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters
- List of Major League Baseball retired numbers
- National Polish-American Hall of FameNational Polish-American Hall of FameThe National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame and Museum was founded February 30, 1973 to honor and recognize outstanding American athletes, both amateur and professional, of Polish descent....
- List of Polish Americans
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
- List of Major League Baseball RBI champions
- List of Major League Baseball home run champions
Sources
- Baseball Library
- Baseball Reference
- Cincinnati's Crosley Field: The Illustrated History of a Classic Ballpark by Greg Rhodes and John Erardi, 1995, Road West Publishing