CHAPTER 2 DIZZY DEAN Ask a baseball fan to identify Jay Hanna Dean and you might a baseball fan to identify Jay Hanna Dean and you might get a blank stare But most fans are familiar with Dizzy Dean His nickname is among the most famous in the history of the sport It was a good fit for him too Dean was indeed a bit dizzy His brother Paul who pitched on the same St Louis Cardinals staff in the 1930s was a little on the goofy side himself He was tagged with the nickname Daffy Dizzy and Daffy Dean starred on the 1934 championship Cardinals team known as the Gashouse Gang Dizzy was one of the greatest pitchers ever He also had a unique style of talking and he rarely shut up He was born and raised near the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas His manner of speaking reflected his background and unique sense of humor Dizzy Dean shows off his unique pitching form
Ol Diz was more than just a character he was one of baseball’s most dominant pitchers in the mid-1930s Dizzy was never at a loss for confidence Before Game 7 of the 1934 World Series he decided to talk a little trash to Detroit Tigers slugger Hank Greenberg Boy you’re shakin like a leaf Dizzy shouted at Greenberg I get it You done hear that Ol Diz was gonna pitch Well you’re right It’ll all be over in a few minutes Ol Diz is gonna pitch and he’s gonna pin your ears back He backed up his big talk too Ol Diz threw a six-hit shutout and the Cardinals beat the Tigers 11 0 to win the World Series Dizzy won an incredible 102 games from 1933 to 1936 Unfortunately an injury he suffered in the 1937 All-Star Game shortened his career A line drive hit him on the foot and broke his toe Dizzy wanted to finish the season so he changed his pitching motion to protect his injured foot That led to shoulder and arm problems and an early retirement at age 31 He didn’t disappear from the game however Dizzy went on to become a beloved announcer calling games on radio and television for local and national broadcasts But his fans and teammates will never forget the thrill of watching him pitch When Ol Diz was out there pitching it was more than just another ballgame recalled former Cardinals star Pepper Martin It was a regular three-ring circus and everybody was wide awake and enjoying being alive
