Damn Yankees by Edward Drobinski - HTML preview

Damn Yankees

Page 116

young for a ballplayer, he did not play much in the early part of the 1921 season. On June 30, 1921, the Phillies traded Stengel, Red Causey and Johnny Rawlings to the New York Giants for Lee King, Goldie Rapp and Lance Richbourg. The Giants were one of the dominant teams in the National League, and Stengel, who had feared being sent to the minor leagues, quietly placed a long distance call once informed to ensure he was not the victim of a practical joke.

“I learned more from McGraw than anybody.” - Casey Stengel.

When Stengel reported to the Giants on July 1, 1921, they were managed, as they had been for almost 20 years, by John McGraw. Teacher and student, Casey was about to learn a lot about managing. Stengel had time to learn, playing in only 18 games

for the Giants in 1921, mostly as a pinch hitter, and watched from his place on the bench as McGraw led the Giants from a seven game deficit on August 24 to the National League pennant. Stengel did not appear in the 1921 World Series against the Yankees, as McGraw used only 13 players in beating the Yankees, five games to three. The only contribution Stengel made to the box score was being ejected from Game 5 for arguing.

McGraw brought several outfielders into spring training with the Giants. When Stengel was not included with the starters when the