Marylanders have enjoyed Series stage

By David Driver
Posted: October 28, 2009

For the first 17 days of October this blog gave you some highlights of the Orioles’ postseason history. With the World Series between the Phillies and Yankees scheduled to start tonight, I thought it would be fun to list a few of the Maryland natives who starred in the Fall Classic for other major league teams. The list is in no way complete.

We have to begin with Baltimore native Babe Ruth, even though he played for the hated Yankees and Red Sox. (Full disclosure: My mother’s grandmother on her father’s side was a Ruth, but there is no evidence of being related to George Herman, born just a few blocks from Camden Yards in 1895.) Ruth played in 10 World Series, starting with Boston in 1915 and ending with New York in 1932. He hit 10 home runs. He also held the record, as a pitcher, for consecutive innings without allowing a run in World Series play — 29 2/3 — while with Boston.

Certainly, I have heard of Hall-of-Famers Lefty Grove and Jimmy Foxx. Grove was a left-handed pitcher from Western Maryland; Foxx was a right-handed slugger who was born on the Eastern Shore. But I forgot both were members of the Philadelphia A’s World Series teams from 1929-31. Grove, born in Lonaconing in 1900, was 4-2 with an ERA of 1.75 overall in the Fall Classic. Foxx, who was born in Sudlersville in 1907 and died in Florida in 1967, hit .344 with four homers in World Series play. Grove and Foxx, 70 years ago this month, helped the A’s beat the Cubs in the World Series. Foxx hit .350 with two homers in that Series.

Nellie Fox was not born in Maryland, though he died in Baltimore in 1975. (Grove died the same year in Ohio.) Fox was born in St. Thomas, Pa., not far from Greencastle and Chambersburg. The Hagerstown Suns, a minor league team, have kept his memory alive in publications over the years since Fox grew up nearby. Fifty years ago this month the second baseman hit .375 in the World Series for the White Sox, who lost in six games to the Dodgers.

Bill Werber was born in Berwyn (near College Park) in 1908. He was the oldest living big leaguer at the time of his death in January 2009, in North Carolina. The former Duke standout made his big league debut with the Yankees in 1930. In 1939-40 he played in the World Series with the Reds.

Dave Boswell, a Baltimore native and Joppa resident, pitched in the 1965 World Series for the Twins. He played part of the 1971 season with the Orioles and was 68-56 in his career.

Frostburg native Bob Robertson hit a key homer in Game 3 of the 1971 World Series to help the Pirates beat the Orioles. Robertson made the playoffs five times with the Bucs.

Called Super Sub, Baltimore native Phil Linz played short, third, second and in the outfield in a career that spanned from 1962 with the Yankees to 1969 with the Mets. He hit two homers for the Yanks in the 1964 World Series against the Cardinals.

Gordy Coleman, born in Rockville in 1934, hit a homer in the 1961 World Series for the Reds against the Yankees. He hit 98 homers in his career and died in Cincinnati in 1994.

Charlie Keller, born in Middletown (near Frederick) in 1916, was a star at the University of Maryland before he made it to the big leagues with the Yankees in 1939. That year, his rookie season, he hit three homers in just 16 at-bats in the World Series and had a slugging percentage of 1.188. He also appeared in the Fall Classic from 1941-43 and hit a total of five homers. He died in Frederick in 1990.

Frank “Home Run” Baker hit three homers in six World Series appearances from 1910 to 1922 with the A’s and Yankees. He was born in Trappe on the Eastern Shore in 1908 and died there in 1963.

Another Maryland native is set to make his World Series debut tonight: The Yankees’ Mark Teixeira was born in Severna Park. Former Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo, a Cumberland native, is the third base coach for the Phillies. Phillies bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer grew up near Hagerstown and played in the minors with the Orioles. Milt Thompson, the Phils’ hitting coach, played high school baseball in Montgomery County and for one season at Howard University.

Comment on this entry • View all 2 responses

user njterp says...

How about Ron Swaboda? Born in Baltimore, played for the University of Maryland. Made famous diving catch in right field for New York Mets in 1969 World Series against the Orioles.

Posted 4:02 PM, 10.28.09

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user mysterytramp says...

Don't forget Harold Baines, born in St. Michael's in 1959. He was DH for the Oakland A's in 1990

Posted 7:36 AM, 10.29.09

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