Friday, February 22, 2019

Flashback Friday: The "Lady-Like" Dizzy Dean

Dizzy Dean was quite the tough guy - when he had over a dozen players to back him up when he swung at a reporter.  Dizzy received quite a bit of bad press during the spring of 1937 as he held out for more money.  He and his wife went to spring training in Florida.  His wife laid down the law - hit an offending writer or don't come home.  Strong stuff from a wife, especially when the man is weak.  Dizzy meekly said yes dear, and went out on a search and destroy mission for one particular sportswriter.




Bob Greene retold the story about the famed pitcher in today's Wall Street Journal:

In 1937 the St. Louis Cardinals—the famed Gashouse Gang—were returning to their Florida hotel, the Tampa Terrace, after a game against the Cincinnati Reds. They were still in uniform.

Dizzy Dean, the Cardinals’ ace pitcher, was accompanied by his wife. She had been heard complaining about a sportswriter named Jack Miley of the New York Daily News. Mrs. Dean had disapproved of something Miley had written about her husband. According to the Tampa Tribune, she said: “I’ll scratch his eyes out.”

When the Cardinals entered the hotel lobby, Mrs. Dean spotted Miley—uncharitably described by the Tampa paper as “a fat man”—and instructed her husband: “If you don’t hit him, don’t come back to me.”
Uh-oh, anytime a man lets a woman goad him into a fight, it rarely ends well.   The Retrosimba website reported the actual exchange:


Dizzy: “Is your name Miley?”
Miley: “Yes.”
Dizzy: “I wish you would not write those things about me. You said some terrible things about me.”
As the conversation continued, about 10 of Dizzy’s teammates gathered around him.
Dizzy: “You $125-a-month writers make me sick. Don’t you never mention me and my wife in one of them damned columns of yours again.”
Miley: “That’s a pleasure. I hate to write about bush leaguers anyway.”
Dizzy: “Just remember what I told you. I warned you. That’s from the horse’s mouth.”
Miley: “I say it’s from a hillbilly horse’s ass. What are you going to do about it?”
Dizzy: “I’ll show you…”
Show him he did.... or he tried to do.  The Clarion-Ledger published a watered-down version of what next took place. 



Other newspapers told what really happened.

St. Louis Post-Dispatch



St. Louis Post-Dispatch

New York Daily News

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Was that his wife or his mother?

Anonymous said...

$8.75 for new leather Forshein Shoes. Not Bad.

Anonymous said...

Dizzy Dean: It ain't braggin' if you can do it.

Anonymous said...

1:01

Better be glad ole Diz is not around to hear that.

Anonymous said...

You’re about to cross a line Kingfish. Leave Dizzy Dean alone

Rod Knox said...

Dizzy made that glass of Falstaff look good even though he couldn't take even a sip on camera. "The choicest product of the brewer's are."

Anonymous said...

I grew up in WIggins and my family was close friends with Dizzy and Pat! She was a strong lady and Dizzy did listen to her. They were a wonderful couple and people!

When I remember they stayed with us for a few days while their house was being remodeled. My Dad and Mom let them sleep in their Master Bedroom. My younger brother got up in the middle of the night and climb in bed with thinking it was mom and dad. As luck would have it he wet the bed soaking Dizzy. My Dad for years would say son you’re the only person that ever peed on Dizzy Dean and got away with it.

I can still hear his laughing and Him saying ”pawdner” = partner!

Anonymous said...

I like Dizzy and he lived in Mississippi and is buried in Mississippi and he had the museum next to Smith-Wills Stadium for years, but he has no right to be in the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. Just living in the State makes you eligible is a damn shame.

Ho Hummm said...

What an old battle-ax she must have been. She probably needed a good clop in the chops herself.

Anonymous said...

Say what you want about 'Ol Diz' but I will always remember him with fondness and respect. Back when he and Peewee Reese hosted the Falstaff Game of the Week he sent a shout out over the airwaves to my older brother who was dying of cancer. He also sent my brother an autographed baseball which I still have. Some time later, after my brother had passed away, my dad and I bumped into him at a grocery store in Jackson. We introduced ourselves and he took time to visit with us. Dizzy remembered my brother, asked about him, and expressed his condolences when we told him my brother had passed away. He was a colorful character to be sure but in my book he had a heart bigger than most.



Recent Comments

Search Jackson Jambalaya

Subscribe to JJ's Youtube channel

Archives

Trollfest '09

Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


Note: Security provided by INS.

Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

Note: Security provided by INS
.