Gertrude Ederle

In honor of women’s history month, we recognize as the Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month a woman who not only was the first woman to successfully swim the English Channel, but swam the channel faster than any person (man or woman) had done to that point in history.

Having proven her swimming ability while winning one gold and two bronze medals during the 1924 Summer Olympics, American Gertrude Ederle swam the challenging English Channel faster than any human previously when she swam from France to England in a time of 14 hours and 39 minutes on August 6, 1926.

The previous record time of 16 hours and 33 minutes had been set by Enrique Tirabocchi of Argentina in 1923, but Ederle would navigate the waters in a time that would not be eclipsed until Florence Chadwick crossed the channel in 13 hours and 20 minutes in 1950.

Ederle was one of several women vying to become the first woman to cross the English Channel. Several women, including Ederle, were sponsored by newspapers looking to get the “scoop” on this historic accomplishment. Ederle was sponsored by the New York Daily News and Chicago Tribune, which provided her a modest salary while also covering her expenses.

A year before her successful attempt, on August 18, 1925, the five-foot-six inch Ederle made her first attempt only to be disqualified when her trainer, Jabezz Wolffe, ordered a swimmer that was keeping her company in the water to help her when he thought she was struggling. Ederle was furious as she (along with other witnesses) claimed that she was floating face-down.

Before her record swim, Wolffe was replaced with Thomas Burgess, who in 1911 had become the second person ever to successfully cross the channel.

Beginning her swim at 7:08 a.m., Ederle navigated the rough waters with her entourage alongside in a tug boat. In addition to her coach and family members, also on board was writer Julia Harpman from the New York Daily News, which was sponsoring the effort. Because Harpman would not let any other writers on the boat, other writers hired another tug boat to follow the excursion.

The other boat got close to Ederle on several occasions and nearly endangered the swimmer. Some critics claim that having the two boats shielded some of the harsh weather and made it easier for Ederle to navigate the treacherous waters.

When the 20-year-old Ederle reached the shore after more than 14 hours in the water, she was met by a British immigration officer who asked to see her passport.

The welcome she received back in the United States was significantly friendlier as she was given a ticker tape parade in New York City with more than two million people lining the streets to congratulate the new American hero.

Ederle went on to meet President Coolidge and appeared as herself in a pair of movies and on the vaudeville circuit.

As a child Ederle had suffered hearing loss due to the measles and by the 1940s was nearly completely deaf. She went on to teach swimming to deaf children. Ederle lived to be 98-years-old, passing away in 2003.

Walt Frazier

Imagine if you played the best game of your career to lead your team to victory in the seventh game of an NBA Championship Series and yet when historians discuss the game you get little mention as they spend most of their time talking about someone who scored only four points in the game and could barely get up and down the court.

Such is the case for the Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month for February, Walt “Clyde” Frazier.

To most, the defining image of the 1970 NBA Finals between the New York Knickerbockers and Los Angeles Lakers is that of New York center Willis Reed limping out of the locker room prior to game seven and then hitting two baskets that set the tone for the Knicks ultimate victory over a powerhouse Lakers team that included Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West and Elgin Baylor.
However, while Reed’s performance provided the emotional lift the Knicks needed, it was Frazier who dominated the game on the court.

Frazier scored 22 points in the first half as New York raced out to a 61-37 lead. The Knicks point guard finished the game with 36 points and 19 assists as New York claimed their first-ever championship with a 113-99 victory.

While Reed may have received all the attention during the 1970 run to the NBA Championship, there was no doubt who made the New York Knicks go during the 1970s.

Known for both his offensive and defensive prowess, Walt Frazier was an integral part of a Knicks team that made three trips to the NBA Finals and claimed the only two titles in franchise history. He was a four-time first team All-NBA selection and was an All-Defensive team pick seven times.

On the court, Frazier directed the show and often yielded the spotlight to his well-known teammates, including Reed, Bill Bradley, Jerry Lucas, Dave DeBusschere and Earl “The Pearl” Monroe.

Walt “Clyde” Frazier was known as the coolest and best dressed player in the NBA during the 1970s.

However, off the court Frazier’s flamboyant sense of style and classic smile put him in a class with only “Broadway Joe” Namath as the most recognized New York City sports figures of the era. Nicknamed “Clyde” after wearing a similar hat to one that Warren Beatty had worn while portraying folk hero robber Clyde Barrow in the popular 1960s movie Bonnie and Clyde, Frazier was known for his flashy wardrobe and for arriving to games in his Rolls Royce.

Frazier’s Madison Square Garden debut in 1967 was a memorable one that proved to be foreshadowing for his decade of success with the Knicks.

A high school standout in Atlanta, Frazier attended Southern Illinois University and was a Division II All-American in 1964 and 1965. He led SIU to the 1967 National Invitational Tournament (NIT), played at Madison Square Garden, and was named tournament MVP as they defeated Marquette 71-56 to win the title.

The Knicks chose Frazier with the fifth pick in the 1967 NBA Draft and he went on to earn All-Rookie Team honors during his initial season in New York.

As part of a talented young nucleus, Frazier helped the Knicks snap a streak of eight straight losing seasons during his first season with the squad. They won 54 games while reaching the Eastern Division Finals the next season and then during the 1969-70 season won a franchise record 60 games and the first championship in team history.

The Knicks lost the NBA Finals to the Lakers in 1972, but won the rematch the following season for their second title in four years. Frazier spent 10 seasons with the Knicks and averaged 19.2 points and 6.3 rebounds per game during that stretch.

He completed his career with three injury-plagued seasons for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Since his retirement, Frazier has remained visible in New York as a color commentator for Knicks games on the MSG Network. He also has appeared in a number of national commercials, most notably as a spokesman for Just for Men.

He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1987.

Drew Pearson

The January Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month is one of the greatest clutch receivers in NFL history and a player whose exclusion from the Pro Football Hall of Fame is one of multiple horrible miscues made by the HOF selection committee.

During his decade with the Dallas Cowboys, Drew Pearson had a habit of making the big catch at the right moment to help the Cowboys time and again snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

The favorite target of Hall of Fame quarterback Roger Staubach, Pearson was widely recognized as one of the great receivers of his era. Though at the time of his retirement many expected Pearson to easily breeze into the Hall of Fame, his enshrinement was derailed by changes to the game which artificially inflated receiver stats and made the numbers he produced during a time when wide receivers weren’t catching 100 passes a season seem inferior.

Ironically, the reality is the exact opposite as though Pearson (and other top receivers from his era) didn’t catch as many passes as the top receivers of the current NFL, the catches he did make were usually crucial to helping the Cowboys become perennial Super Bowl contenders.

Drew Pearson was on the receiving end of the “Hail Mary” from Roger Staubach in the 1975 NFC Playoffs.

Signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent out of Tulsa in 1973, Pearson, who had started his college career as a quarterback before transitioning to receiver, quickly became a key weapon for the Cowboys.

As a rookie, Pearson caught 21 passes for 373 yards during the final six games of the regular season to become a favorite target of Staubach. He caught five passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns in the regular season finale against the St. Louis Cardinals and the next week caught two passes for 87 yards and two scores in a playoff victory over the Los Angeles Rams.

Even though the 1974 season would be the only season during his career that the Cowboys didn’t reach the playoffs, Pearson posted what would prove to be the best statistical season of his career as he registered career-highs with 62 catches and 1,087 yards to earn first team All-Pro honors and his first Pro Bowl appearance.

It was on Thanksgiving Day in 1974 that Pearson started to develop his reputation as a clutch receiver. With the Cowboys trailing the Washington Redskins in the final minutes and backup quarterback Clint Longley in the game for an injured Staubach, Pearson raced past a Washington defender and caught a 50-yard touchdown pass to lift the Cowboys to a 24-23 victory.

Dallas returned to the playoffs in 1975, but was trailing the Minnesota Vikings 14-10 in the final minute of their opening playoff game. Pearson made a crucial fourth-down reception to keep their drive alive and then hauled in a 50-yard touchdown pass that became known as the “Hail Mary” to lift Dallas to victory. Though Dallas lost Super Bowl X to the Pittsburgh Steelers 21-17, Pearson had a 29-yard touchdown pass and caught two passes for 59 yards in the game.

To illustrate just how different the game was for receivers in the 1970s, Pearson led the NFL with 58 catches in 1976 and the following season led the entire NFL with 870 receiving yards in the final year of the 14 game regular season. He was a first team All-Pro and Pro Bowl selection in each season.

The Cowboys returned to the Super Bowl in 1977 and Pearson had seven receptions for 113 yards in their three playoff victories.

Pearson eclipsed the 1,000 receiving yard mark for the second time during his career in 1979 as he caught 55 passes for 1,026 yards and eight touchdowns.

In 22 career post season games, Drew Pearson caught 67 passes for 1,105 yards and eight touchdowns.

With Danny White serving as the Dallas quarterback in 1980, Pearson caught a pair of fourth quarter touchdown passes to lift the Cowboys to a 30-27 comeback victory over the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the NFC Playoffs.

Dallas reached the NFC Championship Game following the 1980, 1981 and 1982 seasons, but was unable to return to the Super Bowl.

In the 1981 NFC Championship Game, Pearson came within a finger-tip of forever securing his place in history as football’s ultimate clutch receiver. With the Cowboys trailing the San Francisco 49ers 28-27 in the final minute, Pearson caught a Danny White pass near midfield and momentarily broke free for what could have been a game-winning touchdown. However, cornerback Eric Wright was able to grab Pearson’s shoulder pad and jersey with one hand and haul him down after a 31-yard catch. White fumbled on the next play to end the threat and lift the 49ers to the Super Bowl.

For his career, Pearson appeared in 22 playoff games and caught at least one pass in each contest. He caught 67 passes in those games for 1,105 yards and 8 touchdowns.

Injuries suffered during a car accident in early 1984 ended Pearson’s career after 11 seasons. He finished his career with 489 regular season receptions for 7,822 yards, 16 yards per reception and 48 receiving touchdowns.

Unfortunately for Pearson, the 1984 season marked the beginning of the “super-sizing” of receiver statistics as Art Monk of the Redskins set an NFL record with 106 receptions. Since that time, the 100 reception mark has been eclipsed 74 times. Though Pearson ranked in the top 20 in receptions and receiving yards at the time of his retirement, he is now 126th all-time in receptions and 89th in receiving yards.

Hopefully at some point the Hall of Fame voters will recognize that being a great receiver is about more than statistics and honor a deserving receiver who made a career of being Mr. Clutch.

Archie Griffin

The December Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month is the only football player ever to capture college football’s top individual award twice.

As a star running back for the Ohio State Buckeyes, Archie Griffin claimed the Heisman Trophy during his junior season in 1974 and then was able to repeat the honor the following season.
Griffin joined the Buckeyes for the 1972 season, which happened to be the first in which freshmen were eligible to play varsity football, and made an immediate impact. After fumbling in his only carry of his first game, Griffin more than made up for it in his second game by rushing for 237 yards against North Carolina. By the end of the season, Griffin had rushed for 867 yards.

Archie Griffin rushed for 5,589 yards during his four college seasons.

The following year, Griffin established himself as one of the top runners in the country with 1,428 yards on the ground. Though only a sophomore, he finished fifth in the Heisman voting. Amazingly, the Buckeyes, which finished 10-0-1 and ranked second in college football that season, had three players in the top six in the Heisman voting. In addition to Griffin, offensive lineman John Hicks finished second and linebacker Randy Gradishar was sixth.

In 1974 Griffin rushed for 1,620 yards and 12 touchdowns on his way to easily winning the Heisman. Griffin’s point total of 1920 was more than double that of second place Anthony Davis from USC (819 points). The Buckeyes were ranked first in the country for much of the season, but lost a close 16-13 decision to Michigan State late in the regular season. They then lost one of the most memorable games in Rose Bowl history 18-17 to USC.

Though Griffin rushed for fewer yards and touchdowns in 1975 (1,450, 4 TD) than the three runners who finished behind him in the Heisman voting (2nd: Chuck Muncie, 1,460 & 13 TD; 3rd: Ricky Bell, 1,875 yards, 13 TD; 4th: Tony Dorsett, 1,544 yards, 11 TD), he still won his second straight trophy in a landslide with 1,800 points, compared to 730 for Muncie in second. Ohio State was the number one team in the country throughout the season and went undefeated until surprisingly losing in the Rose Bowl 23-10 to UCLA.

During his career, Griffin rushed for at least 100 yards 34 times, including 31 straight. His 5,589 career rushing yards were a record before being broken the next season by Tony Dorsett.

After playing both high school and college football in Ohio, it was fitting that Griffin was selected in the first round of the 1976 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Unfortunately, though Griffin had a solid NFL career, he was never able to live up to his college resume. He rushed for 625 yards during his rookie season and had a career-high 688 yards in 1979.

He was a member of the Bengals during the 1981 season when they reached Super Bowl XVI, but Griffin contributed to their 26-21 loss by fumbling a squib kick during the game.

Griffin retired from the Bengals following the 1982 season with 2,808 career rushing yards and 4,415 total yards from scrimmage.

Following his playing career, Griffin completed his MBA from Ohio State and served as Assistant Director of Athletics for the college. He is currently President of the Ohio State alumni association.

Karl Kassulke

The November Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month spent ten seasons in the NFL as a starting defensive back before an automobile accident prematurely ended his career and left him paralyzed for the remainder of his life.

Drafted out of Drake University in the 11th round of the 1963 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions, Karl Kassulke didn’t make it with the Lions, but soon became the starting strong safety for the Minnesota Vikings.

The rookie started 12 games as the Vikings went 5-8-1 during the 1963 campaign. The following season he registered three interceptions while starting all 14 games.

An expansion franchise that didn’t start playing until 1960, the Vikings struggled without a winning season until second-year coach Bud Grant led the squad to an 8-6 record in 1968 and their first playoff appearance. It was prior to that season that Minnesota acquired veteran free safety Paul Krause from the Washington Redskins and teamed him in the lineup with Kassulke.

Combining with the “Purple People Eaters” front four, the secondary, which also included cornerbacks Ed Sharockman and Earsell Mackabee, ranked third in the NFL in passing defense in 1968.

In 1969 the Vikings had the number one defense against the pass, number two against the run and allowed the fewest points in the NFL (9.5 per game) while posting a 12-2 and winning the NFL Championship.

Kassulke had two interceptions during the Super Bowl season. The next year he earned a spot in the Pro Bowl while matching his career-high with three interceptions.

He had two picks each during the 1971 and 1972 seasons. In 1972 injuries limited him to just eight games as the Vikings limped to a 7-7 season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1967.

On his way to training camp in Mankato, Minnesota prior to the 1973 season, Kassulke suffered a motorcycle accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down. The Vikings went on to post a 12-2 record and make the first of three Super Bowl appearances over the next four seasons.

During his 10 year NFL career, Kassulke intercepted 19 passes for 187 yards. He also recovered nine fumbles.

After his accident, Kassulke worked with Wings Outreach, a Christian Ministry for the disabled and was still a popular figure in the Minnesota community. He passed away on October 26, 2008 at the age of 67.

Mickey Lolich

The October Sports Then and Now Athlete of the Month had one of the best Octobers in World Series history to help lead the Detroit Tigers to a World Series title in 1968.

Considering that the pitching staff for the 1968 Tigers also included 31-game winner Denny McLain is might seem surprising that left-hander Mickey Lolich would become the staff ace as the Tigers won their first World Series title in 23 years.
A powerful lefty from Portland, Oregon, Lolich was 17 years old when he signed with the Tigers and after five years made his major league debut in 1963.

During the 1964 season he showed glimpses of future brilliance with an 18-9 record and 3.26 ERA. Over the next three seasons he won 15 games in 1965 and then 14 games in each of the next two seasons.

By 1968 McLain had become the definitive leader of the pitching staff, but Lolich also proved to be an important cog as the team claimed their first AL Pennant since 1945.

Pitching in 39 games, 32 starts, Lolich posted a 17-9 record and 3.19 ERA.

In the final season before divisional play, the Tigers were able to go right into the World Series to face the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals.

As expected, McLain started the first game of the series, but the Tigers were shutout 4-0 as Bob Gibson struck out 17 batters to give the Cardinals the early advantage.

Lolich started the second game and though he wasn’t quite as dominant as Gibson, Lolich did allow only one run and six hits while striking out nine batters in an 8-1 victory.

St. Louis won the next two games in Detroit, including a 10-1 victory in game four when Gibson again out-dueled McLain, to take a 3-1 series lead.

Needing another strong performance to keep the Tigers alive, Lolich responded by allowing nine hits and three runs in a 5-3 victory.

Still facing a do-or-die situation in game six, Detroit manager Mayo Smith decided to pitch McLain on just two days rest and the Cy Young winner responded with a dominant shutout performance in a 13-1 Detroit victory.

That move left game seven to Lolich, who was also pitching on two days rest. He would be facing the dominant Gibson, who had rested an extra day and was looking for his eighth straight World Series victory dating back to 1964.

Both pitchers didn’t disappoint as through six innings the game was scoreless with Lolich having allowed four hits and Gibson only one.

However, in the top of the seventh after Gibson recorded the first two outs the Tigers had back-to-back hits and then Jim Northrup hit a deep fly to centerfield that Curt Flood misjudged resulting in a triple that scored two runs. Bill Freehan then doubled home Northrup to give the Tigers all the runs Lolich would need.

After Detroit added another run in the top of the ninth, Lolich surrendered a two out solo home run to Mike Shannon to make the score 4-1, but then got Tim McCarver to foul out to end the game and give the Tigers an improbable World Series title.

In three games, Lolich pitched three straight complete games, allowing only five earned runs while striking out 21 batters and allowing only 20 hits and six walks. He was named the MVP of the World Series.

The next season Lolich registered a 19-11 record and 3.24 ERA while earning the first All-Star trip of his career.

After slumping to 14-19 in 1970, Lolich rebounded to become the unquestionable ace of the Detroit staff over the next two seasons.

In 1971 he finished second in the AL Cy Young voting and fifth in the MVP voting while registering a 25-14 record and 2.92 ERA. Lolich led the league with 45 starts, 29 complete games, 376 innings pitched and 308 strikeouts.

The next season he was third in the Cy Young balloting while posting a 22-14 record and 2.50 ERA. The 1972 Tigers returned to the playoffs for the first time since 1968 and Lolich was again the workhorse, though without the same team result as in 1968.

In the opening game, Lolich allowed only one run through 10 innings as the game was tied 1-1. The Tigers took a 2-1 lead on a home run by Al Kaline in the top of the 11th, but Lolich allowed consecutive hits to open the bottom of the inning and was lifted from the game. Both runs scored, including the final run on an error, to give Oakland a 3-2 victory.

With the Tigers trailing two games to one, Lolich was back on the mound for the fourth game and gave another great performance. He allowed only five hits and one run in nine innings, but did not figure in the decision as Detroit overcame a two-run Oakland 10th inning with three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning to win 4-3. The A’s ended up winning the decisive fifth game 2-1, but Lolich did not pitch.

Lolich spent three more seasons with the Tigers before being traded to the New York Mets. He spent one season with the Mets and finished his career with two seasons on the San Diego Padres.

In 16 major league seasons, Lolich posted a 217-191 overall record with a 3.44 ERA and 2,832 strikeouts. Illustrating the difference in how pitchers are used today compared to the 1960s and 1970s, Lolich made 496 career starts and finished 195 of those games (39%).

While Lolich’s career numbers are just short of earning him Hall of Fame induction, he will always be remembered for having one of the best World Series performances of all-time.

Otto Graham

As we begin another football season, we recognize as the September Sports Then and Now Athlete of the Month an all-time great whose first sport wasn’t football, but after he found his calling excelled both as a collegiate player and as one of the greatest winners in pro football history.

Otto Graham didn’t actually come to Northwestern University to play football. He originally came to Northwestern on a basketball scholarship. It was only after Northwestern football coach Pappy Waldorf saw Graham playing freshman intramural football that he was invited to tryout for the football team.

Graham ended up playing three seasons for Northwestern and broke every existing Big Ten passing record during his career. He was a two-time All-America selection and won the Big Ten MVP Award.

Northwestern went 5-3 in 1941 and in 1942 Graham actually played on a losing team for the last time in his football career as the Wildcats posted a 1-9 record.

During his senior season, Northwestern went 6-2 and was ranked in the top 10. Their only two losses were to then-ninth ranked Michigan and then-top ranked Notre Dame. Graham finished third in the 1943 Heisman Trophy balloting.

While at Northwestern, Graham earned eight varsity letters in football, basketball and baseball. He is one of only two Northwestern athletes to earn All-America honors in two sports (basketball and football).

He was selected with the fourth pick in the 1944 NFL Draft by the Detroit Lions, but instead became a commissioned officer in the United States Navy Air Corp and served for two years.

Following the end of the war, he joined the Cleveland Browns of the fledgling All-American Football Conference for the 1946 season.

However, even before playing professional football, he spent one season playing professional basketball for the Rochester Royals of the National Basketball League and helped lead the Royals to the championship.

Playing on championship teams soon became standard practice for Graham.

The Browns claimed the AAFC championship in each of the four-year existence of the league. Graham was named league MVP in 1947 and co-MVP in 1948.

In 1950 the Browns joined the National Football League, but the winning ways continued. The Browns won the NFL Championship in 1950 as Graham drove them down the field toward a winning field goal in the final minutes.

After losing in the championship game each of the next three seasons, the Browns won the league title in both 1954 and 1955.

A seven-time first team All-Pro during his career, Graham was named the UPI NFL MVP in 1951, 1953 and 1955.

He retired following the 1955 season and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1965. He had previously been selected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1956.

In his 10 professional seasons, “Automatic Otto” led the Browns to a 105-17-4 record (.810 winning percentage).

Graham was named as Northwestern’s greatest football player during the Big Ten’s 75th anniversary year and was also named to the NFL’s 75th Anniversary Team.

Following his retirement, Graham spent seven seasons as head football coach at the Coast Guard Academy and led them to an undefeated regular season in 1963.

In 1966 he became head coach of the Washington Redskins and in three seasons guided the squad to a 17-22-3 record.

After his brief stint as an NFL coach, he returned to the Coast Guard Academy as Athletic Director and served in that role until retiring in 1984.

Graham passed away in December 2003.

Al Simmons

The July Sports Then and Now Athlete of the Month hit .462 while starting the first three All-Star Games during a stellar 20-year career that ended with his induction in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

One of the premier outfielders of his generation, Al Simmons was not as well known as Babe Ruth, but he was a steady run producer who helped the Philadelphia Athletics edge the New York Yankees for three straight American League titles from 1929-1931 while claiming two World Series titles.

As a 22-year-old rookie in 1924, Simmons posted arguably one of the greatest rookie seasons ever as he hit .308 with 31 doubles, nine triples, eight home runs and 102 RBI.

He proved immune to the “sophomore slump” the next season as Simmons hit .387 with 253 hits, which at the time was the second highest single season total of all-time and still ranks as the fifth best single season total. He also scored 122 runs, blasted 24 home runs and drove in 124 runs to finish second to Roger Peckinpaugh in balloting for the AL MVP ( a voting result that seems puzzling considering that Peckinpaugh hit only .294 with 4 home runs, 67 runs scored and 64 RBI for the AL Champion Senators).

A model of consistency, Simmons hit over .300 and drove in more than 100 runs in each of his nine seasons with the Athletics. He claimed back-to-back batting titles as he hit .380 in 1930 and .391 the following year.

In three World Series for the Athletics, Simmons hit .333 with six home runs and 17 RBI. The Athletics claimed the title in 1929 and 1930 before losing in seven games to the St. Louis Cardinals in 1931.

Part of the Philadelphia Athletics’ fire-sale following the 1932 season, Simmons joined the Chicago White Sox and ran his streak of consecutive seasons to start a career with a .300 average and 100+ RBIs to 11 by exceeding both totals during his first two seasons with the Sox.

He also earned a starting spot in each of the first three All-Star Games and had at least one hit in each game as the American League claimed victory in all three games. In the 1934 game he had three hits (two doubles) and drove home a run as the AL won 9-7, but ironically is probably better known for being one of the five Hall of Famers that Carl Hubbell struck out consecutively early in the contest.

After hitting only .267 and driving home 79 runs in 1935, Simmons was sold to the Detroit Tigers for $75,000. He rebounded with a .327 average and 112 RBI in his lone season with the Tigers.

He then spent two solid seasons with the Washington Senators before splitting the 1939 season between the Boston Bees and Cincinnati Reds. Simmons returned to the Athletics for the 1940 and 1941 seasons, but nearing 40 years old saw very limited action.

After missing the 1942 season, Simmons played briefly for the Boston Red Sox in 1942 and then finished his career by playing in four games for the Athletics in 1943.

Over his 20 year career, Simmons hit .334 with 1,507 runs scored, 2,927 hits, 539 doubles, 307 home runs and 1,827 RBI. He still ranks 19th all-time in RBIs and 23rd in career batting average.

He passed away following a heart attack in 1956 at the age of 54.

Hale Irwin

The June Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Month if one of only six men in history to win at least three United States Golf Open Championships, with his third victory being an improbable victory in 1990 at the age of 45.

In fact, when Hale Irwin claimed his third U.S. Open title following an improbable 45-foot birdie on the 72nd hole and then a playoff victory over Mike Donald, it had been more than five years since he had last won a PGA tournament.
However, for a two week period in June 1990 he turned back the clock as he edged Donald to win the U.S. Open and then followed it up the next week with a two-stroke victory in the Buick Classic.

A two-sport athlete at the University of Colorado, Irwin was a two-time All-Big 8 defensive back and in 1967 won the NCAA Division I Golf Championship. He was also an Academic All-American while a member of the Buffaloes.

Irwin became a professional golfer in 1968, but it took three years before he would earn his first victory. He won the Sea Pines Heritage in November 1971 and then claimed the same tournament for his second title in September 1973.

It was the following year when Irwin started to emerge as a leader on the PGA Tour. He tied for fourth at the 1974 Masters and then won his first U.S. Open with a two-stroke victory over Forrest Fezler.

In 1975, Irwin posted top-10 performances in each of the four majors with his best finish being a tie for third at the U.S. Open.

Over the next three years Irwin posted three top-10 finishes at the Masters and tied for fourth at the 1978 U.S. Open.

At the 1979 U.S. Open, Irwin held a three-stroke lead entering the final round and though he shot a final round 75, still held on for a two-stroke victory over Gary Player and Jerry Pate.

In the early 1980s, Irwin continued to be a solid champion, winning six PGA events and finishing in the top-10 at four majors, including a tie for second at the 1984 British Open.

Irwin won the Memorial Tournament in May 1985, but turned 40 just a week later and didn’t win another tournament or finish in the top-10 at a major for the remainder of the decade.

The 45-year-old Irwin certainly wasn’t on the radar when the 1990 U.S. Open started at the Medinah Country Club. However, he was five under par after the first two rounds and four strokes back in seventh place after three rounds.

A final round 67 allowed Irwin to finish tied with Donald after 72 holes. In the 18-hole playoff, Donald led by two strokes entering the 16th hole, but Irwin birdied that hole and then tied Donald after paring the final hole when Donald missed a par putt.

On the 19th hole, Irwin birdied to become the oldest champion in U.S. Open history.

His career came full circle when in 1994 the 48-year-old Irwin won for the final time on the PGA Tour by claiming the MCI Heritage Classic, the same tournament that he had won for his first victory more than 22 years earlier.

Once Irwin turned 50 in 1995, he became one of the top contenders on the Champions Tour. He won 45 events on the Champions Tour (after winning 20 on the PGA Tour) and is the all-time money leader for the Champions Tour with winnings of more than 23 million dollars.

Mark Belanger

The Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Week for April is a former Major League shortstop who was never known for his offensive production, but was one of the best ever at fielding his position and was a key reason that his team was baseball’s best during his era.

Mark Belanger was such a valuable player for the Baltimore Orioles in the late 1960s and 1970s that he knocked a future Hall of Famer out of the Baltimore lineup and twice finished in the top 30 in the American League MVP despite hitting below .230 for the season.

Standing 6-foot-1 and barreling tipping the scales at 170 pounds, Belanger was known as “The Blade.”

After seeing limited duty over parts of three seasons, Belanger became the starting shortstop when the Orioles traded future Hall of Famer Luis Aparicio to the Chicago White Sox for Don Buford following the 1967 season.

In his first season as the starter, Belanger struggled offensively with a .208 batting average, but began to establish himself as a great defensive shortstop.

The following season, he had what would end up being the best offensive season of his career with career-high totals of a .287 batting average, 50 RBI and 76 runs scored. He claimed his first Gold Glove and finished 29th in the voting for the American League MVP.

Belanger again won the Gold Glove in 1971 and beginning in 1973 claimed the award for six straight years.

In 1973 he finished 21st in the AL MVP balloting despite hitting .226 with no home runs and 27 RBI. The following season, he was 26th in the voting while hitting .225 with five home runs and 36 RBI.

In 1976, Belanger was selected to the All-Star team for the only time in his career and hit .270 with a career-high 27 stolen bases.

He remained the regular shortstop for the Orioles through the 1978 season.

In 1979 he shared duties with Kiko Garcia as the Orioles reached the World Series for the first time since 1971.

Belanger’s final season in Baltimore was 1981 and he completed his career with a season playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

His career offensive statistics were quite pedestrian with a .228 batting average, 1,316 hits, 20 home runs and 389 RBI in 2,016 career games. However, his .977 career fielding percentage was tops among American League shortstops at the time of his retirement. Also, among shortstops only Ozzie Smith, Omar Vizquel and Luis Aparicio exceeded his total of eight Gold Gloves.

Belanger passed away following a battle with lung cancer in 1998.