OCTOBER 9, 1934 | DETROIT, MICHIGAN – On this date in 1934 the St. Louis Cardinals finished off the Detroit Tigers to win the World Series, thanks in no small part to the Dean brothers. Either Dizzy Dean or Paul Dean started five of the seven games for the “Gas House Gang.” Dizzy won 2, both complete games, and lost 1 with an ERA of 1.73. His younger brother Paul, often called Daffy, won his two starts, both complete games, with an ERA of 1.00.
They produced at the plate too. Dizzy hit .250 for the Series with 3 runs scored and an RBI. Paul only had one hit in six at bats but he drove in 2 runs.
The series had other noteworthy fireworks. Dizzy Dean was put in as a pinch runner in game 4. He went into second standing up on a double play ball. The relay to first by shortstop Billy Rogell hit him in the forehead. Dean had to be carried off in a stretcher. The next morning at least one newspaper is said to have printed the headline, “X-rays of Dean’s head show nothing.” He must have been OK because he started two more games in the Series.
In game seven Cardinal left fielder Joe Medwick and Tiger third baseman Marv Owen had a little dust-up after Medwick slid hard into third in the 6th inning. The flare-up was settled quickly, but Detroit fans did not greet Medwick hospitably when he returned to left in the bottom of the inning. Everything fans could throw was aimed at Medwick.
It got so bad Commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis, who was at the game, ordered Medwick off the field for his own safety. The Cardinals had a comfortable 9-0 lead at the time and eventually won 11-0.
Contributing sources:
October 9, 1934 box score
More on Dizzy Dean
OCT 9: Dean & Daffy dazzle
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