(Updated Feb. 18, 2019)
Dal Maxvill persevered to become a top-caliber Cardinals shortstop.
Maxvill debuted with St. Louis in 1962 as a reserve infielder and filled in admirably at second base for the injured Julian Javier in the 1964 World Series. After trading starting shortstop Dick Groat to the Phillies in October 1965, the Cardinals chose Jerry Buchek to be their everyday shortstop in 1966 because he was a better hitter than Maxvill.
Buchek couldn’t field as well as Maxvill, though, and the Cardinals, who needed better defense, made Maxvill their starting shortstop in June 1966. Maxvill remained the starter for seven years. In that period, he helped the Cardinals win two pennants and a World Series title, received a Gold Glove Award (1968) and led National League shortstops in fielding percentage (1970).
Before the start of spring training in 1966, Maxvill had considered quitting baseball and focusing fulltime on his off-season job as an electrical engineer for a St. Louis company, The Sporting News reported.
After Maxvill reconsidered and reported to camp at St. Petersburg, Fla., Buchek hit well, Maxvill didn’t and Buchek was named the 1966 Opening Day shortstop. “Buchek certainly won the job,” Maxvill said.
Maxvill didn’t get many chances to play early in the 1966 season. When he did get a start at shortstop on April 24 against the Pirates, Maxvill made three errors and was caught off first base after rounding the bag too far on a single. Boxscore
Two months into the season, though, the Cardinals became disenchanted with Buchek’s inconsistent hitting and shortcomings on defense. On June 8, 1966, manager Red Schoendienst installed Maxvill as the starting shortstop.
The Cardinals won 14 of the first 24 games with Maxvill at shortstop. He solidified the defense, making St. Louis pitchers happier. On June 29, 1966, the Cardinals beat the Giants and Juan Marichal, 2-1. The Cardinals turned five double plays, three involving Maxvill, who contributed nine assists. Boxscore
In their next game, July 1, 1966, the Cardinals defeated the Dodgers and Sandy Koufax, 2-0, turning three double plays, including one involving Maxvill. Boxscore
Reported The Sporting News: “In some phases of play, fellows like Marty Marion and Dick Groat have rated Maxie No. 1 in the league.”
Bob Gibson told Bob Broeg of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “I do the pitching and he takes care of the fielding.”
Maxvill also was contributing with his bat. He hit safely in 11 of 13 games soon after becoming the everyday shortstop.
On June 23, 1966, in a game at Houston, Maxvill drew an intentional walk from Dave Giusti. When he reached first, coach Dick Sisler said to Maxvill, “You get a couple of hits and now they’re afraid of you.” Boxscore
Schoendienst said Maxvill “has been avoiding the strikeouts and making contact. He’s been moving the runners around and avoiding the double play. In other words, we’ve been able to play baseball with Maxie _ hit-and-run and all that. We can’t afford to leave those men on third base, even second base.”
Said Maxvill: “I hope that in October I can finally say I just had my first fully satisfying year in the major leagues.”
On July 14, 1966, Maxvill had his first four-RBI game in the big leagues, a 9-7 Cardinals victory over the Reds in the second game of a doubleheader. Boxscore
By September, the Cardinals had faded from the pennant race but Maxvill firmly had secured his role as the everyday shortstop. Schoendienst said Maxvill and catcher Tim McCarver “have been our most consistent men.”
Previously: How the Cardinals’ deal for Ozzie Smith almost fell apart
A great article on one of my favorite players. I don’t think younger fans appreciate how good Maxvill was defensively. If you look at the Cardinals all time leader in dWAR, Maxvill is currently fourth (13.8). That’s Ozzie Smith territory. If he could just hit :-)
Bob:
Thanks for reading and for commenting. Will be intriguing to see whether the Cardinals go after a shortstop in the off-season.
Mark
Great bar bet:
At the end of the 1973 season, what major league player possessed five World Series rings?
Answer (of course): Dal Maxville.
1964 (St. Louis)
1967 (St. Louis)
1972 (Oakland / left off WS roster)
1973 (Oakland / started year with Oakland, purchased by Pirates in July)
1974 (Oakland / signed with Oakland and appeared in WS)
Loved the Maxie…
Good info. Thanks for sharing.
It is a testament to his great shortstop play that he was included so many years in the lineup despite being so horrid at the plate. More importantly, he also was a decent man. My parents owned a travel agency with him – Cardinal Travel in St. Louis – while I was young, and he always treated people with respect.
Stan: Thank you for your comment. I remember that travel agency. Delighted to learn Dal Maxvill is a good person. Had big impact on organization as general manager.
Charles Dallan Maxvill was and is smart, pleasant, affable, and considerate. A true gentleman!
Thanks for the insights, Irv. It’s wonderful to learn this about Dal Maxvill.
I was very, very lucky in that Dallan actually taught me how to play short much more efficiently. He was sort of a volunteer coach for me. Also, great guy. I was lucky enough to know the whole family.
Thank you for sharing those insights. It’s satisfying to know that Dal Maxvill is such a good guy.
Well, it turned out that Diaz isn’t a good shortstop and neither was Peralta. Both were hyped to the max before and during their play on the field, and errors made were not recorded by the scorers, especially in the case of Peralta.
Oquendo was the only one watching who likely got his fill of Peralta’s bad fielding and throws his first season in 2014.
Now if you want to talk elite shortstop abilities who rated only 2nd behind Tulowitski on defense in 2013, that would be Pete Kozma who got only one chance, his rookie season, to hit ML pitching. Kozma came to ST in ’14 and hit .400 behind only Trout for the month.
But he couldn’t be allowed to play anywhere on the field with the Lying, Cheating, HGH using $53M player signed to play SS.
Kozma would have been an elite shortstop for the Cardinals even though his hitting was on par with Maxvill whose career BA was .217 with 6 HRs.
Thanks for the insights, Paul
There is so much I can say about what Dal Maxvill has meant to me in my life. He is my “cousin-in-law” but to a little boy who idolized him, there was no distinction – he was – and still is my heart – family. As a child, I had no idea what humble beginnings we sprang from. Most of our family worked in the steel mills in Granite City. Dal escaped that destiny and fulfilled every boy’s childhood dream of playing for the hometown team. His career was not stellar with the bat. In fact, it got me into many a fight when I was a boy! To our family, his baseball earnings made him rich, but he never made the big contracts or cashed in on free agency. His glove was outstanding of course.
I said that I idolized Dal and I still do. Last year, I made the trip back to Granite City, visited the old neighborhood, and caught a couple of Cards games. Memories came rolling back to me of playing baseball in the empty lot between our house and Dal’s parents house. I remembered the occasional free tickets he gave us so the folks could take me to a game. The old game baseballs, souvenir bats, and even one of his old gloves that he so generously gave to me. Dal even took time away from his visits with his parents to spend a few minutes coaching the neighborhood kids. “Can Dal come out and play with us?” we begged through the screen door. All of those things were done with kindness, a smile, and gracious good humor. I am not sure he really understood what an impact they made on me and the other kids.
Yes, Dal has been one of my role models. As a boy, he was idolized for being a Cardinal. As a man, he is idolized for his many kindnesses, humor, patience, generosity, and humility.
Thanks Maxie! You “turned two” again.
Thank you so much for sharing these wonderfully personal insights. You expressed yourself very well and I’m sure Dal Maxvill would be proud.
Our family also benefited from the kindness and generosity of Maxie and family. My dad met Dal around ’66. That meeting began a lifelong best friendship between the two. And that friendship led to years of tickets, souvenirs, the gift of getting to meet soooo many cardinal players and the wonderful (extended) Maxvill family, we spent most of the summer, spring training, every Thanksgiving and, many more awesome, awesome times. The memories all start to run together. Oh yeah we may have and still do enjoy the beechwood aged King of beers. Here comes the king here comes the big number 1 da da da da………. The words that describe Maxie have already been mentioned in the comments above. If only the cardinal brass would have loosened the pursestrings a bit that 81 year old baseball brain might still be the best team and best fans GM. Im saying all of this for my family, myself and mostly for my dad. Although he has passed all the love for Dal and family still shines. Love you Maxie!! Thanks for everything (keep the Budweiser cold) dads ready for a couple. Hoffysboy
Wow! Thanks for sharing the terrific info about your family’s personal connection with Dal Maxvill. You expressed it all very well.