(Updated on Sept. 12, 2018)
Helped by three newcomers, dubbed the Polish Falcons, the 1953 Cardinals led the major leagues in doubles with 281.
Eight members of the 1953 Cardinals each produced 20 or more doubles: Stan Musial (53), Red Schoendienst (35), Enos Slaughter (34), Solly Hemus (32), Rip Repulski (25), Steve Bilko (23), Ray Jablonski (23) and Del Rice (22).
Bilko, Jablonski and Repulski were the team newcomers called the Polish Falcons because of their Polish-American heritage. (Musial, in the majors since 1941, also was Polish-American.)
Eddie Stanky, manager of the 1953 Cardinals, played the trio in nearly every spring training game and they earned his trust. All three opened the season as starters _ Bilko at first base, Jablonski at third base and Repulski in center field.
Bilko, 24, had appeared in 57 games for St. Louis from 1949-52, but never put in a full season with the Cardinals. Jablonski, 26, and Repulski, 24, both were making their big-league debuts with the 1953 Cardinals. All three had played together in 1952 for Rochester, the Cardinals’ Class AAA team.
“During the training season, The Brat (Stanky) concentrated on the three Poles from Rochester, playing them daily, and they convinced him the Cardinals would field their strongest right-handed power since, first, Walker Cooper, and then George Kurowski left the Redbird batting order, seven and five years ago, respectively,” The Sporting News reported.
Said Stanky: “A lot of those left-handers who throw lollipops are going to find us an altogether different ballclub.”
In May, The Sporting News followed up with a glowing report on the Cardinals’ hitting: “The pickup in power had been a result largely of the presence of the three Polish Falcons, the newcomers from Rochester … They were hitting just about as had been hoped for.”
Polish power
Bilko, 6 feet 1 and at least 230 pounds, struck out a league-high 125 times in 1953, but he also punished pitchers with his power. On May 28, Bilko struck out five times in a game against the Reds. Boxscore The next day, against the Braves, Bilko doubled twice in the same inning _ one each against Vern Bickford and Ernie Johnson. Boxscore
In July, The Sporting News reported, “Although Repulski had been rested eight days after a slump and though Jablonski could look horrible in the field now and then and Bilko helpless against an occasional pitcher, the Falcons passed the first third of the season in fine style.”
The Falcons, all married with children, were friends as well as teammates. “On the road, they take in movies together (and) eat as a unit,” The Sporting News reported.
As the season wound down, the debut of the Polish Falcons was declared a success.
“They’re better hitters than I thought they were and they’ll be even better next year with this season’s experience,” Musial said.
In a Sporting News story headlined “Cards Hit Jackpot with Polish Falcon trio,” Stanky said, “They have not only done as well as expected, but better.”
The final 1953 hitting statistics for the Falcons:
_ Bilko: 21 home runs, 84 RBI, .251 batting average.
_ Jablonski: 21 home runs, 112 RBI, .268 batting average.
_ Repulski: 15 home runs, 66 RBI, .275 batting average.
In voting for the National League Rookie of the Year Award, Jablonski placed third and Repulski tied with Braves outfielder Bill Bruton for fourth. The winner was Dodgers infielder Jim Gilliam, with Cardinals pitcher Harvey Haddix the runner-up.
Previously: The story of how Stan Musial stole home four times
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