RetroSimba

(Updated May 3, 2020)

Seeking a power bat for a lineup struggling to score, the Cardinals got the slugger they wanted but paid a hefty price, dealing a player who would win the National League batting title.

On May 3, 1947, the Cardinals traded outfielder Harry Walker and pitcher Freddy Schmidt to the Phillies for outfielder Ron Northey.

Northey was an established left-handed pull hitter whose swing appeared tailored to take advantage of the short distance (310 feet) down the line from home plate to the right field wall at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis.

Walker, also a left-handed batter, lacked Northey’s power.

“Walker, a great fielder and fast man, wasn’t hitting far enough or long enough to suit” the Cardinals, The Sporting News reported.

The Cardinals, though, didn’t know Walker was close to mastering a revamped swing that would lead to a breakthrough.

Popgun attack

After winning the 1946 World Series championship, the Cardinals had a dreadful start to the 1947 season. They lost 10 of their first 12 games, including the last eight in a row. They scored two runs or less in five of those 10 losses.

Cardinals manager Eddie Dyer began the season with a starting outfield of Dick Sisler in left, Walker in center and Enos Slaughter in right, with Stan Musial at first base. When Walker started slowly, batting .200 with no RBI in 10 games, the Cardinals stepped up efforts to acquire Northey.

Northey debuted in the big leagues with the 1942 Phillies. He had a strong throwing arm and a power stroke. He also had an ear problem. In his freshman year at Duke University, Northey was beaned by a pitch and experienced a buzzing in his ears “so annoying that Northey often is forced to rattle papers to keep his mind off the buzz,” The Sporting News reported.

Northey had his best year with the Phillies in 1944 when he batted .288 with 35 doubles, 22 home runs and 104 RBI.

He pounded right-handed pitchers and was vulnerable against left-handers. In 1946, Northey batted .266 with 16 home runs versus right-handers and .159 with no home runs against left-handers.

In 1947, Northey reported late to spring training after unsuccessfully holding out for more pay. He also clashed with Phillies manager Ben Chapman.

Let ‘er rip

Walker and Schmidt were in Philadelphia with the Cardinals and about to board a train for their trip to Boston when informed they had been dealt to the Phillies.

Cardinals owner Sam Breadon told the St. Louis Star-Times, “Harry Walker is a fine defensive outfielder, but what we need right now is punch and I think Northey has it.”

The Dayton Herald called the trade “one born of desperation and panic on the part of the world champions” and added, “Ron isn’t the Cardinals type of performer. The pudgy fly-chaser isn’t a speed merchant and just an average outfielder, except for his throwing arm, which is one of the best in the business.”

The Pittsburgh Press noted, “One month ago, Harry Walker was being touted by Eddie Dyer as a can’t-miss star for 1947, while Northey, some 20 pounds too heavy, was reported to be in Ben Chapman’s doghouse.”

Northey joined the Cardinals in Boston for their series with the Braves and Dyer placed him in the lineup for a Sunday doubleheader on May 4. With Terry Moore taking over for Walker in center, Northey replaced Sisler in left.

Northey singled and scored in the opener, a 4-3 Braves victory that extended the St. Louis losing streak to nine.

In the second game, Northey went 3-for-4 with four RBI and three runs scored, sparking St. Louis to a 9-0 triumph. He produced a two-run home run off Mort Cooper, the former Cardinal ace, in the fourth, a solo home run against Glenn Elliott in the sixth and a RBI-single off Dick Mulligan in the seventh. Boxscore

Hot hitting

Walker went on a tear as soon as he joined the Phillies, getting 10 hits in his first 24 at-bats. He stopped trying to pull pitches and perfected a batting style suggested by his brother, Dodgers outfielder Dixie Walker, who urged his sibling to close his stance and spray the ball to all fields.

In 130 games for the 1947 Phillies, Walker batted .371 with 181 hits, including a league-leading 16 triples.

Even with his 5-for-25 effort for the Cardinals added to his season total, Walker easily won the National League batting crown at .363. The runner-up, Bob Elliott of the Braves, hit .317.

Walker also placed second in the NL in on-base percentage at .436. Only the Reds’ Augie Galan (.449) did better.

Northey batted .293 with 15 home runs and 63 RBI for the 1947 Cardinals. True to form, he hit .313 versus right-handers and .154 against left-handers.

The Cardinals ended the 1947 season in second place at 89-65, five behind the Dodgers.

Northey played two more seasons for St. Louis, batting .321 with 13 home runs in 1948 and .260 with seven home runs in 1949.

Walker batted .292 for the 1948 Phillies, was traded to the Cubs and then shipped to the Reds.

After the 1949 season, in a classic example of what goes around comes around, the Cardinals sent Northey and infielder Lou Klein to the Reds to reacquire Walker.