(Updated April 29, 2022)
Late in his career, Hank Sauer transformed from a popular Cubs slugger into a Cardinals reserve who roomed on the road with Stan Musial, overcame a terrifying injury and turned into a productive singles hitter.
On March 30, 1956, the Cardinals traded outfielder Pete Whisenant and $10,000 in cash to the Cubs for Sauer.
Though the Cardinals knew Sauer, 39, no longer was an everyday left fielder _ “It’s a move to strengthen our bench. It’s no earth-shaker of a deal,” St. Louis general manager Frank Lane told United Press _ Sauer still had star status.
Four years earlier, in 1952, Sauer won the National League Most Valuable Player Award, hitting 37 home runs with 121 RBI for the Cubs.
At the time of the trade, Sauer ranked third all-time in home runs among Cubs. He had 198. Only Gabby Hartnett (231) and Bill Nicholson (205) had hit more. In his book, “Thanks for Listening,” Cubs broadcaster Jack Brickhouse recalled, “When I think of Hank Sauer, I think of home runs and chewing tobacco, but not necessarily in that order.”
A right-handed pull hitter, Sauer faced defensive shifts that stacked the left side of the infield.
In his book “Stan Musial: The Man’s Own Story,” Musial said of Sauer, “Against a packed shift toward third base, he seldom could hit to right field, but he could hit over the shift if not through it.”
Changes in style
After producing 41 home runs and 103 RBI for the 1954 Cubs, Sauer slumped to 12 home runs and 28 RBI for the 1955 Cubs.
He reported early to Cubs spring training camp at Mesa, Ariz., in 1956. Russ Meyer, a pitcher acquired from the Dodgers, provided a tip that prompted Sauer to change his batting style.
Usually, when he took his stance in the batter’s box, Sauer would “swish his bat back and forth with rhythmic cadence,” The Sporting News reported. Meyer told Sauer pitchers had learned to time their pitches “so as to catch him between swings.”
“I just couldn’t get back to get around on the ball,” Sauer said.
Acting on Meyer’s suggestion, Sauer swung the bat just once after taking his stance while awaiting a pitch.
“Now I’m cocking the bat behind my shoulder and holding it steady,” Sauer said.
The adjustment resulted in more “Sauer clout” drives, The Sporting News observed.
Still, the Cubs asked Sauer to open the season with Los Angeles in the Pacific Coast League. When Sauer declined, the Cubs traded him to St. Louis.
On Musial’s advice, Sauer switched to a lighter bat.
Said Musial: “It’s just common sense, as a player gets older and his reflexes slower, to try to compensate for nature’s toll by going to a more easily handled bat.”
Opening drama
In the Cardinals’ 1956 season opener at Cincinnati, manager Fred Hutchinson started an outfield of Sauer in left, Musial in right and Bill Virdon in center. Hutchinson placed Musial third in the batting order and Sauer in the cleanup spot.
With the score tied at 2-2, Reds starter Joe Nuxhall retired the first two batters in the top of the ninth before Red Schoendienst reached on an infield single.
Musial followed with a two-run home run, giving the Cardinals a 4-2 victory.
Asked whether he thought Nuxhall should have pitched around Musial, Hutchinson replied, “Not when there is a dangerous man like Hank Sauer coming up … That’s the big value of a power man like Hank. He’ll make ’em pitch to Stan more now.” Boxscore
Freak tragedy
Two weeks later, on May 2, Sauer suffered a scary setback.
After Sauer completed batting practice, he was standing nearby when a bat slipped from the grasp of Walker Cooper, propelled over the batting cage and struck Sauer “flush on the left side of his face,” The Sporting News reported.
The Associated Press called it “a one-in-a-million accident.”
Diagnosed with “a severe concussion,” Sauer needed 12 stitches for a cut above his lip and 50 stitches for a wound in his ear, “the lower part of which was nearly severed by the blow,” according to The Sporting News.
At the hospital, Sauer said, “I was lucky I wasn’t killed.”
Sauer listened to a radio broadcast of the game that night. Cooper delivered a RBI-single in the 10th, tying the score, and the Cardinals beat the Pirates, 10-9. Boxscore
Quick comeback
Five nights after the accident, Sauer took batting practice. “You can’t hurt a Dutchman by hitting him in the head,” Sauer told columnist Dick Young.
On May 12, Sauer made his first appearance at Chicago’s Wrigley Field since leaving the Cubs and received a “tremendous ovation,” according to The Sporting News.
(Whisenant, the player acquired for Sauer, hit two home runs and a double in that game, leading the Cubs to a 14-10 victory. Boxscore)
Fine diners
Sauer roomed with Musial on road trips and they dined together at restaurants often chosen by Musial.
In the book “Stan Musial: An American Life,” Sauer said, “Musial really knows food. He can always tell the good cuts of meat from the bad ones.”
According to the book “Musial: From Stash to Stan the Man,” Musial used money he received from appearing on postgame radio shows to take Sauer and others to dinner.
“You get to know a fellow when you room with him and he was one of the nicest guys in the world,” Sauer said of Musial in the book “The Original San Francisco Giants.”
Solid hitter
A highlight for Sauer during his 1956 season occurred on Sept. 26 when he produced four singles and a walk against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Boxscore
In 75 games with the 1956 Cardinals, Sauer batted .298 and had an on-base percentage of .403. Of his 45 hits, 36 were singles. He hit five home runs and had 24 RBI. Sauer batted .380 with runners on base.
After the season, Sauer was released and he signed with the Giants. In 1957, at age 40, he hit 26 home runs for them, including six against the Cardinals.
After the Giants moved from New York to San Francisco, Sauer was a role player for two more years before becoming a hitting instructor.
A younger brother, Ed Sauer, also played in the majors, including 24 games for the 1949 Cardinals.
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