United States of Baseball: Oklahoma
Once the face of the Dust Bowl, Oklahoma is now thriving. The Sooner State also continues building its baseball legacy. 297 Oklahomans have played in the Major Leagues. The greatest pitcher born in Oklahoma is Harry Brecheen. His 42.23 career WAR is the 38th highest among pitching state and territory leaders. The greatest position player from the Sooner State is among the greatest ever. Mickey Mantle’s 110.17 career WAR is the 10th highest among position player leaders. Combined Oklahoma has 152.40 WAR, ranking the Sooner State 19th in the United States of Baseball.
Harry Brecheen earned the nickname Harry The Cat for his quick reflexes, pouncing on balls hit up the middle. The Broken Bow native pitched 12 seasons in the Majors with 2 teams: St. Louis Cardinals (1940, 1943-1952) and St. Louis Browns (1953). Brecheen claimed to have turned down the Yankees and Cardinals because he made more playing semi-pro before signing in 1935. He spent eight seasons in the Minors, mastering the Screwball along the way. Brecheen made his Major League debut in 1940, pitching 3 ⅓ innings before returning to the Minors. He could have languished in the Minors had MLB not needed to fill rosters due to World War II. Brecheen was ineligible for military service due to a childhood broken ankle and spinal malformation. These physical issues did not stop him on the mound. He pitched in 318 career Games, made 240 Starts, 53 Games Finished, throwing 125 Complete Games, including 25 Shutouts, 1,907.2 Innings Pitched, allowed 1,731 Hits, 701 Runs, 618 Earned Runs, 116 Home Runs, 536 Walks, 901 Strikeouts, posted a 133-92 record, 2.92 ERA, 1.188 WHIP, and 133 ERA+. Harry the Cat committed just eight career Errors. The Lefty was twice an All Star and won the 1948 National League ERA title. Brecheen spent his final season as a player serving as a pitcher-coach with the St. Louis Browns. His coaching success led to a long career with the Browns/ Orioles. The pitching of Jim Palmer, Dave McNally, Hoyt Wilhelm, and Robin Roberts was elevated under the tutelage of Breechen. He spent seven years on the Hall of Fame ballot, peaking with 2.6% in 1960. Brecheen’s success as a pitcher and coach led to his induction into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in 1997.
The best season of Brecheen’s career was with the 1948 Cardinals. He pitched in 33 Games, made 30 Starts, 1 Game Finished, threw 21 Complete Games, including 7 Shutouts, 233.1 Innings Pitched, allowed 193 Hits, 62 Runs, 58 Earned Runs, 6 Home Runs, 49 Walks, 149 Strikeouts, posted a 20-7 record, 2.24 ERA, 1.037 WHIP, and 182 ERA+. He earned his second and final All Star appearance. Brecheen led the National League in ERA, Shutouts, Strikeouts, WHIP, and ERA+. He finished second in Wins and Complete Games behind Johnny Sain of the Boston Braves. Entering 1948, Brecheen had elbow issues. The Cardinals decided to give him extra rest between starts, pitching every fifth day. He responded with a 5-0 record to begin the season. Brecheen also put together a 32 scoreless innings streak, the best of his career. He set career bests in Wins, ERA, Complete Games, Shutouts, Innings Pitched, Strikeouts, and ERA+. He allowed just 6 Home Runs. Brecheen finished fifth for the National League MVP.
Brecheen reached the World Series three times with the Cardinals, winning twice. After losing to the Yankees in 1943, the Cardinals won in 1944 and 1946. In three World Series, he pitched in 7 Games, made 3 Starts, 4 Games Finished, threw 3 Complete Games, including 1 Shutout, 32.2 Innings Pitched, allowing 28 Hits, 3 Runs, 3 Earned Runs, 0 Home Runs, 12 Walks, 18 Strikeouts, posting a 4-1 record, 0.83 ERA, and 1.224 WHIP. Brecheen saved his best for his last Fall Classic, in 1946 he became the first Lefthand Pitcher to win three games in a single World Series. He pitched 20 innings against the Red Sox, posting a 0.83 ERA in 2 Starts, both Complete Games and a Game 2 Shutout.
Mickey Mantle is a legend. His exploits on and off the diamond could fill a library. The Spavinaw native, named after Hall of Fame catcher Mickey Cochrane, almost had his Hall of Fame career derailed multiple times. After Mantle was kicked by a teammate during a high school football game, he nearly died from Osteomyelitis. Doctors were afraid they would have to amputate his leg to save his life. Luckily penicillin saved his leg and life. Mantle’s life took a turn for the better when he launched two Home Runs as a Yankees scout was watching teammate Billy Johnson play. The 16 year old Mantle was too young to sign, so the scout said he would return when he was eligible. Once he signed with the Yankees, Mantle shot through the Minor Leagues, reaching the Bronx in late 1950 to sit on the bench late in the season. Yankees Clubhouse Manager Pete Sheehy gave Mantle #6, expecting him to be the next great Yankee, following Babe Ruth #3, Lou Gehrig #4, and Joe DiMaggio #5.
Mantle enjoyed early success in 1951, but this was fleeting. He was sent back to the minors for more seasoning by manager Casey Stengel. After a tongue lashing from his father for wanting to quit, Mantle caught fire in Kansas City. On his return to the Bronx, Mantle received his familiar #7. He was the heir apparent to Joe DiMaggio in Centerfield. Mantle played 18 seasons with the New York Yankees (1951-1968). He played in 2,401 career Games, scored 1,676 Runs, collected 2,415 Hits, 344 Doubles, 72 Triples, 536 Home Runs, 1,509 RBI, 153 Stolen Bases, 1,733 Walks, 1,710 Strikeouts, .298 BA, .421 OBP, .577 SLG, .977 OPS, and 172 OPS+. Mantle led the American League in OPS+ eight times, OPS six times, Runs scored, Walks and Strikeouts five times, Home Runs and SLG four times, and OBP three times. He had a .500 SLG 13 times, drew 100 Walks and .300 BA ten times, .400 OBP and 100 Runs nine times, 100 Strikeouts and 1.000 OPS eight times, hit 20 Doubles eight times, and 40 Home Runs and 100 RBI four times. His lowest season OPS+ was 117, his rookie season, Mantle topped 200 OPS+ three times. He was in a class by himself. He was a 20 time All Star, won a Gold Glove in 1962, American League batting Title and the Triple Crown in 1956, and three American League MVPs in 1956, 1957, and 1962. He retired with 536 career Home Runs, the then third most ever.
Mantle and Roger Maris both took aim at Babe Ruth’s single season Home Run record of 60 in 1961. The fans wanted Mantle to break Ruth’s record, but his body let him down. Late in the season Mantle fell behind Maris due to muscle strains and sickness, forcing him to miss several games in the final weeks of the season as Maris set the new record with 61. Despite his body rebelling many times, Mantle received many honors. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in 1964. In 1969, Mantle became the fourth Yankee to have his number retired. He joined Gehrig, Ruth, and DiMaggio in receiving the Yankees highest honor. Baseball’s highest honor in baseball came in 1974. In his first year of eligibility, Mantle was elected to the Hall of Fame with 88.2% of the vote. Almost a decade later, Mantle was back in the news. In 1983, Baseball Commissioner Bowie Kuhn banned Mantle and Willie Mays from baseball for working with a casino. This idiotic decision was reversed in 1984 by Peter Ueberroth’s first action as baseball’s new Commissioner.
Like many Hall of Famers, especially the elite of the elites, it is difficult to pick Mantle’s best season. His 1956 and 1957 seasons were both otherworldly, but 1956 has a slight edge. In 1956, Mantle played in 150 Games, scored 132 Runs, collected 188 Hits, 22 Doubles, 5 Triples, 52 Home Runs, 132 RBI, 10 Stolen Bases, 112 Walks, 99 Strikeouts, .353 BA, .464 OBP, .705 SLG, 1.169 OPS, and 210 OPS+. He won the American League Triple Crown. He led the Junior Circuit in Batting Average, Home Runs, RBI, Runs scored, SLG, and OPS. He set career highs in Runs scored, Hits, RBI, and SLG. A career year in an all time great career.
The Yankees were dominant during Mantle’s career. He played in 12 World Series, winning seven titles. Mantle played in 65 Games, scored 42 Runs, collected 59 Hits, 6 Doubles, 2 Triples, 18 Home Runs, 40 RBI, 3 Stolen Bases, 43 Walks, 54 Strikeouts, .257 BA, .374 OBP, .535 SLG, and .908 OPS. Sadly Mantle’s most memorable World Series moment was in Game 2 of the 1951 World Series. The Giants’ Willie Mays lifted a flyball into Right Center Field. Mantle and Joe DiMaggio converged on the ball, when DiMaggio called off the rookie. As Mantle gave way, his spikes caught on a sprinkler, tearing ligaments in knee. Surgery repaired the injury, but Mantle was never the same. Despite a Hall of Fame career, Mantle’s injuries prevented him from playing to his full potential.
Oklahoma is well represented in Cooperstown. There are currently 7 Oklahomans in the Hall of Fame: Johnny Bench, Bobby Cox (Manager), Mickey Mantle, Bullet Rogan, Willie Stargell, Lloyd Waner, and Paul Waner. The Sooner State may have the best overall Hall of Fame contingency of any state or territory. Next week the United States of Baseball heads to the West Coast and the Beaver State. Oregon is next.
DJ
The Winning Run 