Rudy York - The Fielder (1933)

It won’t take very long once you start reading commentaries on Rudy York’s baseball career that he was not a very good fielder.  Typically, both sides of the coin are mentioned:  Rudy York was a phenomenal hitter and below average with the glove in all the positions that he played in his career – and there were quite a few.  Rudy York seemingly spent his entire baseball career looking for a position to call his own.  And when he did finally settle into playing first base, he still failed to get the respect that he deserved as a functional fielder.  No doubt that his massive size and lumbering range contributed to this stigma.  But as I suspect we will discover after analyzing his career year-by-year, Rudy York was certainly not a poor fielder, and was probably considerably better than serviceable.  We'll dedicate a blog to each year of Rudy's career, starting with his minor league entry in 1933, and take a closer look at the seemingly constant and considerable drama associated with Rudy York and his defensive play in the field.

ATCO - Cartersville, GA

Young Rudy York as teenager (Left) in GOODYEAR Uniform

Rudy York was signed by famed Detroit Tigers Scout Eddie Goosetree in late June 1933 for $250.  York was officially signed as a 2^nd Baseman/Pitcher.  Evidently Rudy was playing 2^nd base when Goosetree first watched him in person at the Atco Field in Cartersville, GA.  But it’s apparent that even the talented scout was perplexed on what position young Rudy York should be classified.  Goosetree sent a telegram to Chief Scout Jack Zeller in Detroit letting him know that he had signed him a “goat” by the name of Rudolph York and he wasn’t sure what position he could play – that would be Zeller’s job to figure out.  But York’s arm alone was worth every bit of the $250 that he paid to sign him.

Facsimile of Eddie Goosetree's Telegram to Head Scout Jack Zeller after Signing Preston Rudolph York in 1933

Shreveport Sports

Rudy was to report to the Class C Dixie League Shreveport Sports immediately to start play. Evidently the Detroit organization took Goosetree's telegram at face value regarding Rudy's arm, probably adding a little embellishment from Goosetree's field report.  The following article in Shreveport's The Times newspaper announced Rudolph York's arrival as an "experienced" pitching prospect and outfielder:

The Times, Shreveport, LA - July 2, 1933

Rudy only played twelve games for the Shreveport Sports, all at 2^nd base.  A quick glance at a sampling of available newspaper box scores shows that Rudy did hit the ball well (hitting .354) and played decent 2nd base.  The box scores show three errors during this month span, comparable with other average Class C infielders at this level.

But on July 27, The Times reports  that the "husky" Rudy York, property of the Detroit club, had been released from Shreveport and may be sent to Beaumont in the Texas League to finish the season.  Replacing Rudy would be Player/Manager Gus Whelan, who had lost his starting job at first base earlier in the season due to an injury. The article says that even though Whelan had limited experience at 2nd base, he was a much better fielder than York and would strengthen the infield considerably. This is our first indication that even though the statistics portray Rudy as an average infielder, that evidently his large size, limited range and lackluster grace at the position spoke louder than the errors column.

The Times, Shreveport, LA - July 27, 1933

Beaumont Exporters

Rudy indeed was assigned to the Class A Beaumont Exporters club in the Texas League.  On July 31^st, in possibly his first appearance with the new club, 19-year-old Rudy York was inserted into a game as catcher with two outs in the bottom of the 8^th inning.  Beaumont’s starting catcher that night, 25-year-old George Susce, broke his collarbone resulting from a collision at the plate.  York caught the remainder of the game and the occasion was his first documented game playing catcher.  Rudy only played 15-games for the Exporters for the remainder of the season, batting .189 in 37 at bats.  He had two doubles, a triple and no home runs.  His remaining games were spent playing outfield and actually pitching in a mop-up role on August 21st in a 12-1 game, entering the game in the 3^rd inning.  Rudy gave up five earned runs on two hits.  He walked ten and hit one batter in his six innings.


Rudy didn't really do anything extraordinary at the plate or in the field to finish the 1933 season with Beaumont - and in just over 60-days in the Detroit organization, he had already eliminated the possibility of playing the middle infield and pitching moving forward. But he could hit the baseball often and hit it very far, and that really stood out. He was invited to report back to Beaumont the next Spring in what would of course be a banner year for him in 1934. Considering that he was playing for the ATCO team in Cartersville just a few months earlier - what a life changing summer this was for this 19-year-old young man!

A Long Way from ATCO Field - Stuart Field, Beaumont, TX