Rudy York - The Fielder (1934)

Rudy York reported back to the Beaumont Exporter club in April 1934 after his brief stint there late in the 1933 season.  Early newspaper articles speculated that Rudy was a candidate to catch for the Exporters in the new season.  But also in line for the job was 33-year-old, newly named Player/Manager Ernest "Dutch" Lorbeer, who caught 55 games for Shreveport the previous year. Also new on the team from Shreveport was 20-year-old Mike Tresh, who caught 70 games for the Sports in 1933.  Another young player, Conrad Fisher, who caught 78 games for Bartlesville in the Western League is also mentioned as joining the team.  Rudy York's only previous catching experience for Beaumont was a total of 1-1/3 inning the previous year when he filled in for the injured starting catcher. And most of Rudy's previous experience as a ballplayer was various infield positions. Playing time did not look good for Rudy on the Beaumont team.

A spring training newspaper article reveals Beaumont's initial defensive plan for Rudy for the 1934 season, calling him "infielder converted into a backstop".  There was no denying Rudy York's power at the plate, but they had to find a place for him on the field.

Longview Daily News - April 8, 1934

On May 4th, just a couple weeks after the Texas League season started, a Shreveport Times article announced that "Chief" Rudolph York , a "promising young catcher" had been optioned to the Fort Worth Panthers club.  The move cleared the way for Lorbeer and Tresh to split the catching duties in Beaumont.  Rudy York was "loaned" out to the Ft Worth club and was still the property of the Beaumont Exporters.

Shreveport Times - May 4, 1934

Early box scores for the month of May show that Rudy did not immediately play much for Ft Worth after arriving, only pinch hitting here and there late in games.  He caught his first game for the Cats on May 10th against Houston going 1 for 4.  The very next game, regular catcher Sig Broskie was back behind the plate and continued to catch most games afterwards.  On May 17th, Rudy played 1st base in a game, but otherwise was on the bench for most of May.  Rudy did end the month of May catching a pair of games, going for 3 for 5 on May 30th, hitting his first home run for Ft Worth.  The following day, Rudy caught a game against the Oklahoma City Indians and went 4 for 5, hitting  home runs in back-to-back games. This shot was called "one of the longest ever hit in Indian Park and garnered Rudy on of his first newspaper headlines as a player.

The Waco News Tribune - June 1, 1934

Rudy started the month of June by hitting another home run, his third in three consecutive games. Probably because of Rudy's recent offensive explosion to end the month, he began starting more games in June. On June 8th, a box score shows that Rudy started a game at center field, going 0 for 4. On June 11th, Rudy is playing right field for the first time.  On June 14, he goes 2 for 4 with a triple and home run playing right field.  The next day, Rudy caught a game and then was back to the outfield the next.  He homered again on June 24th and hit two more home runs on June 28th, going 3 for 3, for his 10th and 11th home runs for the season.

Rudy continued into July primarily playing right field and having good days at the plate with an array of multi-hit games, extra-base hits and home runs sprinkled throughout.  Some games really stood out like July 9th, were Rudy went 5 for 5, scoring 4 runs.  Rudy hit his 18th home run on July 13th and a few more to end out the month.  Even though the Ft Worth club was playing just below .500 ball at the halfway mark, attendance for their games was much higher than normal - just to see Rudy York hit. Rudy's power hitting started getting him noticed outside the Texas League.  Below is an Associated Press article about Rudy that appeared in newspapers across the country - this one from New York state.

Associated Press Story - The Ithaca Journal - July 21, 1934

Rudy started the first day of August by hitting two home runs.  The following day, he went 3 for 4 with two more home runs.  On August 5th, Rudy York his his 26th home run. At the end of July, Rudy was the league leader in home runs and he would undoubtedly be a contender, along with Beau Bell, to be home run champion for the Texas League.

The Taylor Daily Press - Taylor, TX - July 29, 1934

The following week Rudy is absent from the Ft Worth lineup.  Evidently Beaumont, who was trying to make a playoff run, tried to have Ft Worth transfer Rudy back to the Exporters.  Several other teams in the Texas League immediately protested having the league's leading home run hitter change teams before the end of the season.  The league president ordered a telegraphic vote and the move was vetoed.  Rudy was declared ineligible to play for Beaumont and did not play any more with a month to go in the season.  Rudy finished hitting .332, 26 home runs and 75 RBIs in the shortened season.  After catching a few games, Rudy seemed to find a home playing right field in 1934. Technically, Rudy shared the Home Run Championship with 26 "safeties" along with Beau Bell of Galveston, but Bell was awarded the title since Rudy was not on a roster at the end of the season. It must be noted that Rudy did not get into the everyday lineup until June - and did not play the last month of the season.  As an everyday player for the entire season, there was no telling how many home runs Rudy would have hit - certainly a number near 40.

Abilene Reporter-News, August 12, 1934 

On August 16th, the day before Rudy York's 21st birthday, the Detroit Tigers purchased the contact of Rudy York from Beaumont.  Rudy spent that 21st birthday on a train heading up to Detroit.  The Tigers were in a pennant race and were hoping the young player might be of some use on the bench. On August 22nd, Rudy pinched hit in his first major league game and struck out. Rudy got a couple more at bats before the end of the season, after the Tigers had claimed the pennant. He was also on the World Series roster in 1934, but did not see any action against the St Louis Cardinal's "Gashouse Gang".

What a start to young Rudy York's baseball career.  Just the year before, he was signed by Tiger Scout Eddie Goosetree in Cartersville, GA and played a bit for Shreveport and Beaumont.  And this season, technically his rookie season, he made a such a splash with his bat, that there was undeniable talk around the Texas League that young Rudy was destined to see the big leagues sooner than later.  It just happened sooner than anyone though possible!