1954 roster info

[packman]

Hello,

I'm new to the forum and noticed a lot of people on here know a lot about the NY Giants.
I'm currently trying to get a single signed baseball from every member of the 1954 team. I was off to a great start, I currently have 22 balls signed and am trying to get to 30.
My question is, who was actually on the championship team and got a ring? They had a lot of guys that briefly played that year and I'm not really sure if they can be considered like Ron Samford, Bob Lennon, Joe Amalfitano, Ramon Monzant, Paul Giel, Foster Castleman..etc I know they had a reunion in 2004 but could not find out who was there either.
Here is what I have: Wes Westrum, Whitey Lockman, Dave Williams, Alvin Dark, Willie Mays, Monte Irvin, Don Mueller, Dusty Rhodes, Johnny Antonelli, Don Liddle, Jim Hearn, Windy McCall, Marv Grissom, Hoyt Wilhelm, Al Worthington, Larry Jansen, George Spencer, Al Corwin, Joe Garagiola, Bill Gardner.
Who I know I need and am having trouble with: Leo Durocher, Sal Maglie, Ray Katt, Bob Hofman, Hank Thompson.

Thanks in advance.

Brett

[DODGER DEB]

Hello,

I'm new to the forum and noticed a lot of people on here know a lot about the NY Giants.
I'm currently trying to get a single signed baseball from every member of the 1954 team. I was off to a great start, I currently have 22 balls signed and am trying to get to 30.
My question is, who was actually on the championship team and got a ring? They had a lot of guys that briefly played that year and I'm not really sure if they can be considered like Ron Samford, Bob Lennon, Joe Amalfitano, Ramon Monzant, Paul Giel, Foster Castleman..etc I know they had a reunion in 2004 but could not find out who was there either.
Here is what I have: Wes Westrum, Whitey Lockman, Dave Williams, Alvin Dark, Willie Mays, Monte Irvin, Don Mueller, Dusty Rhodes, Johnny Antonelli, Don Liddle, Jim Hearn, Windy McCall, Marv Grissom, Hoyt Wilhelm, Al Worthington, Larry Jansen, George Spencer, Al Corwin, Joe Garagiola, Bill Gardner.
Who I know I need and am having trouble with: Leo Durocher, Sal Maglie, Ray Katt, Bob Hofman, Hank Thompson.

Thanks in advance.

Brett

Well, I can tell you that both Leo Durocher and Sal Maglie are no longer with us. Also, while I am not positive, I do believe that Hank Thompson has also passed away.

c.

[DODGER DEB]

Check out this link to the 1954 World Series, which lists all the participants...

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/ws/yr1954ws.shtml

Hope this helps.

c.

[packman]

Actually all those guys I'm having trouble with have passed on. Hank Thompson passed away a long time ago, I believe in the 60's, making that ball a daunting task.
On that link it lists 15 Giants, did they have a 25-man roster that season? I wish I could get my hands on one of those programs from the 54 series.

Thanks,
Brett

[rcl986@aol.com]

The only players I can determine that you have not mentioned, but did appear on the Giants roster (at one time or another) in 1954 are:
Hoot Evers, Harvey Gentry, Bill Rigney, Eric Rodin, Ebba St. Claire, Bill Talyor and Ruben Gomez. Of these, I think only Gomez and Rigney might have qualified for rings. Perhaps St.Claire as well.

[musial6]

The only players I can determine that you have not mentioned, but did appear on the Giants roster (at one time or another) in 1954 are:
Hoot Evers, Harvey Gentry, Bill Rigney, Eric Rodin, Ebba St. Claire, Bill Talyor and Ruben Gomez. Of these, I think only Gomez and Rigney might have qualified for rings. Perhaps St.Claire as well.

Rigney was not on the playing roster in '54 (was he a coach?). He had retired in '53. Gomez definitely got a ring. Bill Taylor MIGHT have gotten one, too.

[rcl986@aol.com]

You're right, I believe Rigney did retire after the '53 season.

Alex Konikowski and Mario Piccone did however, also have "a cup of coffee" with that 1954 Giants team.

[packman]

I totally forgot to list Gomez and Taylor, I have a ball signed by both. Gomez was a very difficult find.
According to Baseball-almanac.com, St. Claire's last game played was on May 18, 1954. Did he retire, get hurt, or get cut? Hoot Evers was selected off waivers by Detroit in July of 1954.
Looks like a lot of the other guys like Rodin, Monzant, Giel, Konikowski, and Gentry were all with the team for less than three weeks.

[rcl986@aol.com]

Paul Giel was a "Bonus Baby" signed by the Giants for $50,000 (or more) in 1954. In those days, bonus babies signing for $50,000 or more had to remain with the parent club for two entire seasons. In those circumstances he too may have received a ring in '54.
Evers only played a few games for the Giants. I was at the Polo Grounds on a Saturday afternoon in '54. I left the game in the 7th or 8th inning with the Giants losing. When I got home I learned Evers had hit a homerun in the bottom of the 9th (or perhaps in extra innings) to win the game for the Giants. It was his only homerun in a Giants uniform and I missed it. He was placed on waivers shortly thereafter and went back to the team that originally signed him, Detroit.
I'm not sure but, I think St.Claire may have been sent down or released to make room for Joe Garagiola.
Ahhh.......... to be 12 years old and a New York Giants fan again.

[1964Senators]

Hi,
I have the 1955 Sporting News Baseball Guide. It lists the players eligible to
play in the Series. Here's who they list:
OF - Irvin, Mays, Mueller, Rhodes, Taylor
IF - Lockman, Williams, Dark, Thompson, H., Amalfitano, Castleman, Gardner, Hofman
C - Westrum, Katt
P - Antonelli, Corwin, Geil, Gomez, Grissom, Hearn, Konikowski, Liddle, Maglie,
McCall, Wilhelm, Worthington
Mgr - Durocher
Coaches - Franks, Fitzsimmons, Jansen, Shellenback

Good luck on your collection. That Hank Thompson ball will be hard to acquire. It's a neat project.

Best wishes,
Tom