Umpire Frank Dascoli & 9/27/51

[callingit]

Recap the moment: Sept. 27, '51. Umpire Dascoli calls Joe Addis of the Boston Braves safe at home on a very close play in the eighth inning, and that run turns out to be the game-winner for the Braves, allowing the Giants to close within a half-game of the Dodgers in the standings.

Campy, Roe & every Dodger went crazy on Dascoli, who supposedly had a long-running feud with Dreesen. Campy gets ejected & the Dodger bench had to be cleared to restore order before the game could continue. Campy's spot in the order came up in the 9th with a runner on third and one out, but neither Terwilliger (pinch-hitting for Walker who had replaced Campy behind the plate) nor Pafko could get the tying run in.

Some say this is the moment that really cost the Dodgers the pennant. Some say Dascoli was a showboat of an ump, often embroiled in controversy, and it wouldn't be out of character to let his bias against the Dodgers take over in such a critical moment.



Does anyone remember this play, Dascoli or the aforementioned feud?

[jaykay]

Frank Dascoli's physical showboating irked many players and managers, particularly when he worked behind the plate. Aside from numerous questionable calls, he had a routine when doing balls and strikes that went something like this: stretching his right arm as far up as he could, head thrown back, then hauling the arm straight down vigorously. It was Connie Desmond, I believe, who termed it "a man pulling a chain." Umpires did not cultivate attention in those days as some do now. I don't recall any of them using the large gestures that Dascoli employed. Al Barlick was a fine, restrained umpire who happened to call strikes loudly, but nobody seemed to mind because he was good at his work. Dascoli seemed to relish the attention. There was indeed particular tension between Dascoli and the Dodgers, perhaps, as claimed, because of Dressen. A Dascoli protege of sorts, Augie Guglielmo, appeared during those years: as a result of a very short fuse, his career was both combative and brief. If I remember correctly, Robinson was a noted antagonist of both umpires - and, of course, vice versa. And then there was Jocko Conlan, who took no guff from anyone, particularly not from Jackie - nor, if the plain truth be told, especially not from Leo.
But let the record show that Dascoli was bad, and he hurt the Dodgers on more than one occasion.

[MATHA531]

You mean umpires of today don't showboat...especially when calling strike 3. I remember an umpire named Frank Secory...he called strike 1, strike 2, strike 3 exactly the same way...no dramatics he simply moved his right hand forward and picture it like a gun and as his hand came forward the thumb would bend back against the index finger...none of these hysterical utting an arm out and yanking it back like they're pulling on something.

Then there was Chris Pelekoudas, a particular favourite of mine. The pitch would be thrown the catcher would catch it and as the ball was on the way back to the pitcher he would signal if the pitch was a strike simply by putting his right hand up and bring it down till his elbow hit his side, very deliberately and very calmly, and extending it.

And these guys rarely got into hysterical arguments as they did nothing to inflame the players and both were excellent umpires.

[callingit]

Matha, this thread isn't about showboating umpires. It's about the one specific ump whose bias against the Dodgers may have affected his play-calling and possibly cost them the '51 pennant. I'd like to know more about why Dascoli--who seems to have a reputation as showboat and hothead--hated the Dodgers, Dreesen, et al, and maybe (just maybe) swayed his decision to call Addis safe on a very crucial play.

[johnny]

Originally Posted by callingit

Matha, this thread isn't about showboating umpires. It's about the one specific ump whose bias against the Dodgers may have affected his play-calling and possibly cost them the '51 pennant. I'd like to know more about why Dascoli--who seems to have a reputation as showboat and hothead--hated the Dodgers, Dreesen, et al, and maybe (just maybe) swayed his decision to call Addis safe on a very crucial play.

damn, he must have had a real hate for them to be willing to give it to leo durocher who never saw an ump he didn't like to bait.
not disagreeing with you just observing that dascoli must have really had the hate for the dodgers.

[MATHA531]

Sorry...I was responding to one of the replies which spoke of Dascoli's show boating and quoted Connie Desmond....I am not quite old enough to remember the incident with Dascoli and Campy and the rest of the Dodgers but I have certainly read about it...and that after the game some of the Dodgers went balistic in the club house...of course technology then was not the technology of today and there would have been replay after replay.

I don't think, and I really don't, that any major league umpire is prejudiced against a specific team. Don Denkinger did not miss the call in Kansas City against St. Louis because he was prejudiced against Whitey Herzong and the Cardinals (this one I did see) so I apologize if you think this response is off topic but I really don't.

[Paulmcall]

I had contact (today) with the visiting batboy who saw the game in question. He mentioned that not only did the Dodgers think Dascoli blew the call but the visiting team did too.
No one ventured a guess as to why he missed the call or blew it on purpose. However, most agreed the call was obviously wrong.

[brooklyndodger14]

Originally Posted by Paulmcall

I had contact (today) with the visiting batboy who saw the game in question. He mentioned that not only did the Dodgers think Dascoli blew the call but the visiting team did too.
No one ventured a guess as to why he missed the call or blew it on purpose. However, most agreed the call was obviously wrong.

It would be interesting to see what the impressions of the press were of this...

Dennis
Brooklyndodger14

[callingit]

It would be interesting to see what the impressions of the press were of this...

Absolutely. I'm very curious to see the press reaction. I'm waiting on articles from the New York papers from 9/28/51, and will post more when I have them. Campy & Erskine maintain the pictures of the play prove Dascoli wrong--Addis was clearly out.


Matha, what's funny-strange is that some umpires then had as short a fuse and flashy style as some of today's umpires do. It seems the question about an umpire merely being a background part of the game hasn't been fully resolved even after fifty years of trying.

[kramer_47]

Originally Posted by callingit

Absolutely. I'm very curious to see the press reaction. I'm waiting on articles from the New York papers from 9/28/51, and will post more when I have them. Campy & Erskine maintain the pictures of the play prove Dascoli wrong--Addis was clearly out.


Matha, what's funny-strange is that some umpires then had as short a fuse and flashy style as some of today's umpires do. It seems the question about an umpire merely being a background part of the game hasn't been fully resolved even after fifty years of trying.

What very famous (became famous later) young Dodgers farmhand was called up and was one of the players on the bench ejected. He became the only player ever to be ejected from a game who never appeared in a major league game.

[DODGER DEB]

Originally Posted by kramer_47

What very famous (became famous later) young Dodgers farmhand was called up and was one of the players on the bench ejected. He became the only player ever to be ejected from a game who never appeared in a major league game.

That would be BILL SHARMAN!

c.

[kramer_47]

Originally Posted by DODGER DEB

That would be BILL SHARMAN!

c.

Alot of people didn't even know he played baseball, he quit baseball when the Dodgers wouldn't give him a major league contract, then went on to be a HOFer with Celtics.

[callingit]

that's actually a trick question, because according to the official major league baseball account, only Campy was ejected from the game. The Dodger bench had to be 'cleared' before the game continued, but official accounts say no other player was actually 'ejected'.

[kramer_47]

Originally Posted by callingit

that's actually a trick question, because according to the official major league baseball account, only Campy was ejected from the game. The Dodger bench had to be 'cleared' before the game continued, but official accounts say no other player was actually 'ejected'.

This came from the baseballlibrary.com

September 27, 1951: Trying for his 23rd win, Preacher Roe loses just his 3rd game, 4–3, to Chet Nichols and the Braves. The Dodgers now lead New York by 1/2 game. Future Hall of Fame basketball player Bill Sharman becomes the only man in history to be thrown out of a ML baseball game without ever having played in one. With the score tied at 3-3 in the 8th inning, umpire Frank Dascoli clears the entire Brooklyn bench after a home plate call by him results in a violent protest. Sharman, up from St. Paul (AA) at the end of the season, is one of the players thrown out. Dascoli's safe call at home on Bob Addis's score results in the winning run

Originally Posted by brooklyndodger14

It would be interesting to see what the impressions of the press were of this...

Dennis
Brooklyndodger14

I have the Sporting News from that week and will get it out to see what they were saying about it.

[callingit]

Kramer,

the trick question gets even trickier, depending on who you listen to. Double-checking baseball almanac, I find that Campy & Roe were ejected, then Sharman & Lavagetto were indeed tossed from the bench. The REMAINDER of players were cleared from the bench without ejection.

Now I REALLY want to know the whole truth.

The Sporting News of 10/10/51 has a photo montage of the play but I can't tell whether Dascoli was right or not. What I did notice is that it looks like Dascoli makes no move to walk away when Campanella blew his stack. Dascoli is right in his face. The accomanying article makes it clear that Campanella and Lavagetto were ejected and the Dodger bench was cleared, but it makes no mentioned if the cleared players could return to the game.

After the Jackie Robinson was livid that Campanella was ejected, he thought that in the heat of a pennant players should be given some latitude in their on-field behavior.

Also after the game, one or more members of the Dodgers kicked in the door of the umpires dressing room. Robinson was accused but denied it. Preacher Roe said he saw who did it but wasn't naming names except to say that it wasn't Robinson.

Because of this incident, Ford Frick wouldn't allow Dascoli to work the three game playoff between the Dodgers and the Giants.

[kramer_47]

Originally Posted by wamby

The Sporting News of 10/10/51 has a photo montage of the play but I can't tell whether Dascoli was right or not. What I did notice is that it looks like Dascoli makes no move to walk away when Campanella blew his stack. Dascoli is right in his face. The accomanying article makes it clear that Campanella and Lavagetto were ejected and the Dodger bench was cleared, but it makes no mentioned if the cleared players could return to the game.

After the Jackie Robinson was livid that Campanella was ejected, he thought that in the heat of a pennant players should be given some latitude in their on-field behavior.

Also after the game, one or more members of the Dodgers kicked in the door of the umpires dressing room. Robinson was accused but denied it. Preacher Roe said he saw who did it but wasn't naming names except to say that it wasn't Robinson.

Because of this incident, Ford Frick wouldn't allow Dascoli to work the three game playoff between the Dodgers and the Giants.

This is from bayou.com
Most players on one team ejected in a game
( 15 players: 1951 )

They called it " The Boston Beef Party." During a late-season game with the Boston Braves in 1951, the Brooklyn Dodgers put us such a beef with the umpire over a call that 15 of them were given the thumb. The Dodgers, desperately trying to hold on to first place in the final week of the season, were deadlocked, 3-3, with the Braves in Boston in the bottom of the eighth. Then came the critical play of the game. Umpire Frank Dascoli called the Braves' Bob Addis safe on a bang-bang play at the plate. Dodgers catcher Roy Campanella was outraged. He threw down his glove, wheeled around, and spewed a few choiice words at the ump. In a flash, Dascoli thumbed Campy out of the game. Then the catcher's teammates took up his fight with a verbal assault on the umpire. One by one, Dascoli ejected the Dodgers until there was no one left on the bench. The final toll: 15 players banished. After the game, which the Dodgers lost, 4-3, Dascoli had to be protected by a cordon of police as enraged Dodger Jackie Robinson tried to batter down the door of the umpires' dressing room. (he was fined $100 the next day by league president Ford Frick.)

[callingit]

in slight contradiction, authors Bill Gutman & Lee Heiman offer this account:

-----------------
"I didn't call him any names," Campanella insisted. "I never called an umpire names in my life. I just said 'No, no, no, no, I had him!' I asked him how he could call Addis safe when I had the plate blocked and he threw me out of the game."
Dascoli claimed that Campy threw his glove in the air, an act that "calls for an automatic ejection."
Once the game resumed, Sid Gordon grounded into a double play. Then, with Walker Cooper at bat, Dascoli whirled around and ordered the Dodger bench cleared to stop the jockeying, so when the game resumed again only manager Dressen and coach Jake Pitler were in the dugout. The players weren't banished, just removed from the dugout so some semblence of order could be restored.

Dascoli insisted he had made a correct call. "Addis was definitely safe," he said. "He slid right under Campanella and his foot was all the way across the plate before Campanella could put the tag on him. Robinson's throw was just a little wide and that gave Addis the chance to hook in there."

----------------

Wamby, thanks so much for the Sporting News account. Dascoli's career seems to be dotted with major run-ins with players & administrators.