In a trade with the Athletics on October 19, 1949, the Chicago White Sox added second baseman Nellie Fox to their roster, in exchange for catcher Joe Tipton. Fox would go on to lead the league in hits four times, winning the 1959 American League MVP during his fourteen-year tenure with the Sox.
After all these years, I still have a Nellie Fox autograph bat. Not one he autographed, but one of those that was sold with his autograph on it. Still a treasure (and it’s awfully heavy).
v
I’m impressed you’ve kept it so long! And yeah, the old baseball bats are nothing like what they’ve got out there today.
Nellie Fox, one of my favorite players. He wouldn’t have a chance today, a player who did the little things, great contact hitter, good glove man, but he’s not a juiced up, one dimensional player who looks like a video game figure. Very sad, just glad I got to see baseball in its prime during the 60s. Thanks for this.
I’ve always had a strong preference for “small ball,” as they call it. I would not mind a return to that style of play.
“But catchers are always hard to find!!”
Connie Mack was an old catcher, so he was probably enamored of Tipton’s…nah, I got nothing here.
I always liked Nellie Fox. I once had a Nellie Fox model bat with his thick handle. I like how he choked up on the bat and always had a puffed out cheek full of chewing tobacco. Solid lefty hitter, not much power but could really handle the bat and rarely struck.