The 1934 Gashouse Gang’s Wild Triumph

The 1934 Gashouse Gang’s Wild Triumph

The Triumphant Gashouse Gang

A collection of players who were shabby in appearance and playful in personality made an unbelievable impact on the game of baseball. The roots of the St. Louis Cardinals’ success began in the offseason of 1933, when they purchased the contract of outfielder Ray Pepper from the St. Louis Browns on December 15. While he proved to be a flash in the pan over his career, Ray Pepper’s best season in the big leagues came in 1934, when he recorded 101 RBIs and batted .298 for the Cardinals.

How the Gashouse Gang Got Its Name

The Cardinals soon adopted a nickname that captured how rough and rugged they presented themselves on the baseball diamond: the Gashouse Gang. Throughout the 1934 regular season, multiple opponents claimed that the Gashouse Gang typically took the field in uniforms that were dirty, smelly, and unwashed — a habit that intimidated some rivals.

The nickname was reportedly coined by shortstop Leo Durocher, a gutsy ballplayer who was a natural fit for the term. During a discussion with his teammates about the American League, Durocher and company claimed they could handle any American League team if they won the National League pennant. Durocher said the American League clubs thought the Cardinals were just a bunch of gashousers.

The term referred to plants that manufactured town gas from coal for lighting and cooking. These plants were known for their terrible odors and were typically located in railroad yards near St. Louis’s poorest neighborhoods.

A Championship Roster

The Dean Brothers

Everything came together for the Cardinals in 1934, as pitcher Jay Hanna “Dizzy” Dean recorded a 30-win season with 195 strikeouts and a 2.66 ERA, earning the MVP Award and the Associated Press Athlete of the Year Award. Dizzy was bold and brash in personality, unlike his younger brother Paul “Daffy” Dean, who was quiet and more reserved. To his own credit, Daffy Dean pitched a no-hitter on September 21 and won 19 games in 1934.

Standout Hitters

During the 1934 season, Charles Arthur Vance was known by the nickname “Dazzy,” while outfielder Joe Medwick went by “Ducky.” Catcher Spud Davis, first baseman Ripper Collins, second baseman Frankie Frisch, outfielder Ernie Orsatti, and Ducky Medwick all batted at or above .300 in 1934, and all but Collins were selected to the 1934 All-Star Game.

Rookie catcher Bill DeLancey found himself on the Cardinals roster in a favorable platoon system with Spud Davis. DeLancey, a left-handed hitter, complemented Davis, a right-handed hitter. DeLancey batted .316 with 80 hits, 18 doubles, and 13 home runs.

Winning the National League Pennant

The combined 49 wins by the Dean brothers proved critical in helping the Cardinals win the National League pennant, as they edged out the New York Giants by two games in the standings. The Cardinals went 95-58, while the Giants went 93-60. In head-to-head play, the Cardinals performed well against the Giants, going 13-9 in the regular season. The only teams in the National League the Cardinals did not fare well against were the Chicago Cubs (10-12) and the Pittsburgh Pirates (9-13); however, the Cubs and the Pirates finished third and fifth in the National League standings, respectively.

The 1934 World Series Triumph

Dizzy Dean’s Wild Antics

Dizzy Dean, the most recognizable member of the Gashouse Gang, was defined by his on-field antics as much as his pitching. Those antics were on full display during the 1934 World Series against the American League champion Detroit Tigers, when he took on pinch-running duties in Game 4 on October 6. The batter at the plate hit a ground ball that set up a routine double play for the Tigers, but Dean deliberately threw himself in the way to break it up. As a result, Dizzy was struck in the head by the ball and knocked unconscious. After he was taken to the hospital, X-rays reportedly revealed no injuries.

The Dean Brothers Deliver

The Dean brothers were the driving force behind the Cardinals’ 1934 World Series championship, winning two games apiece, striking out 28 batters, and posting a combined 1.43 ERA as St. Louis defeated the Tigers four games to three. In the deciding Game 7, Dizzy Dean pitched a complete-game shutout to clinch the title, downing the Tigers 11-0.