Mickey Haslin
Encyclopedia
Michael Joseph "Mickey" Haslin (October 25, 1909 – March 7, 2002), born Michael Joseph Hazlinsky, was an Austrian American professional baseball
player whose career spanned 13 seasons, six of which were spent in Major League Baseball
(MLB) with the Philadelphia Phillies
(1933–36), Boston Bees (1936), and New York Giants (1937–38). Over his career in the majors, Haslin batted
a combined .272 with 265 hits
, 33 doubles
, eight triples
, nine home run
s, and 109 runs batted in (RBIs) in 318 games played
. He played shortstop
, second base, and third base
, defensively. Haslin also played in the semi-pros
, and minor leagues
before breaking in to the majors. In the minors, he played with the St. Catharines Brewers (1930), Stroudsburg Poconos
(1932), Kansas City Blues
(1937), Jersey City Giants
(1938), San Diego Padres
(1939–1941), Toronto Maple Leafs (1942), and Indianapolis Indians
(1943). Haslin compiled a career minor league batting average of .311 with 881 hits, 155 doubles, 30 triples, and 43 home runs in 776 games played. He batted and threw right-handed. During his playing career, Haslin stood at 5 in 8 in (172.72 cm) and weighed 165 pounds (74.8 kg). After retirement from baseball, he served in the United States Army
during World War II
.
to George and Helen Hazlinsky, both of Austria
. George Hazlinsky worked in the Pennsylvania
coal mines. Mickey Haslin had eight siblings; brothers George, Joseph, and John; and sisters Mary, Elizabeth, Anna, Susan, and Margaret. Mickey Haslin attended high school
for just one year. From an early age, Haslin worked in the coal mines of his home-town. Haslin had a fear of insect
s, and snake
s, which caused many teammates to use them against him when playing a practical joke
during his baseball career.
St. Catharines Brewers of the Class-C Ontario League. With the Brewers, he batted
.295 with 57 hits
, five doubles
, three triples
, and three home run
s in 50 games played
. Defensively, he was used as a shortstop
. Haslin spent the next season playing semi-professional
baseball. He joined the Class-D Stroudsburg Poconos
in 1932, a team that featured future Major League Baseball
(MLB) player Goody Rosen. Stroudsburg were members of the Interstate League
that season. In 26 games that year, Haslin batted .417 with 48 hits, 13 doubles, four triples, and seven home runs. In the field, he played second base, and shortstop.
At the start of the 1933 season, Haslin signed with the minor league Knoxville Smokies to play third base
. However, he never made an appearance with that team. Instead, Haslin signed as a second baseman with a semi-professional baseball team, which represented Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
. Patsy O'Rourke
, who was a scout for the Philadelphia Phillies
, was in Stroudsburg after his wife was injured in an automobile accident. O'Rourke went to a semi-pro game which featured Haslin's team. His talent impressed O'Rourke, so he offered Haslin a major league contract with the Phillies on the spot. He made his MLB debut on September 7, against the St. Louis Cardinals
. In that game, Haslin got his first major league hit, a double. He also walked once, and played the second base position. Haslin's first major league run batted in
(RBI) came on September 14, in a game against the Cincinnati Reds
. Over 26 games that season with the Phillies, he batted .236 with three runs scored, 21 hits, two doubles, nine RBIs, and one stolen base
. Haslin played all of his 26 games at second base, committing six errors
, and converting 12 assists
in 137 total chances
.
Haslin was used as the Philadelphia Phillies' starting shortstop at the beginning of the 1934 season after Dick Bartell
, the Phillies every-day shortstop, suffered an injury. Haslin's first hit of the season came on April 12, against the Brooklyn Dodgers. He hit his first career major league home run on June 10, against the New York Giants. He finished the season with a .265 batting average, 28 runs scored, 44 hits, eight doubles, two triples, one home run, 11 RBIs, and one stolen base in 72 games played that year. Defensively, he was used as a utility infielder
, playing 26 games at third base, 21 games at second base, and six games at shortstop.
In 1935, Haslin won the starting shortstop job for the Philadelphia Phillies over veteran Blondy Ryan
. On April 18, during the top of the tenth inning
in a game against the Brooklyn Dodgers, Haslin batted in the game-winning run to give the Phillies a 10–to–9 win
. Haslin participated in the first-ever MLB night game
that season, driving in the Phillies only run against the Cincinnati Reds in a 2–to–1 loss. During the season, it was reported that Haslin carried around a lump of coal
as a good-luck charm, and a reminder of how far he has come from his days of mining in his home-town of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. In late-August, it was discovered that Haslin had appendicitis
, causing him to miss time after recovering from emergency surgery to remove his vermiform appendix
at Sacred Heart Hospital in Allentown, Pennsylvania
. On the season, he batted .265 with 53 runs scored, 108 hits, 17 doubles, three triples, three home runs, 52 RBIs, and five stolen bases in 110 games played. In the field, Haslin played 87 games at shortstop, 11 games at third base, and nine games at second base.
Haslin joined the Philadelphia Phillies for spring training
in Florida
during the start of the 1936 season. After playing 16 games with the Phillies during the regular season, Haslin was traded to the Boston Bees in exchange for Pinky Whitney
. He batted .344 with six runs scored, 22 hits, one doubles, one triple, and six RBIs in 16 games played with the Phillies, while playing 12 games at second base, and five games at third defensively. After his trade, the Bees manager
, Bill McKechnie
, suspended Haslin after he refused to report to the team until his demand of a higher salary was met. On May 15, he agreed to new contract terms and reported to the Boston club. On July 4, in a game against the New York Giants, Haslin hit two home runs. With Boston, he batted .279 with 14 runs scored, 29 hits, one doubles, two triples, two home runs, 11 RBIs in 36 games played. In the field, he played 17 games at third base, and seven games at second base.
During the off-season before the 1937 season, the Boston Bees traded Haslin to the New York Giants in exchange for Eddie Mayo
. At the start of the 1937 season, Haslin was competing against Lou Chiozza
, and Tommy Thevenow
for the starting third baseman job. With the Giants that season, he batted .190 with eight runs scored, eight hits, one double, and five RBIs in 27 games played. He played nine games at shortstop, four games at second base, and four games at third base, defensively. In July, the Giants sent Haslin to the minor leagues. Major league scouts Bill Essick
of the Cleveland Indians
, and Eddie Herr of the New York Yankees
watched Haslin make his debut in the minors that year with the Kansas City Blues
to decide if he would be a good fit for their organizations. In 40 games in the minors that year, he batted .299 with 43 hits, eight doubles, three triples, and two home runs. In the field, Haslin played 28 games at shortstop.
Haslin began the 1938 season with the New York Giants. On May 23, Haslin was at-bat during the sixth inning of a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates
when he hit a pitch
from Pirates' starter
Mace Brown
, which went directly back to Brown and struck him in the rib
s. After the Giants received Alex Kampouris
in a trade from the Cincinnati Reds in June, Haslin was sent-down to the minor league Jersey City Giants
of the Double-A International League
. In the minors, he batted .310 with 122 hits, 17 doubles, seven triples, and five home runs in 101 games played. Defensively, he played all of his 101 games at second base. In September that year, Haslin was called-up to play with the Giants for the remainder of the season. On September 22, Haslin hit two home runs in a game against the Cincinnati Reds. The final game of Haslin's major league career would come on October 2, in a game against the Boston Bees. On the season with New York, Haslin batted .324 with 33 hits, three doubles, three home runs, and 15 RBIs in 31 games played. He played 15 games at third base, and 13 games at second base that year.
On December 7, 1938, Haslin was traded by the New York Giants to the minor league San Diego Padres
of the Double-A Pacific Coast League
in exchange for Manny Salvo
. The trade was originally intended to have two players go to the Padres, but San Diego's president Spider Baum agreed to take Haslin after he hear from baseball executives around the majors that he would "be lucky to land [him]". However, Haslin's tenure with the Padres started out rough after he failed to report to spring training until his demand of a higher salary was met. On March 18, Haslin joined the Padres, signing a contract worth US$600 a month, a third less than his original asking price of the US$900 a month. It was not the last of Haslin's issues that year, because after a game on May 10, he got into an argument with San Diego manager Cedric Durst
over a matter Durst called "unimportant" and Haslin left the team's stadium. After the ordeal, Durst suspended Haslin and fined him US$100. During a game on June 25, against the Oakland Oaks
, Haslin hit two home runs and drove in all the Padres runs leading them to a 5–to–2 victory. With the Padres that season, Haslin batted .345 with 185 hits, 29 doubles, five triples, and 11 home runs in 151 games played. In the field, he played all of his games at third base.
At the start of the 1940 season, Haslin refused a contract with the San Diego Padres, and held-out for what he hoped would be a better offer. On March 12, Padres president Charles Mel Lott called Haslin at his home in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania to alert him that the San Diego would only wait ten more days for him to sign a contract for the 1940 season, or else they would release him. On March 25, two-days past Lott's ten-day window for Haslin to sign, he returned to San Diego to meet with Padres executives. Haslin reportedly asked Lott for a trade in that meeting. He also threatened to retire from baseball if he did not receive a higher salary. He reported to spring training on March 26, but was still unsigned. Haslin eventually signed with San Diego and played with them for the entire season. On the season, he batted .321 with 198 hits, 43 doubles, two triples, and nine home runs in 164 games played. Haslin played all of his games at third base. He was fourth in the Pacific Coast League in doubles that season.
Haslin reported to the San Diego Padres during spring training on March 3, 1940 . He was selected to play in the Pacific Coast League All-Star Game
as a utility player
that season. On the season, he batted .301 with 65 runs scored, 138 hits, 27 doubles, three triples, five home runs, 75 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases in 125 games played. In the field, he played exclusively at third base. At the start of the 1942 season, Haslin filed to report to spring training with the Padres, again seeking a higher salary. San Diego president Charles Mel Lott then traded Haslin to the Double-A Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League in exchange for John Hill. With Toronto that year, Haslin played just two games, getting one hit in five at-bats. He had to sit out the majority of the season with a leg injury, which he had surgery for during the off-season.
In February 1943, Haslin was traded from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Double-A Indianapolis Indians
of the American Association
. With the Indians that season, he batted .239 with 32 runs scored, 89 hits, 13 doubles, three triples, one home run, and 50 RBIs. He played second, and third base, defensively. After the season, Haslin was purchased by the Double-A Atlanta Crackers
of the Southern Association
, but never made an appearance.
as a Private
in the United States Army
. Haslin died on March 7, 2002 at the age of 92 in his home-town of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He was burred at Saint Mary's Cemetery
in Wilkes-Barre.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
player whose career spanned 13 seasons, six of which were spent in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
(MLB) with the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
(1933–36), Boston Bees (1936), and New York Giants (1937–38). Over his career in the majors, Haslin batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
a combined .272 with 265 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, 33 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, eight triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, nine home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s, and 109 runs batted in (RBIs) in 318 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
. He played shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
, second base, and third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
, defensively. Haslin also played in the semi-pros
Semi-professional
A semi-professional athlete is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom sport is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the athlete not a full professional...
, and minor leagues
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
before breaking in to the majors. In the minors, he played with the St. Catharines Brewers (1930), Stroudsburg Poconos
Stroudsburg Poconos
The Stroudsburg Poconos, located in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, were a minor league baseball team that played in the Interstate League in 1932 and in the North Atlantic League from 1946 to 1950. They were affiliated with the New York Yankee in 1947 and the Cleveland Indians in 1949. They played...
(1932), Kansas City Blues
Kansas City Blues (American Association)
The Kansas City Blues are a former minor league baseball team located in Kansas City, Missouri, in the Midwestern United States. The team was one of the eight founding members of the American Association....
(1937), Jersey City Giants
Jersey City Giants
The Jersey City Giants was the name of a high-level American minor league baseball franchise that played in Jersey City, New Jersey, as the top farm system affiliate of the New York Giants from 1937 through 1950. The Jersey City club played in the International League...
(1938), San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres (PCL)
The San Diego Padres were a minor league baseball team which played in the Pacific Coast League from 1936 through 1968. The team that would eventually become the Padres was well traveled prior to moving to San Diego. It began its existence in 1903 as the Sacramento Solons, a charter member of the PCL...
(1939–1941), Toronto Maple Leafs (1942), and Indianapolis Indians
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
(1943). Haslin compiled a career minor league batting average of .311 with 881 hits, 155 doubles, 30 triples, and 43 home runs in 776 games played. He batted and threw right-handed. During his playing career, Haslin stood at 5 in 8 in (172.72 cm) and weighed 165 pounds (74.8 kg). After retirement from baseball, he served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Early and personal life
Mickey Haslin was born Michael Joseph Hazlinsky on October 25, 1909 in Wilkes-Barre, PennsylvaniaWilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
to George and Helen Hazlinsky, both of Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. George Hazlinsky worked in the Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
coal mines. Mickey Haslin had eight siblings; brothers George, Joseph, and John; and sisters Mary, Elizabeth, Anna, Susan, and Margaret. Mickey Haslin attended high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
for just one year. From an early age, Haslin worked in the coal mines of his home-town. Haslin had a fear of insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s, and snake
Snake
Snakes are elongate, legless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
s, which caused many teammates to use them against him when playing a practical joke
Practical joke
A practical joke is a mischievous trick played on someone, typically causing the victim to experience embarrassment, indignity, or discomfort. Practical jokes differ from confidence tricks in that the victim finds out, or is let in on the joke, rather than being fooled into handing over money or...
during his baseball career.
Baseball career
In 1930, Haslin signed with the minor leagueMinor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
St. Catharines Brewers of the Class-C Ontario League. With the Brewers, he batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.295 with 57 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, five doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, three triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, and three home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s in 50 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
. Defensively, he was used as a shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
. Haslin spent the next season playing semi-professional
Semi-professional
A semi-professional athlete is one who is paid to play and thus is not an amateur, but for whom sport is not a full-time occupation, generally because the level of pay is too low to make a reasonable living based solely upon that source, thus making the athlete not a full professional...
baseball. He joined the Class-D Stroudsburg Poconos
Stroudsburg Poconos
The Stroudsburg Poconos, located in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, were a minor league baseball team that played in the Interstate League in 1932 and in the North Atlantic League from 1946 to 1950. They were affiliated with the New York Yankee in 1947 and the Cleveland Indians in 1949. They played...
in 1932, a team that featured future Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
(MLB) player Goody Rosen. Stroudsburg were members of the Interstate League
Interstate League
The Interstate League was the name of five different American minor baseball leagues that played intermittently from 1896 through 1952. The longest tenured of these was the last incarnation, which played in the Middle Atlantic States from 1939 through 1952, and was one of the few mid-level minor...
that season. In 26 games that year, Haslin batted .417 with 48 hits, 13 doubles, four triples, and seven home runs. In the field, he played second base, and shortstop.
At the start of the 1933 season, Haslin signed with the minor league Knoxville Smokies to play third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
. However, he never made an appearance with that team. Instead, Haslin signed as a second baseman with a semi-professional baseball team, which represented Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Stroudsburg is a borough in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Poconos region of the state, approximately five miles from the Delaware Water Gap, at the confluence of the Brodhead and Pocono Creeks. It is the county seat of Monroe County. Stroudsburg is part of the...
. Patsy O'Rourke
Patsy O'Rourke
Joseph Leo O'Rourke Sr. was a Major League Baseball shortstop who played in 53 games for the 1908 St. Louis Cardinals. He later managed in the minor leagues.-External links:...
, who was a scout for the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, was in Stroudsburg after his wife was injured in an automobile accident. O'Rourke went to a semi-pro game which featured Haslin's team. His talent impressed O'Rourke, so he offered Haslin a major league contract with the Phillies on the spot. He made his MLB debut on September 7, against the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. In that game, Haslin got his first major league hit, a double. He also walked once, and played the second base position. Haslin's first major league run batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
(RBI) came on September 14, in a game against the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
. Over 26 games that season with the Phillies, he batted .236 with three runs scored, 21 hits, two doubles, nine RBIs, and one stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
. Haslin played all of his 26 games at second base, committing six errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
, and converting 12 assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
in 137 total chances
Total chances
In baseball statistics, total chances , also called chances offered, represents the number of plays in which a defensive player has participated. It is calculated as follows: Total Chances = assists + putouts + errors. Chances accepted refers to the total of putouts and assists only. Fielding...
.
Haslin was used as the Philadelphia Phillies' starting shortstop at the beginning of the 1934 season after Dick Bartell
Dick Bartell
Richard William Bartell , nicknamed "Rowdy Richard," was an American shortstop in Major League Baseball. One of the most ferocious competitors of his era, he won both admirers and critics at each stop during a career which saw him traded every few seasons, often under acrimonious circumstances...
, the Phillies every-day shortstop, suffered an injury. Haslin's first hit of the season came on April 12, against the Brooklyn Dodgers. He hit his first career major league home run on June 10, against the New York Giants. He finished the season with a .265 batting average, 28 runs scored, 44 hits, eight doubles, two triples, one home run, 11 RBIs, and one stolen base in 72 games played that year. Defensively, he was used as a utility infielder
Utility infielder
A utility infielder is a baseball player, usually one who does not have a regular starting role on the team and who is capable of playing more than one of the four defensive infield positions: second base, third base, shortstop, and less typically first base...
, playing 26 games at third base, 21 games at second base, and six games at shortstop.
In 1935, Haslin won the starting shortstop job for the Philadelphia Phillies over veteran Blondy Ryan
Blondy Ryan
John Collins "Blondy" Ryan was an American shortstop in Major League Baseball who is remembered primarily for his fielding and his starring for the New York Giants' 1933 World Series winners. Born in Lynn, Massachusetts, he was signed by the Chicago White Sox in 1930 as an amateur free agent...
. On April 18, during the top of the tenth inning
Inning
Inning is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
in a game against the Brooklyn Dodgers, Haslin batted in the game-winning run to give the Phillies a 10–to–9 win
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
. Haslin participated in the first-ever MLB night game
Night game
A night game is a sporting event that takes place, completely or partially, after the local sunset. Depending on the sport, this can be done either with floodlights or with the usual low-light conditions.-Cricket:...
that season, driving in the Phillies only run against the Cincinnati Reds in a 2–to–1 loss. During the season, it was reported that Haslin carried around a lump of coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
as a good-luck charm, and a reminder of how far he has come from his days of mining in his home-town of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. In late-August, it was discovered that Haslin had appendicitis
Appendicitis
Appendicitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the appendix. It is classified as a medical emergency and many cases require removal of the inflamed appendix, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy. Untreated, mortality is high, mainly because of the risk of rupture leading to...
, causing him to miss time after recovering from emergency surgery to remove his vermiform appendix
Vermiform appendix
The appendix is a blind-ended tube connected to the cecum , from which it develops embryologically. The cecum is a pouchlike structure of the colon...
at Sacred Heart Hospital in Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently...
. On the season, he batted .265 with 53 runs scored, 108 hits, 17 doubles, three triples, three home runs, 52 RBIs, and five stolen bases in 110 games played. In the field, Haslin played 87 games at shortstop, 11 games at third base, and nine games at second base.
Haslin joined the Philadelphia Phillies for spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
during the start of the 1936 season. After playing 16 games with the Phillies during the regular season, Haslin was traded to the Boston Bees in exchange for Pinky Whitney
Pinky Whitney
Arthur Carter Whitney , born in San Antonio, Texas, was a third baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Braves/Boston Bees .He was named to the 1936 National League All-Star Team....
. He batted .344 with six runs scored, 22 hits, one doubles, one triple, and six RBIs in 16 games played with the Phillies, while playing 12 games at second base, and five games at third defensively. After his trade, the Bees manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
, Bill McKechnie
Bill McKechnie
William Boyd McKechnie was an American third baseman, manager and coach in Major League Baseball. He was the first manager to win World Series titles with two different teams , and remains one of only two managers to win pennants with three teams, also capturing the National League title in 1928...
, suspended Haslin after he refused to report to the team until his demand of a higher salary was met. On May 15, he agreed to new contract terms and reported to the Boston club. On July 4, in a game against the New York Giants, Haslin hit two home runs. With Boston, he batted .279 with 14 runs scored, 29 hits, one doubles, two triples, two home runs, 11 RBIs in 36 games played. In the field, he played 17 games at third base, and seven games at second base.
During the off-season before the 1937 season, the Boston Bees traded Haslin to the New York Giants in exchange for Eddie Mayo
Eddie Mayo
Edward Joseph Mayo , nicknamed "Hotshot" and "Steady Eddie," was a professional baseball infielder...
. At the start of the 1937 season, Haslin was competing against Lou Chiozza
Lou Chiozza
Louis Peo Chiozza is a former professional baseball player who played a total of six seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Giants of Major League Baseball.-Early life:...
, and Tommy Thevenow
Tommy Thevenow
Thomas Joseph Thevenow was a professional baseball player who played shortstop in the Major Leagues from 1924–1938. He played for the Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Bees, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, and St. Louis Cardinals during his career...
for the starting third baseman job. With the Giants that season, he batted .190 with eight runs scored, eight hits, one double, and five RBIs in 27 games played. He played nine games at shortstop, four games at second base, and four games at third base, defensively. In July, the Giants sent Haslin to the minor leagues. Major league scouts Bill Essick
Bill Essick
William Earl Essick was a professional baseball player who played pitcher in the Major Leagues. He attended Knox College and Lombard College.-External links:...
of the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, and Eddie Herr of the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
watched Haslin make his debut in the minors that year with the Kansas City Blues
Kansas City Blues (American Association)
The Kansas City Blues are a former minor league baseball team located in Kansas City, Missouri, in the Midwestern United States. The team was one of the eight founding members of the American Association....
to decide if he would be a good fit for their organizations. In 40 games in the minors that year, he batted .299 with 43 hits, eight doubles, three triples, and two home runs. In the field, Haslin played 28 games at shortstop.
Haslin began the 1938 season with the New York Giants. On May 23, Haslin was at-bat during the sixth inning of a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
when he hit a pitch
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
from Pirates' starter
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
Mace Brown
Mace Brown
Mace Stanley Brown was a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball. From 1935 through 1946, he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Brooklyn Dodgers, and Boston Red Sox. Brown posted a 76-57 record with a 3.46 ERA and 44 saves in 387 appearances .Brown was also a javelin thrower who attended the...
, which went directly back to Brown and struck him in the rib
Rib
In vertebrate anatomy, ribs are the long curved bones which form the rib cage. In most vertebrates, ribs surround the chest, enabling the lungs to expand and thus facilitate breathing by expanding the chest cavity. They serve to protect the lungs, heart, and other internal organs of the thorax...
s. After the Giants received Alex Kampouris
Alex Kampouris
Alexis William Kampouris , is a former professional baseball player who played in the Major Leagues primarily as a 2nd baseman from 1934–1939 and 1941-1943.-Miscellaneous facts:...
in a trade from the Cincinnati Reds in June, Haslin was sent-down to the minor league Jersey City Giants
Jersey City Giants
The Jersey City Giants was the name of a high-level American minor league baseball franchise that played in Jersey City, New Jersey, as the top farm system affiliate of the New York Giants from 1937 through 1950. The Jersey City club played in the International League...
of the Double-A International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
. In the minors, he batted .310 with 122 hits, 17 doubles, seven triples, and five home runs in 101 games played. Defensively, he played all of his 101 games at second base. In September that year, Haslin was called-up to play with the Giants for the remainder of the season. On September 22, Haslin hit two home runs in a game against the Cincinnati Reds. The final game of Haslin's major league career would come on October 2, in a game against the Boston Bees. On the season with New York, Haslin batted .324 with 33 hits, three doubles, three home runs, and 15 RBIs in 31 games played. He played 15 games at third base, and 13 games at second base that year.
On December 7, 1938, Haslin was traded by the New York Giants to the minor league San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres (PCL)
The San Diego Padres were a minor league baseball team which played in the Pacific Coast League from 1936 through 1968. The team that would eventually become the Padres was well traveled prior to moving to San Diego. It began its existence in 1903 as the Sacramento Solons, a charter member of the PCL...
of the Double-A Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
in exchange for Manny Salvo
Manny Salvo
Manuel Salvo was a Major League Baseball pitcher. The 6'4", 210 lb. right-hander played for the New York Giants , Boston Bees , Boston Braves , and Philadelphia Phillies . His nickname was "Gyp", short for "Gypsy".A native of Sacramento, California, Salvo had his best season statistically in...
. The trade was originally intended to have two players go to the Padres, but San Diego's president Spider Baum agreed to take Haslin after he hear from baseball executives around the majors that he would "be lucky to land [him]". However, Haslin's tenure with the Padres started out rough after he failed to report to spring training until his demand of a higher salary was met. On March 18, Haslin joined the Padres, signing a contract worth US$600 a month, a third less than his original asking price of the US$900 a month. It was not the last of Haslin's issues that year, because after a game on May 10, he got into an argument with San Diego manager Cedric Durst
Cedric Durst
Cedric Montgomery Durst was an outfielder in Major League Baseball who played between and for the St. Louis Browns , New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox . Listed at 5' 11", 160 lb., Durst batted and threw left-handed...
over a matter Durst called "unimportant" and Haslin left the team's stadium. After the ordeal, Durst suspended Haslin and fined him US$100. During a game on June 25, against the Oakland Oaks
Oakland Oaks
Oakland Oaks may refer to:*Oakland Oaks , a minor league baseball team that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 to 1955*Oakland Oaks , a professional ice hockey team that played in the Pacific Coast Hockey League from 1948 to 1949...
, Haslin hit two home runs and drove in all the Padres runs leading them to a 5–to–2 victory. With the Padres that season, Haslin batted .345 with 185 hits, 29 doubles, five triples, and 11 home runs in 151 games played. In the field, he played all of his games at third base.
At the start of the 1940 season, Haslin refused a contract with the San Diego Padres, and held-out for what he hoped would be a better offer. On March 12, Padres president Charles Mel Lott called Haslin at his home in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania to alert him that the San Diego would only wait ten more days for him to sign a contract for the 1940 season, or else they would release him. On March 25, two-days past Lott's ten-day window for Haslin to sign, he returned to San Diego to meet with Padres executives. Haslin reportedly asked Lott for a trade in that meeting. He also threatened to retire from baseball if he did not receive a higher salary. He reported to spring training on March 26, but was still unsigned. Haslin eventually signed with San Diego and played with them for the entire season. On the season, he batted .321 with 198 hits, 43 doubles, two triples, and nine home runs in 164 games played. Haslin played all of his games at third base. He was fourth in the Pacific Coast League in doubles that season.
Haslin reported to the San Diego Padres during spring training on March 3, 1940 . He was selected to play in the Pacific Coast League All-Star Game
Triple-A All-Star Game
The Triple-A All-Star Game is a single baseball game held between the two Triple-A leagues in minor league baseball—the International League and the Pacific Coast League...
as a utility player
Utility player
In sport, a utility player is one who can play several positions competently, a sort of jack of all trades. Sports in which the term is often used include association football , baseball, rugby, rugby league, water polo and softball....
that season. On the season, he batted .301 with 65 runs scored, 138 hits, 27 doubles, three triples, five home runs, 75 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases in 125 games played. In the field, he played exclusively at third base. At the start of the 1942 season, Haslin filed to report to spring training with the Padres, again seeking a higher salary. San Diego president Charles Mel Lott then traded Haslin to the Double-A Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League in exchange for John Hill. With Toronto that year, Haslin played just two games, getting one hit in five at-bats. He had to sit out the majority of the season with a leg injury, which he had surgery for during the off-season.
In February 1943, Haslin was traded from the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Double-A Indianapolis Indians
Indianapolis Indians
The Indianapolis Indians are a minor league baseball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Pittsburgh Pirates major-league club. The Indians play at Victory Field, located in downtown Indianapolis...
of the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
. With the Indians that season, he batted .239 with 32 runs scored, 89 hits, 13 doubles, three triples, one home run, and 50 RBIs. He played second, and third base, defensively. After the season, Haslin was purchased by the Double-A Atlanta Crackers
Atlanta Crackers
The Atlanta Crackers were minor league baseball teams based in Atlanta, Georgia, between 1901 and 1965. The Crackers were Atlanta's home team until the Atlanta Braves moved from Milwaukee in 1966....
of the Southern Association
Southern Association
The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A , Class A1 and Class AA...
, but never made an appearance.
Later life
After his baseball career, Haslin served in World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as a Private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. Haslin died on March 7, 2002 at the age of 92 in his home-town of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. He was burred at Saint Mary's Cemetery
Saint Mary's Cemetery (Pennsylvania)
St. Marys Roman Catholic Cemetery is located on Cardiff Road between the villages of Cardiff and Nanty-Glo in Blacklick Township, Cambria County, Pennsylvania.The cemetery was established on land donated by the Cambria & Indiana Railroad Company in the...
in Wilkes-Barre.