Ray Blades
Encyclopedia
Francis Raymond Blades was an American
left fielder
, manager
, coach
and scout in Major League Baseball
.
A native of McLeansboro, Illinois
, Blades was first scouted as a baseball player as a teenager in 1913. Branch Rickey
, then the manager of the St. Louis Browns
, spotted Blades during a sandlot game for the St. Louis city championship. Seven years would pass, however, before Rickey would sign Blades to a contract; by that time, 1920, however, Rickey was working for the Browns’ NL rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals
.
After apprenticing in the minor leagues
, Blades reached the Cardinals in 1922. Hampered by a severe knee injury, he appeared in over 100 games only three times – from 1924-26 – but he hung on as a spare outfielder for ten major league seasons (1922–28; 1930–32), all with the Cardinals, and batted
.301 lifetime. In his finest season, 1925, he hit .342 in 462 at-bats. He threw and batted right-handed and appeared in three World Series
(1928, 1930 and 1931).
Blades was known as a ferocious competitor with a terrible temper, and he carried that reputation with him as a manager in the Cardinals’ farm system. He managed at the top level of the St. Louis organization with the Rochester Red Wings
and Columbus Red Birds
from 1933–38 and was named skipper of the Cardinals in 1939.
Upon his appointment, he prohibited alcohol drinking among his players. In his first season, the Cards responded to Blades’s tough regimen, winning 92 games and improving from sixth to second place in the National League
. But the Cardinals slumped in the early weeks of 1940, winning only 14 of their first 38 games and plunging back into sixth place. On June 7, Blades was fired and ultimately replaced by Billy Southworth
.
He then coached in the National League for the Cincinnati Reds
, Brooklyn Dodgers, Chicago Cubs
and the Cardinals. Blades never managed again fulltime in the big leagues, although during his tenure with Brooklyn he and a fellow coach, Clyde Sukeforth
, famously turned down the job as acting manager of the 1947 Dodgers after the suspension of Leo Durocher
for the season. Rickey, by then president of the Dodgers, ultimately turned to Burt Shotton
, one of the team's scouts, and Brooklyn won the ’47 NL pennant. During the following year, , Blades served as interim Dodger pilot for a single game in July, when Durocher left Brooklyn for the New York Giants
job, and Shotton succeeded him a second time. Blades’ final record as a manager was 107-85 (.557).
Ray Blades died in Lincoln, Illinois
at the age of 82 in 1979.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
left fielder
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
, 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...
, coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
and scout 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...
.
A native of McLeansboro, Illinois
McLeansboro, Illinois
McLeansboro is a city in Hamilton County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,883 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Hamilton County. Located in Southern Illinois, the town was named for Dr. William B. McLean, who donated the land for its founding...
, Blades was first scouted as a baseball player as a teenager in 1913. Branch Rickey
Branch Rickey
Wesley Branch Rickey was an innovative Major League Baseball executive elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1967...
, then the manager of the St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, spotted Blades during a sandlot game for the St. Louis city championship. Seven years would pass, however, before Rickey would sign Blades to a contract; by that time, 1920, however, Rickey was working for the Browns’ NL rivals, 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...
.
After apprenticing in the 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...
, Blades reached the Cardinals in 1922. Hampered by a severe knee injury, he appeared in over 100 games only three times – from 1924-26 – but he hung on as a spare outfielder for ten major league seasons (1922–28; 1930–32), all with the Cardinals, and 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 :...
.301 lifetime. In his finest season, 1925, he hit .342 in 462 at-bats. He threw and batted right-handed and appeared in three World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
(1928, 1930 and 1931).
Blades was known as a ferocious competitor with a terrible temper, and he carried that reputation with him as a manager in the Cardinals’ farm system. He managed at the top level of the St. Louis organization with the Rochester Red Wings
Rochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
and Columbus Red Birds
Columbus Red Birds
The Columbus Red Birds was the name of a top-level minor league baseball team that played in Columbus, Ohio, in the American Association from 1931 through 1954. The Columbus club, a member of the Association continuously since 1902, was previously known as the Columbus Senators — a typical...
from 1933–38 and was named skipper of the Cardinals in 1939.
Upon his appointment, he prohibited alcohol drinking among his players. In his first season, the Cards responded to Blades’s tough regimen, winning 92 games and improving from sixth to second place in the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
. But the Cardinals slumped in the early weeks of 1940, winning only 14 of their first 38 games and plunging back into sixth place. On June 7, Blades was fired and ultimately replaced by Billy Southworth
Billy Southworth
William Harrison Southworth was an American right fielder, center fielder and manager in Major League Baseball. Playing in and and from to , he batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Southworth managed in and from through...
.
He then coached in the National League for 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....
, Brooklyn Dodgers, Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
and the Cardinals. Blades never managed again fulltime in the big leagues, although during his tenure with Brooklyn he and a fellow coach, Clyde Sukeforth
Clyde Sukeforth
Clyde Leroy Sukeforth , nicknamed "Sukey," was a former Major League Baseball catcher, coach, scout and manager who was best known for scouting and signing the Major Leagues' first black player in the modern era, Jackie Robinson.Sukeforth was born in Washington, Maine...
, famously turned down the job as acting manager of the 1947 Dodgers after the suspension of Leo Durocher
Leo Durocher
Leo Ernest Durocher , nicknamed Leo the Lip, was an American infielder and manager in Major League Baseball. Upon his retirement, he ranked fifth all-time among managers with 2,009 career victories, second only to John McGraw in National League history. Durocher still ranks tenth in career wins by...
for the season. Rickey, by then president of the Dodgers, ultimately turned to Burt Shotton
Burt Shotton
Burton Edwin Shotton was an American player, manager, coach and scout in Major League Baseball. As manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers , he won two National League pennants and served as Jackie Robinson's first permanent major league manager.-Playing career: Fleet-of-foot outfielder:Shotton was born...
, one of the team's scouts, and Brooklyn won the ’47 NL pennant. During the following year, , Blades served as interim Dodger pilot for a single game in July, when Durocher left Brooklyn for the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
job, and Shotton succeeded him a second time. Blades’ final record as a manager was 107-85 (.557).
Ray Blades died in Lincoln, Illinois
Lincoln, Illinois
Lincoln is a city in Logan County, Illinois, United States. It is the only town in the United States that was named for Abraham Lincoln before he became president; he practiced law there from 1847 to 1859. First settled in the 1830s, Lincoln is home to three colleges and two prisons. The three...
at the age of 82 in 1979.