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Bill Dickey
Catcher
Born: (1907-06-05)June 5, 1907 Bastrop, Louisiana
Died: November 12, 1993(1993-11-12) (aged 86) Little Rock, Arkansas
Batted: Left	Threw: Right
MLB debut
August 15, 1928 for the New York Yankees
Last MLB appearance
September 8, 1946 for the New York Yankees
Career statistics
Batting average	.313
Home runs	202
Runs batted in	1,209
Teams
New York Yankees (1928–1943, 1946)
Career highlights and awards
11× All-Star (1933, 1934, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1946) 14× World Series champion (1928, 1932, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941, 1943, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1956) New York Yankees #8 retired
Member of the National
Baseball Hall of Fame
Induction	1954
Vote	80.16% (seventh ballot)

William Malcolm Dickey (June 6, 1907 – November 12, 1993) was a Major League Baseball catcher and manager. He played his entire 19-year baseball career with the New York Yankees (1928–1946). During Dickey's playing career, the Yankees went to the World Series nine times, winning eight championships. Dickey was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1954.

Early life[link]

Dickey was born in Bastrop, Louisiana. He was one of seven children born to John and Laura Dickey. The Dickeys moved to Kensett, Arkansas, where John Dickey worked as a brakeman for Missouri Pacific Railroad. John Dickey had played in a semi-professional league in Memphis. Bill's older brother, Gus, was a second baseman and pitcher in the East Arkansas Semipro League, while his older brother, George, was an MLB catcher.^[1]

Playing career[link]

Dickey broke into the majors in 1928 and played his first full season in 1929. It was his first of ten seasons out of eleven with a .300+ batting average.

Seven of the American League's 1937 All-Star players, from left to right Lou Gehrig, Joe Cronin, Bill Dickey, Joe DiMaggio, Charlie Gehringer, Jimmie Foxx, and Hank Greenberg. All seven would eventually be elected to the Hall of Fame.

Although his offensive production was overshadowed by Yankee greats Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio, in the late 1930s Dickey posted some of the finest offensive seasons ever by a catcher, hitting over 20 home runs with 100 RBI in four consecutive seasons (1936 - 1939). His 1936 batting average of .362 was the highest single-season average ever recorded by a catcher (tied by Mike Piazza of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1997), until Joe Mauer of the Minnesota Twins hit .365 in 2009.

Dickey was noted for his ability to handle pitchers, and his strong throwing arm. He was also known for his relentlessly competitive nature. In 1932, Dickey broke the jaw of Carl Reynolds with one punch in a game after they collided at home plate, and received a 30-day suspension and $1,000 fine as punishment.

Manager and Coach[link]

After several seasons of offensive stagnation and time off during World War II, Dickey became the manager of the Yankees in the middle of the 1946 season and led the team to 3rd place in the American League. He retired after the season, having compiled 202 home runs, 1,209 RBI and a .313 batting average over his career.

In 1949, Dickey returned to the Yankees as first base coach and catching instructor to aid Yogi Berra in playing the position.^[2] In his trademark fractured English, Berra said, "Bill Dickey is learning me all of his experiences."

Already a good hitter, Berra became an excellent defensive catcher. With Berra having inherited his uniform number 8, Dickey wore number 33 until the 1960 season.

Film career[link]

In 1942, while still an active player, Dickey appeared as himself in the film The Pride of the Yankees, which starred Gary Cooper as the late Yankee captain and first baseman Lou Gehrig. Late in the movie, when Gehrig was fading due to the disease that would eventually take his life, a younger Yankee grumbled, in the locker room, "the old man on first needs crutches to get around!"--and Dickey, following the script, belted the younger player, after which he said the kid "talked out of turn."

Dickey also appeared as himself in the film The Stratton Story in 1949. He belted a pitch from James Stewart's title character, that the audience must assume was a homer based on the eyes of Stratton's pitching coach following the trajectory, sending Stratton back to the White Socks minor league team.

Later life[link]

Bill Dickey's number 8 was retired by the New York Yankees in 1972.

Bill Dickey's plaque in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Dickey was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1954 and Berra in 1972, the year the Yankees retired uniform number 8 for both men. On August 22, 1988, the Yankees honored both catchers with plaques to be hung in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium. Dickey opined that Berra was "An elementary Yankee" who's "considered the greatest catcher of all time."

Dickey was named in 1999 to The Sporting News list of Baseball's Greatest Players, ranking number 57, trailing Bench (16), Josh Gibson (18), Berra (40), and Campanella (50) among catchers. Also like those catchers, Dickey was a nominee for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team, but the fan balloting chose Berra and Bench as the two catchers on the team.

Dickey is currently the only Yankee with a retired number not yet featured on the YES Network series Yankeeography.

Dickey spent part of his retirement in the 1970s and 80s residing in the Yarborough Landing community on the shore of Millwood Lake in Southwestern Arkansas. He died in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1993.

In 2007, Dickey-Stephens Park opened in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The ballpark was named after Bill; his brother, former baseball player George "Skeets" Dickey; and two famous Arkansas businessmen, Jack and Witt Stephens.

See also[link]

• List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters
• List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
• List of Major League Baseball player–managers

References[link]

External links[link]

• Bill Dickey at the Baseball Hall of Fame
• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference, or Fangraphs, or The Baseball Cube
• Bill Dickey at Find a Grave.com

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General Manager: Brian Cashman Manager: Joe Girardi Team Captain: Derek Jeter Championships (27) 1923 1927 1928 1932 1936 1937 1938 1939 1941 1943 1947 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1956 1958 1961 1962 1977 1978 1996 1998 1999 2000 2009 American League Pennants (40) 1921 1922 1923 1926 1927 1928 1932 1936 1937 1938 1939 1941 1942 1943 1947 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1955 1956 1957 1958 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1976 1977 1978 1981 1996 1998 1999 2000 2001 2003 2009 Other titles Eastern Division: 1976 1977 1978 1980 1981 1996 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2009 2011 | Wild Card: 1995 1997 2007 2010 Minors AAA: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees | AA: Trenton Thunder | A: Tampa Yankees Charleston RiverDogs Staten Island Yankees | Rookie: Gulf Coast League Yankees DSL Yankees1 DSL Yankees2   Seasons (111) 1900s-1910s 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920s-1930s 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940s-1950s 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960s-1970s 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980s-1990s 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000s-2010s 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 Book:New York Yankees v t e New York Yankees 1928 World Series Champions Benny Bengough George Burns Archie Campbell Pat Collins Earle Combs Bill Dickey Joe Dugan Leo Durocher Cedric Durst Mike Gazella Lou Gehrig Johnny Grabowski Fred Heimach Waite Hoyt Hank Johnson Mark Koenig Tony Lazzeri Wilcy Moore Bob Meusel Ben Paschal Herb Pennock George Pipgras Gene Robertson Babe Ruth Al Shealy Myles Thomas Tom Zachary Manager Miller Huggins Coaches Art Fletcher Charley O'Leary Regular season v t e New York Yankees 1932 World Series Champions 1 Earle Combs 2 Lyn Lary 3 Babe Ruth 4 Lou Gehrig 5 Frankie Crosetti 6 Ben Chapman 7 Jack Saltzgaver 8 Bill Dickey 9 Art Jorgens 10 George Pipgras 11 Lefty Gomez 12 Herb Pennock 14 Ed Wells 15 Red Ruffing 16 Wilcy Moore 17 Danny MacFayden 18 Johnny Allen 19 Jumbo Brown 20 Charlie Devens 20 Johnny Murphy 21 Joe Sewell 22 Doc Farrell 23 Tony Lazzeri 24 Sammy Byrd 26 Joe Glenn 27 Myril Hoag 28 Ivy Andrews 32 Eddie Phillips Manager Joe McCarthy Coaches 29 Art Fletcher 30 Jimmy Burke 31 Cy Perkins Regular season Babe Ruth's called shot v t e New York Yankees 1936 World Series Champions 1 Roy Johnson 2 Red Rolfe 3 George Selkirk 4 Lou Gehrig 5 Frankie Crosetti 6 Tony Lazzeri 7 Jake Powell 8 Bill Dickey 9 Joe DiMaggio 10 Don Heffner 11 Lefty Gomez 12 Jack Saltzgaver 14 Bump Hadley 15 Red Ruffing 16 Monte Pearson 17 Jumbo Brown 18 Art Jorgens 19 Johnny Murphy 20 Johnny Broaca 21 Pat Malone 22 Bob Seeds 25 Kemp Wicker 26 Joe Glenn Manager Joe McCarthy Coaches 29 Art Fletcher 30 Earle Combs 31 Johnny Schulte Regular season Rivalry Subway Series v t e New York Yankees 1937 World Series Champions 1 Frankie Crosetti 2 Red Rolfe 3 George Selkirk 4 Lou Gehrig 5 Joe DiMaggio 6 Tony Lazzeri 7 Jake Powell 8 Bill Dickey 9 Myril Hoag 11 Lefty Gomez 14 Bump Hadley 15 Red Ruffing 16 Monte Pearson 19 Johnny Murphy 24 Ivy Andrews 25 Kemp Wicker Manager Joe McCarthy Coaches 29 Art Fletcher 30 Earle Combs 31 Johnny Schulte Regular season Rivalry Subway Series v t e New York Yankees 1938 World Series Champions 1 Frankie Crosetti 2 Red Rolfe 3 George Selkirk 4 Lou Gehrig 5 Joe DiMaggio 6 Joe Gordon 7 Jake Powell 8 Bill Dickey 9 Myril Hoag 11 Lefty Gomez 15 Red Ruffing 16 Monte Pearson 17 Tommy Henrich 19 Johnny Murphy Manager Joe McCarthy Coaches 29 Art Fletcher 30 Earle Combs 31 Johnny Schulte Regular season v t e New York Yankees 1939 World Series Champions 1 Frankie Crosetti 2 Red Rolfe 3 George Selkirk 5 Joe DiMaggio 6 Joe Gordon 8 Bill Dickey 9 Charlie Keller 11 Lefty Gomez 12 Babe Dahlgren 14 Bump Hadley 15 Red Ruffing 16 Monte Pearson 19 Johnny Murphy 20 Oral Hildebrand 32 Steve Sundra Manager Joe McCarthy Coaches 29 Art Fletcher 30 Earle Combs 31 Johnny Schulte Regular season v t e New York Yankees 1941 World Series Champions 1 Frankie Crosetti 2 Red Rolfe 3 George Selkirk 5 Joe DiMaggio 6 Joe Gordon 7 Tommy Henrich 8 Bill Dickey 9 Charlie Keller 10 Phil Rizzuto 12 Buddy Rosar 14 Jerry Priddy 15 Red Ruffing 19 Johnny Murphy 20 Tiny Bonham 21 Spud Chandler 22 Marius Russo 24 Marv Breuer 26 Ken Silvestri 27 Frenchy Bordagaray 28 Atley Donald 34 Johnny Sturm Manager Joe McCarthy Coaches 31 Art Fletcher 32 Earle Combs 33 Johnny Schulte Regular season Rivalry Subway Series v t e New York Yankees 1943 World Series Champions 1 Frankie Crosetti 2 Snuffy Stirnweiss 3 Bud Metheny 5 Nick Etten 6 Joe Gordon 7 Billy Johnson 8 Bill Dickey 9 Charlie Keller 10 Roy Weatherly 15 Hank Borowy 16 Tuck Stainback 18 Johnny Lindell 19 Johnny Murphy 20 Tiny Bonham 21 Spud Chandler 22 Marius Russo Manager Joe McCarthy Coaches 31 Art Fletcher 32 Earle Combs 33 Johnny Schulte Regular season v t e New York Yankees 1949 World Series Champions 1 Snuffy Stirnweiss 5 Joe DiMaggio 6 Bobby Brown 7 Cliff Mapes 8 Yogi Berra 10 Phil Rizzuto 11 Joe Page 14 Gene Woodling 15 Tommy Henrich 17 Vic Raschi 22 Allie Reynolds 24 Billy Johnson 25 Hank Bauer 27 Johnny Lindell 28 Tommy Byrne 29 Charlie Silvera 30 Ed Lopat 36 Johnny Mize 38 Gus Niarhos 42 Jerry Coleman Manager 37 Casey Stengel Coaches 2 Frankie Crosetti 31 Jim Turner 33 Bill Dickey Regular season Rivalry Subway Series v t e New York Yankees 1950 World Series Champions 5 Joe DiMaggio 6 Bobby Brown 7 Cliff Mapes 8 Yogi Berra 10 Phil Rizzuto 14 Gene Woodling 17 Vic Raschi 19 Whitey Ford 22 Allie Reynolds 24 Billy Johnson 25 Hank Bauer 26 Tom Ferrick 29 Charlie Silvera 30 Ed Lopat 36 Johnny Mize 38 Johnny Hopp 40 Jackie Jensen 41 Joe Collins 42 Jerry Coleman 52 Tom Morgan Manager 37 Casey Stengel Coaches 2 Frankie Crosetti 31 Jim Turner 33 Bill Dickey Regular season v t e New York Yankees 1951 World Series Champions 1 Billy Martin 5 Joe DiMaggio 7 Mickey Mantle 8 Yogi Berra 9 Bobby Brown 10 Phil Rizzuto 11 Johnny Sain 12 Gil McDougald 14 Gene Woodling 17 Vic Raschi 21 Bob Kuzava 22 Allie Reynolds 25 Hank Bauer 29 Charlie Silvera 30 Ed Lopat 35 Joe Ostrowski 36 Johnny Mize 38 Johnny Hopp 40 Bobby Hogue 41 Joe Collins 42 Jerry Coleman 52 Tom Morgan Manager 37 Casey Stengel Coaches 2 Frankie Crosetti 15 Tommy Henrich 31 Jim Turner 33 Bill Dickey Regular season Rivalry Subway Series v t e New York Yankees 1952 World Series Champions 1 Billy Martin 7 Mickey Mantle 8 Yogi Berra 9 Hank Bauer 10 Phil Rizzuto 11 Johnny Sain 12 Gil McDougald 14 Gene Woodling 17 Vic Raschi 18 Ray Scarborough 21 Bob Kuzava 22 Allie Reynolds 24 Tom Gorman 25 Irv Noren 29 Charlie Silvera 30 Ed Lopat 32 Ralph Houk 36 Johnny Mize 40 Ewell Blackwell 41 Joe Collins Manager 37 Casey Stengel Coaches 2 Frankie Crosetti 31 Jim Turner 33 Bill Dickey Regular season Rivalry Subway Series v t e New York Yankees 1953 World Series Champions 1 Billy Martin 7 Mickey Mantle 8 Yogi Berra 9 Hank Bauer 10 Phil Rizzuto 11 Johnny Sain 12 Gil McDougald 14 Gene Woodling 15 Joe Collins 16 Whitey Ford 17 Vic Raschi 18 Jim McDonald 21 Bob Kuzava 22 Allie Reynolds 24 Tom Gorman 25 Irv Noren 29 Charlie Silvera 30 Ed Lopat 36 Johnny Mize 38 Art Schallock 45 Don Bollweg Manager 37 Casey Stengel Coaches 2 Frankie Crosetti 31 Jim Turner 32 Ralph Houk 33 Bill Dickey Regular season Rivalry Subway Series v t e New York Yankees 1956 World Series Champions 1 Billy Martin 6 Andy Carey 7 Mickey Mantle 8 Yogi Berra 9 Hank Bauer 12 Gil McDougald 14 Bill Skowron 15 Joe Collins 16 Whitey Ford 17 Enos Slaughter 18 Don Larsen (World Series MVP) 19 Bob Turley 22 Mickey McDermott 23 Tommy Byrne 28 Tom Morgan 29 Charlie Silvera 30 Rip Coleman 32 Elston Howard 36 Norm Siebern 39 George Wilson 41 Bob Cerv 42 Jerry Coleman 47 Tom Sturdivant 53 Johnny Kucks 55 Bob Grim Manager 37 Casey Stengel Coaches 2 Frankie Crosetti 31 Jim Turner 33 Bill Dickey Regular season Rivalry Subway Series v t e New York Yankees retired numbers #1 Billy Martin #3 Babe Ruth #4 Lou Gehrig #5 Joe DiMaggio #7 Mickey Mantle #8 Bill Dickey #8 Yogi Berra #9 Roger Maris #10 Phil Rizzuto #15 Thurman Munson #16 Whitey Ford #23 Don Mattingly #32 Elston Howard #37 Casey Stengel #44 Reggie Jackson #49 Ron Guidry v t e Baseball Hall of Fame Class of 1954 BBWAA Vote Bill Dickey (80.16%) Rabbit Maranville (82.94%) Bill Terry (77.38%) Veterans Committee none v t e Catchers inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame Bench Berra Bresnahan Campanella Carter Cochrane Dickey Ewing Ferrell Fisk Gibson Hartnett Lombardi Lopez Mackey Robinson Santop Schalk v t e New York Yankees managers Baltimore Orioles (1901–1902) McGraw (1901–1902) Robinson (1902) New York Highlanders (1903–1912) Griffith (1903–1908) Elberfeld (1908) Stallings (1909–1910) Chase (1910–1911) Wolverton (1912) New York Yankees 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