Jumpin’ Joe Dugan (1897 – 1982) – In his 14 year baseball career as a third baseman in the Major Leagues, Joe Dugan spent his longest tenure with the New York Yankees during their first dynastic championship run in the 1920s. Being on a team with very recognizable names like Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Tony Lazzeri, Dugan’s talent was somewhat overshadowed. Despite his relative obscurity, Dugan had a very respectable career, having an accumulative .280 lifetime batting average.
Some fans assumed that his nickname, “Jumpin’ Joe”, came from his ability to get quick jumps on groundballs. According to Dugan himself, the sobriquet had more to do with his habit of taking unannounced leaves from his team, especially in his early years with the Philadelphia Athletics. (It is perhaps this characteristic that links Jimmy James with his all-time favorite Yankee. Mr. James’ entrances and exits in the WNYX offices are often quick, random, and unannounced.) [Xmas Story]
1 comment:
what a random beginning..but i guess that's fitting! haha.
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