In this episode of Baseball Shorts, we pay attention to the modest nature of Hall of Famer Charlie Gehringer. The star player of the Detroit Tigers in the 1920s, 1930s and early 1940s was honored by the Tigers with a special Charlie Gehringer Day in 1929.
During this day, the Tigers beat the Yankees 17-13. In this game, Gehringer put up some nice defensive numbers but also handled the bat very well as he collected four hits, including a home run, and stole home plate.
The Mechanical Man, as Gehringer was nicknamed, played his entire career for the Detroit Tigers. From 1924 through 1942 he posted a lifetime batting average of .320 with forty doubles, ten triples, and thirteen home runs. As a second baseman, he posted a .976 fielding percentage. These numbers would earn him an induction into Cooperstown in 1949 on his fifth ballot with 85.03% of the votes.
During this Charlie Gehringer Day, fans from Gehringer’s hometown Fowlerville and throughout Detroit filled the stands. During a ceremony, the people from Fowlerville presented Gehringer with a set of golf clubs. Though the clubs were right-handed, and Gehringer was left-handed, Gehringer learned to golf right-handed rather than trade for a left-handed set of clubs.
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