Big Ed Stevens

Big Ed Stevens was a slugging first baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates in the late forties and into the fifties, but his baseball career continued for many more years in the high minors.

His Baseball Reference major league page ends his transactions with the move from the Dodgers to the Pirates. In 1950, after hitting below .200 in the bigs, Stevens was sent to the Pirates AAA team in Indianapolis. He played the entire 1951 season there, and in the meantime, became Cleveland property when the Indianapolis franchise switched affiliations.

In 1952, he was sent to Toronto: from the April 3, 1952 Daily Republican:

“Toronto Leafs Buy Ex-Buc Ed Stevens  TORONTO, April 3 Toronto's Maple Leafs of the International League have bought First Baseman Eddie Stevens from the Cleveland Indians, Owner Jack Cooke said yesterday. Stevens, 28, played with the Montreal Royals five years ago and was, with Indianapolis in the American Association last season. He played in the major leagues With Brooklyn and Pittsburgh.”

Stevens would enjoy five years in Toronto, and even had a radio show. You can find out a lot more about Ed Stevens in his book, "The Other Side of the Jackie Robinson Story," he has some great history recorded there.

Stevens said in his book he was sad to leave Toronto for Charleston, but Charleston was happy to have him. From the April 4, 1957 Raleigh Register:

“The Senators received good news yesterday despite the fact they dropped a 2-0 decision to the "Birmingham Barons. Lefthanded Ed Stevens was purchased from the Toronto Maple Leafs to fill the gap at first base. Stevens is expected to report today. He formerly played in the National League for Brooklyn and Pittsburgh. Last year, he hit .257 for Toronto, jamming 21 home runs, 12 doubles and a triple. He had 73 runs batted in during the 140 games in which he played.”

Stevens would only play part of one season with the Detroit affiliate before going to Rochester and the Cardinals organization to finish the season. The only note of this I could find was from Brian A. Bennett's wonderful "On a Silver Diamond" series:

"First baseman Ed Stevens was likewise acquired, from Charleston of the American Association, where he had 17 home runs."

Stevens stayed in Rochester for another season, then went to Dallas and two AA teams in 1959.

Great Ed Stevens photo stolen from www.ootpdevelopments.com

Ralph Branca of the New York Giants???

Anyone who knows baseball history knows of Ralph Branca and the Shot Heard Round the World, and hopefully folks remember him as a great pitcher and overall a good guy, and one of the people behind the BAT program helping out ex-ballplayers.

He was battling injuries late in his career and bounced from the Dodgers to the Tigers, then the Yankees. He has a year off from the majors, then appears once more for Brooklyn.

His Baseball Reference minor league page fills in the 1955 gap: he was in Minneapolis in the GIANTS organization. Yes, even with his history with the Giants.

The Giants and Minneapolis had been after him for awhile: they had offered him a contract in 1954 before he signed with the Yankees. From the Evening Day of New London CT July 23, 1954:

 “Branca…rejected an offer by the New York Giants to hurl for their Minneapolis farm club in the American association.”

The Yankees signed Branca after Detroit had released him. His ERA was under 3.00 in his short time in the pinstripes, but he walked more than one batter per inning pitched and was let go. This time, he took the Minneapolis offer. From the Pittsburgh Press of Dec. 10, 1954:

“Branca…was signed as a free agent yesterday by the Giants’ Minneapolis farm team of the American Association”

 He was hoping to catch on with the Giants, but it wasn't to be. A 3-3 mark and an ERA over 7.50 got him released, according to his book and this article from the Troy NY Times Record of March 5, 1957:

 

“I haven’t done much pitching since I was release by Minneapolis in July, 1955…”

The article is about Branca in spring training with the Dodgers, who had signed him in 1956. At the end of that season, they took him off the roster in this move, chronicled in the Daytona Beach Morning Journal of Oct. 18, 1956:

 “Branca…was sold to St. Paul of the American Assn.”

Branca never played for St. Paul, he retired in the 1957 spring training though there are newspaper reports that he had thrown pretty well at that time. 

Branca from

www.ootpdevelopments.com