Real Work - Offseason Jobs of Vintage Ballplayers

[Paul S]

During his career, Don Drysdale opened a bar in Van Nuys (Los Angeles) named Drysdale's Dugout. I imagine it supplemented his income year round. You won't find that on the back of no baseball card.

[packs]

King Kelly, John McGraw and Rube Marquard performed on vaudeville during their careers.

Mordecai Brown was a miner in his early career.

During his first few years with the Yanks Yogi worked at Sears.

Roy Campanella lucked into a weird deal with Nashua while in the New England League. A farmer said he'd give him 100 chickens for every homer. So when he hit 14 homers and ended up with 1,400 chickens, he started a farm. Later he opened a liquor store in Harlem.

Lefty Gomez was offered a try out by the Yanks while working at Universal Studios and pitching for a Hollywood Hills team.

[Donscards]

Carl Furillo worked as a laborer in the 50's. Most of the old timers had to work in the off season. These current players have no idea. My father worked in a cement mill and at night, he tended bar.

[Wildfireschulte]

Frank Schulte owned and trained race horses, one of which he named Wildfire which is how his nickname came to be.

[GoldenAge50s]

Throughout college & his attempts at a professional career my cousin Mort Flohr ('34 A's) returned home to a very small town in WNY and worked in his father's tavern.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Lou Brock ran a flower shop.

[Peter_Spaeth]

My favorite is Don Rudolph (60s pitcher) who caught the clothes his stripper wife would cast off during her burlesque act. I suspect Frank "Doc" Burkett was at some of the performances.

[Brian Van Horn]

Originally Posted by packs

King Kelly, John McGraw and Rube Marquard performed on vaudeville during their careers.

Mordecai Brown was a miner in his early career.

During his first few years with the Yanks Yogi worked at Sears.

Roy Campanella lucked into a weird deal with Nashua while in the New England League. A farmer said he'd give him 100 chickens for every homer. So when he hit 14 homers and ended up with 1,400 chickens, he started a farm. Later he opened a liquor store in Harlem.

Lefty Gomez was offered a try out by the Yanks while working at Universal Studios and pitching for a Hollywood Hills team.

Don't forget Mike Donlin left baseball for vaudeville. Also, Wes Ferrell had a Hollywood screen test and Lew Fonseca, who sang professionally during the off season in the 1920s and won a batting title in 1929:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Lew_Fonseca

Waite Hoyt was also a noted singer.

[DHogan]

Shanty Hogan worked in lumber yard in the off season.

[Peter_Spaeth]

a few from 1958 article

Eddie Mathews: president of Eddie Mathews Enterprises, a construction firm.

Johnny Logan: president of a title company that bears his name.

Gene Conley: vice-president of an oil company.

Ernie Johnson: insurance salesman.

Frank Torre: public relations representative for a soft drink concern.

Bob Rush: sell real estate in Mesa, Arizona.

Bob Buhl: has an appliance dealership in Saginaw, Michigan.

Harry Hanebrink: drive an oil truck in St. Louis.

Joe Koppe: paint houses in Detroit.

Warren Spahn: work his cattle ranch in Hartshorne, Oklahoma.

Don Newcombe: whiskey business in Newark, New Jersey.

Walt Dropo: sell real estate in Marblehead, Massachusetts.

Pete Whisenant: has a bar in Charlotte (“I’ll sell beer and drink beer”).

Smoky Burgess: run a service station in Forest City, North Carolina.

Bob Schmidt: “will wrestle a concrete mixer in St. Louis.”

Sad Sam Jones: drive a lumber truck in West Virginia.

Larry Jackson: “plans to work on the sports staff of the Idaho Daily Statesman back in Boise.” (After his playing days Jackson served in the Idaho legislature and ran for governor.)

Stan Musial: “has a bowling alley to look after, in addition to his restaurant, banks, etc.”

Del Ennis: opening a bowling alley in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania.

Irv Noren: owns a bowling alley in Pasadena, California.

Eddie Kasko: work with a beer distributor in Richmond, Virginia.

Ray Katt: sell life insurance in New Braunfels, Texas.

Wilmer Mizell: with a new insurance firm in St. Louis.

Jim Brosnan: will resume his job with a Chicago advertising agency. (During the 1959 season Brosnan would write the first of his classic books, “The Long Season.”)

Sal Maglie: has a liquor store in Niagara Falls, New York.

[sayhey24]

Great list Peter!

Mark Belanger sold sporting goods at a department store in Pittsfield, MA, and Jim Konstanty of the Chiefs and Phillies owned his own sporting goods store in his hometown of Oneonta, NY.

Greg

[conor912]

Great thread, Frank.

[ValKehl]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

a few from 1958 article
Gene Conley: vice-president of an oil company.

Gene Conley also played in the NBA for a few seasons with the Celtics and the Knicks during the off season. I can recall watching the Celtics on TV in the 1950's when Conley played (sparingly) with the likes of Cousy, Russell, Sharman, and the Joneses.
Val

[gman]

Dennis Menke, while a member of the Houston Astros, sold motorcycles at a Honda dealership in the southeast part of Houston

[tedzan]

Did you know that Cap Anson was also an accomplished billiards player....and, owned a billiards hall in Chicago.


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TED Z

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LOOKING for this T206 guy to complete my EXCLUSIVE 12 red HINDU sub-set (12 subjects)

SHECKARD (glove)
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[tjb1952tjb]

Originally Posted by Paul S

During his career, Don Drysdale opened a bar in Van Nuys (Los Angeles) named Drysdale's Dugout. I imagine it supplemented his income year round. You won't find that on the back of no baseball card.

There was a Drysdale's Dugout in Santa Ana, Ca. in the early 70's also. I wonder how many establishments he had? Died far too young.............

[tjb1952tjb]

Dutch worked in a shipyard................