Tommy Thevenow
Title
Tommy Thevenow
Subject
Baseball players
Description
Thomas "Tommy " Thevenow is Madison's only native son to have played in Major League Baseball . He was born in Madison on September 6 , 1903 , the son of Thomas Thevenow and Lula Cheatham . Tommy started playing baseball as most youngster did on sand lots and pick up . He later played baseball in Madison with Brophy Belt Factory Team , Madison Town , and Elks Team . In 1922 he went to Centralia , Illinois and played semi-pro ball . In 1923 he was playing in Joplin , Missouri in Class D Ball . In 1924 he was transferred to St . Louis where he played shortstop for the next 9 years with the St . Louis Cardinals . Tommy's greatest games were played during the 1926 World Series . He was the star player during this series when the Cardinals "Gashouse Gang " defeated the New York Yankees . His batting average for the series was.417 to lead the Cardinals at bat . Tommy drove in what became the game winning run in the seventh inning of game seven . He also made a fantastic leap and caught a line drive for an out that would have certainly won the game and series for the Yankees . Tommy also hit one of the few inside the park home runs ever hit in Major League history in the '26 World Series . Tommy hit a ball into right field where Babe Ruth was playing . Babe tried to chase down the ball that went into the corner offset , but was unable to find the ball in the shadows of the bleachers , thus allowing the home run . 1926 Series Record : at bat : 24 ; Hits : 10 ; Run scored : 10 ; Total bases : 14 ; 1 double , 1 home run , 10 put outs , 26 assists and handled a total 38 chances . During the 1927 season Tommy suffered a broken leg while sliding into base which cut his season short . In 1929 Tommy was playing for the Philadelphia Phillies and was critically injured in an overturned automobile accident , but was back in uniform playing before the end of the season . Tommy stayed with the Philadelphia Phillies until 1931 when he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates . He played shortstop with the Pirates from 1931-1935 . In 1936 he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds where he played only 1 year . In 1937 he played for the old Boston Bees and the New York Giants . In 1938 Tommy went back to Pittsburgh and ended his playing career with the Pirates . He managed a Class D team in Ashland , Kentucky for one year and then retired from baseball . During his 15 year playing career , Tommy played in a total of 1,229 Major League games . He had a lifetime batting average of.248 with 1933 being his best year at.312 while he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates . He was 23 years old when he started his Rookie Year . He played in 156 games and had 1,013 chances at the plate , this being more than any infielder in his league , except for first baseman . Tommy batted only.255 , yet scored 64 runs and batted in 63 runs.. . these 127 runs were less than half of the first 20 batsmen of the league were responsible for. People said that Tommy couldn't hit , but Rogers Hornsby said , "He can hit when hits are needed most. " Tommy was not an outspoken playing during his career for which he was given the nickname of "Silent Tommy. " Tommy and his wife , the former Helen Hargitt , lived at 903 West Second Street , which had been Tommy's home as a youngster . This marriage produced 4 children , Tommy Joseph , Jr. , Victor Hargitt , Mary Jane and Sarah Elizabeth . Tommy worked at the Charlestown Powder Plant during WWII and later helped manage the Madison Moose Lodge . He purchased the Star Store and operated it until his death in 1957 at the age of 53 . Tommy was inducted into the State of Indiana's Baseball Hall of Fame in January 2001 .
Creator
Harry Lemen, photographer Eastman-Kodak Brownie Camera No. 2C model A, with No. 130 film.
Contributors
Madison-Jefferson County Public Library
Date
Picture taken 1927
Type
Negative (2-7/8 x4-7/8 )
Format
Scanned negative, 1200 DPI, online JPG saved at 72 DPI 1000 pixels on long edge with a MicroTek ScanMaker 9800XL. Scan is full frame of negative. No correction of film errors. Slight sharpness and contrast adjustments.
Identifier
Lemen28-tommythevenow
Source
Madison Courier Historical Files Lee Dowell, researcher
Rights
Permission to reproduce this image for other than personal use must be requested from the Director of the Madison-Jefferson County Public Library. Please contact at 420 W. Main Street Madison, IN 47250 (812) 265-2744
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