HISTORY MINUTE

Baseball’s Dizzy Dean became an unforgettable personality in a game known for unforgettable personalities. Born Jay Hanna Dean in Lucas in western Arkansas’s Logan County in 1910, his baseball talents became obvious very early.

The family moved often after his mother’s death in 1918, and at the age of 16, he joined the army. After two years in the army, Dean pitched for minor league teams in Houston and St. Joseph, Missouri. By 1932, he had caught his big break when the St. Louis Cardinals saw his talents and signed him. In his first season, he led the National League in shutouts. Between 1932 and 1935, he also led the National League in strikeouts.

His younger brother, Paul, signed with the Cardinals in 1934. Dizzy Dean predicted that the two would win 45 games that year. And with a late September double-header against the Brooklyn Dodgers which Dizzy Dean won with a shutout and Paul Dean won with a no-hitter, the two accomplished the feat. As Dean once said, “It ain’t bragging if you can back it up.”

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