BAT NO. 1: DEL CRANDALL used the bat pictured above in an August, 1954 series with the Cardinals in which the Braves swept all three games at Busch Stadium. He planted number 14 of his 21 homers that season into the left field bleachers in the first game — which ended in an 11-0 rout of the Redbirds and included homers by teammates Henry Aaron and Eddie Mathews.

BAT NO. 2: THIS CRANDALL bat was used during the 1955 season in which Crandall thumped a career season high 26 home runs. The all-star Braves catcher used this bat in the September series with the Cardinals at Busch Stadium.

DEL CRANDALL

ALL-STAR: 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960 and 1962

Crandall had 16-year Major League career, starred in 1957 and 1958 World Series

Led National League backstops in fielding four times — winning four Gold Gloves in the process

MAJOR LEAGUE ALL-STAR

DEL CRANDALL averaged almost 20 home runs a year from 1953-1960.

DEL CRANDALL WEB LINKS

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Del Crandall began his Major League career at age 19 on June 17, 1949 with the Boston Braves. The All-star catcher played for 16 seasons on five different teams and ended his big league playing career in 1966.

Crandall was called up from the minors by the Boston Braves in June of 1949 and quickly proved one of the best catching finds in years. He appeared in 67 games, batted .268 and worked like a veteran receiver.

Considered one of the best defensive catchers in baseball, Crandall replaced Walker Cooper as the Braves' regular catcher and captain and led National League backstops in fielding four times — winning four Gold Gloves in the process.

Crandall appeared in eight all-star games, homering in one. He also homered in both the 1957 and '58 World Series, and three times collected over 20 home runs in a season.

After a shoulder problem sidelined him for most of 1961, Crandall batted a career-high .297 in 1962. Twenty years later, he managed Albuquerque in the Pacific Coast League to a remarkable 94-38 record, but in six years managing the Brewers and Mariners finished no higher than fifth.

DEL CRANDALL WAS one of the best defensive catchers in baseball.

Crandall was traded to the Giants in 1964 and later played one season for the Pirates and one for the Indians. He played 16 seasons from 1949-1966 mostly as a Brave, with short stints with the Giants, Pirates and Indians late in his career, registering a .254 lifetime average with 179 home runs and 657 RBIs.

DEL CRANDALL: Did you know...

...Crandall joined the White Sox broadcast team in 1985.

...Crandall attended Fullerton High School in California and was signed by the Boston Braves. When the team moved to Milwaukee, he helped turn the Braves into a National League powerhouse during the 1950's.

...Crandall averaged almost 20 home runs a year from 1953-1960 and finished with 179 lifetime home runs.

...Crandall was signed by the Boston Braves as an amateur free agent before the 1948 season.

...Crandall was traded by the Milwaukee Braves in Dec. 1963 with Bob Hendley and Bob Shaw to the San Francisco Giants for a player to be named later, Felipe Alou, Ed Bailey, and Billy Hoeft. The San Francisco Giants sent Ernie Bowman (January 8, 1964) to the Milwaukee Braves to complete the trade.

...Crandall was traded by the San Francisco Giants in Feb. 1965 to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Bob Priddy and Bob Burda.

...Crandall was signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians in Nov. 1965.

...Crandall was released by the Pittsburgh Pirates in Nov. 1965.

...Crandall was released by the Cleveland Indians October 14, 1966.

...Crandall was born March 5, 1930 in Ontario, California.

DEL CRANDALL, far right, was among this quintette of Braves who produced the biggest power show of the 1953 season. On Aug. 30 the group racked up eight home runs in the first game of a double-header in Pittsburg to set a new National League record. The Braves then added four more round-trippers in the nightcap for a day's total of 12 to smash the senior loop records for a double-header and the total for two successive games.

THE BRAVES' record-tying home run parade in the first game, above left to right, included Jack Dittmer, Johnny Logan, Edddie Mathews (who socked a pair), Jim Pendleton (who hit three) and Crandall. Mathews and Logan also had circuit clouts in the second game.

DEL CRANDALL replaced Walker Cooper as the Braves' regular catcher and captain and led National League backstops in fielding four times — winning four Gold Gloves in the process.

CRANDALL WAS SIGNED by the Boston Braves as an amateur free agent before the 1948 season. He played for the Braves through the 1963 season when he was traded to the Giants.