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 Power surge
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INSIDE:

CLUBHOUSE
CRONICLES
Jimmy Palermo, during a historic 7-day span in May, 1939, saw the meteoric rise of Williams and tragic decline of Gehrig.

THE GAME'S
GOLDEN ERA
An exclusive WIWAG ongoing feature.

MEMORIES
 The field seemed vast to a 7-year old who had looked forward to this day for two months.

BREAKING THE COLOR LINE
The year marks the 60th anniversary of the first major league tryout for black players.
SPECIAL COLOR
LINE TIMELINE
Bud Fowler is the first know black players on an integrated team.

BOOMING BATS
of the '50s
Qualify as Grade A10.

AMERICA'S ORIGINAL
SPORTS BAR
 First sports bar featured 12-inch Farnsworth TV.

BASEBALL
HISTORIANS
Two unsuspecting vintage baseball fans rediscover a "National Treasure." 		>> Home page                                                                         >> Contact us


ZIMMER's bat is a Louisville Slugger (model S2) with a signature barrel stamp.

BROOKLYN DODGER second baseman, Don Zimmer used this bat in a July series at Busch Stadium in 1955. He homered in a 6-0 shutout of the Cardinals in the second game of that series in which the first-place "Bums" took three straight from the Redbirds.

"POPEYE" was a solid contributor to the 1955 World Champs - hitting 15 homers and driving in 50 runs — many in the clutch — in only 280 at-bats.

 

DON ZIMMER

ALL-STAR: 1961

Zimmer won two World Series with Brooklyn, L.A. Dodgers

"Zim" drafted by the New York Mets from the Cubs in the 1961 expansion draft

MAJOR LEAGUE ALL-STAR

DON ZIMMER played on two World Series winning teams with the Dodgers — 1955 and 1959.
DON ZIMMER WEB LINKS
>BASEBALL-REFERENCE.COM
>BASEBALL-LIBRARY.COM
>BASEBALL-ALMANAC.COM

Don Zimmer began his Major League career on July 2, 1954, with the Brooklyn Dodgers at age 23. He played for 12 seasons — and ended his playing career in 1965 with the Washington Senators.

Zimmer was leading the American Association with 23 home runs and 63 RBIs on July 7, 1953, and was a highly touted Dodger prospect with strength and bulging forearms that gave him the nickname "Popeye," when he was hit in the head by a Jim Kirk pitch.

He was unconscious for almost two weeks, lost his speech for six and dropped 44 pounds. This incident was instrumental in the adoption of batting head protection in the '50s. He returned in 1954 and was the Dodgers' second baseman in the 1955 World Series.

Zimmer was doing well in 1956 when a pitch from the Reds' Hal Jeffcoat fractured his cheekbone and ended his season. The scrappy Zimmer came back again and was the Dodgers' starting shortstop in 1958, reaching career highs of 17 home runs and 60 RBI — but lost his job to Maury Wills in 1959 season.

He was traded by the Dodgers to the Cubs in 1960, and was selected to the National League all-star team as a second baseman in 1961. Zimmer was drafted by the New York Mets from the Chicago Cubs in the 1961 expansion draft, and ultimately finished his playing career in Japan.

In 12 Major League seasons, Zimmer had a lifetime average of .235 with 773 hits and 91 HRs. He played on two World Series winning teams — 1955 and 1959.

AFTER HAVING his cheekbone fractured during the1956 season, the scrappy Zimmer came back in '58 and was the Dodgers' starting shortstop.


Zimmer managed in the minors and coached for the Expos and Padres before spending 1972 and 1973 as San Diego's manager. He was a Boston coach when he was named manager in the mid-season of 1976.

In 1978, his Red Sox won 99 games, but lost the AL East title in a one-game playoff with the Yankees.

"Zim" piloted the Rangers in 1981-82, coached for the Yankees, Cubs, and Giants and was named Cubs manager in 1988. He won the division title, and AP Manager of the Year in 1989 with unorthodox strategic moves (he likes the squeeze bunt with the bases loaded) and with lots of rookies and journeymen in his lineups.

DON ZIMMER: Did you know...

...Zimmer signed before the 1949 season by the Brooklyn Dodgers as an amateur free agent.

...Zimmer was traded in April 1960 by the Los Angeles Dodgers to the Chicago Cubs for Ron Perranoski, Johnny Goryl, Lee Handley (minors), and $25,000 cash.

...Zimmer was drafted in Oct. 1961 by the New York Mets from the Chicago Cubs in the 1961 expansion draft.

...Zimmer was traded in May 1962 by the New York Mets to the Cincinnati Reds for Bob Miller and Cliff Cook.

...Zimmer was traded in Jan. 1963 by the Cincinnati Reds to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Scott Breeden.

...Zimmer was purchased by the Washington Senators in June 1963 from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

...Zimmer was released by the Washington Senators in Nov. 1965.

...Zimmer, as a Major League manager with the Padres, Red Sox, Rangers and Cubs posted 885 wins and 858 loses (.508). "Zim" was the AP Manager of the Year in 1989 for the Cubs.

...Zimmer was born January 17, 1931 in Cincinnati.


DON ZIMMER, above left, avoids the Braves' Jonny Logan to turn a double play.

DON ZIMMER played for the Dodgers, Cubs, Mets, Reds and Senators during his 12-year Major League career.