Happy Birthday, Mel Ott and Moe Berg

March 2, 2008

Ott was born this date in 1909, Berg in 1902.

Ott, who spent his entire career with the New York Giants, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1951 on the strength of 511 home runs (the National league record for many years), 1,860 runs batted in and a .304 batting average. He died as the result of injuries sustained a car accident in 1958.

The Amazon Report:

Mel Ott: The Little Giant of Baseball

Mel Ott: The Gentle Giant

* * *

Berg may not have been Hall-of-Fame worthy as a player, but he was a major figure in his own right. Insanely intelligent for a ballplayer of his day (or any day), he is probably known more for his antics as a spy before and during World War II than his prowess on the diamond. Casey Stengel once said that Berg spoke seven languages but couldn’t hit in any of them.

The Amazon Report:

The Catcher Was a Spy: The Mysterious Life of Moe Berg

Moe Berg: Athlete, Scholar, Spy

My Brother, Morris Berg: The Real Moe

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