Specs Toporcer

Specs Toporcer
Toporcer in 1921
Infielder
Born:(1899-02-09)February 9, 1899 New York, New York,U.S.
Died:May 17, 1989(1989-05-17)(aged 90) Huntington Station, New York,U.S.
Batted:Left Threw:Right
MLB debut
April 13, 1921, for the St. Louis Cardinals
Last MLB appearance
June 2, 1928, for the St. Louis Cardinals
MLB statistics
Batting average	.279
Home runs	9
Runs batted in	151
Teams
St. Louis Cardinals(1921–1928)
Career highlights and awards
World Serieschampion (1926)

George Toporcer(bornToporczer;February 9, 1899 – May 17, 1989) was an Americanprofessional baseballplayer and executive. He served primarily as autility infielderduring his eight seasons inMajor League Baseball,playing for theSt. Louis Cardinalsfrom 1921 through 1928. He battedleft-handedand threwright-handedand was listed as 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) tall and 165 pounds (75 kg). Toporcer is widely considered as the first major league baseballposition playerto weareyeglasseson the playing field.The distinction gained Toporcer his nickname, "Specs".

Early life

From an early age, like most children at the time, George Toporczer was obsessed with baseball. In an interview,he admitted that for the last 75 years he had thought about the sport nearly daily. He stated that in spite of his obsession he was always picked last during childhood games because of his slight build and glasses. He went to school and became friends with actorJimmy Cagney,staying in touch into the later portions of their lives. Toporczer said the first thing that hooked him on baseball was when he was six and went to the1905 World Series.At the World Series he watched the Giants'Christy Mathewsonpitch three shutouts. The experience was further reinforced by his two older brothers who, being diehard Giants fans, idolized the players, speaking of little else but the performance of their favorite team. The fanaticism of his older brothers influenced him and he too became a diehard Giants fan. When they lost the pennant to theChicago Cubsin1908,due toMerkle's Boner,he cried himself to sleep. By the time he was ten he would walk the five miles from his house to thePolo Grounds.Although the one cent allowance provided by his father, a shoe and boot seller, was not enough to get him a ticket, he found a spot onCoogan's Bluffthat he could take advantage of an open space in the roof of the Polo Grounds.

Unlike most of his peers, he was enthralled with what was known then asinside baseball,which were the strategies and tactics of the "dead-ball" era. While still loving the Giants players, Toporczer held a special admiration of the Giants' managerJohn McGraw,who he considered the best of his time. Out of all of the Giants players, George's favorite was theleft fielder,George Burns.When he was thirteen Toporczer got a job at a local saloon as a scorekeeper, writing down the scores of the baseball games in exchange for fifty cents and free meals. While in seventh grade his history teacher formed a school baseball team but he was turned down because of his slight figure and his glasses. Even though he was not on the team, Toporczer still went to all of their games to cheer them on. On one occasion, he was the only one watching, and as the team was short one player he was asked to play centerfield. During that game he made a difficult catch and contributed two hits. Around this time his father died and passed the business on to one of Toporczer's older brothers, and George had to forgo high school and help his brother run the store. Between working at the store and picking up odd jobs on the side, Toporczer was making more than enough to buy tickets and would regularly go to the Polo Grounds.

Playing career

Major leagues

Born and reared in theYorkvillesection ofManhattan,he never playedhigh schoolorcollegeball and went directly fromthe sandlotsto major league competition in 1921. Now known as GeorgeToporcer,he split his first professional season between the Cardinals and the minor leagueSyracuse Stars,the Cardinals' topfarm team.He played all infield positions for the Cardinals, especiallyshortstop,and was the club's most-used midfielder in both1922and1925.In 1928, Toporcer got into only eight games for the Cardinals, and spent the bulk of the year with their topfarm team,theRochester Red Wings.

In his eight-season major-league career, Toporcer was a.279hitterwith ninehome runsand 151RBIin 546games.As a fielder, he appeared in 453 games, playingshortstop(249 games),second base(105),third base(95),first base(3) andright field(1).

Minor league player-manager

Following his major league career, Toporcer played for the Cardinals Triple-A affiliateRochesteron four straight pennant-winning teams (1929–1932), being named theInternational LeagueMVPin 1929 and 1930. He became the Red Wings' manager in 1932, continuing to play and manage the team until 1934. He continued to play in the minors until 1941, typically serving as a player-manager. During his seven years playing for Rochester, the Red Wings won theInternational Leaguepennant four consecutive years. For the last three years in Rochester, he served as the manager of the Rochester team. But after a financial dispute withgeneral managerBranch Rickey,Toporcer left the St. Louis organization. He would pilot other minor league teams for the next seven years before he became the farm director for theBoston Red Sox.

Toporcer left the Red Sox in 1948 and became the farm system director of theChicago White Soxin 1949 and 1950.

Loss of sight

In 1951, while managing theBuffalo Bisons,Toporcer became blind after a fifth operation to save his failing eyesight was unsuccessful.

During his time as the farm director for the Red Sox, Toporcer had begun to notice spots in his vision that were obstructing his sight. After visiting an eye specialist and having a lengthy examination, the doctor diagnosed him with a detached retina. Toporcer got the required surgery and the doctor proscribed a thirty-day bed rest, forbidden from moving his head so as not the dislodge the retina while it healed. Once the thirty days were over, the doctor removed the bandages to find the surgery had been unsuccessful; Toporcer had lost sight in his left eye. Another attempt was made to save his left eye, but it was unsuccessful. Then, while managing Buffalo in 1951, Toporcer began to experience problems with his right eye. After three more unsuccessful surgeries on that orb, Toporcer became blind in both eyes.

The Cardinals and Red Sox held benefits to defray the expenses of Toporcer's eye surgeries, but because years of playing baseball had toughened his fingertips,he was not able to masterBraille.He became amotivational speakerand was known as "Baseball's Blind Ambassador."

In 1944, Toporcer wrote an autobiography,Baseball – From Backlots to Big Leagues,still considered one of the best manuals of instruction forcoachesand young players. His life story was featured in anetworkTV showin which he played the lead.

Toporcer died inHuntington Station, New York,at the age of 90 from injuries sustained in a fall at his home. He was the last surviving member of the1926 World Champion St. Louis Cardinals.

See also

• The Glory of Their Times,1966 book

External links

• Career statistics and player information fromBaseball Reference,orBaseball Reference (Minors)
• Skelton, David E.,Specs Toporcer.Society for American Baseball ResearchBiography Project
• Specs ToporceratFind a Grave