488:. Although he was on the road for away games that year and was transferred to the Springfield Cardinals the following year, they grew increasingly close. Following the end of the 1932 season, the couple were married in Danville. About a month before the start of the 1934 World Series, Frances gave birth to a daughter, Doris. After Bill contracted tuberculosis and retired from play, doctors advised the couple to move to the dry desert climate of the southwest U.S., so the DeLanceys took up residence in
630:
429:, his health had improved to the point that he was able to return to the Cardinals, and he spent the year as the Redbirds' third-string catcher. He appeared in 15 games, 12 in the field (with two starts), and collected four hits in 18 at-bats. His final major league appearance was against the Pittsburgh Pirates on September 8, 1940. Over his short but illustrious career, Bill DeLancey played in 219 MLB games, amassing 173 hits, with 32 doubles, ten
389:, but DeLancey got off to a sluggish start at the plate. He recovered in midyear and lifted his batting average to .321 on July 21, before fading to .279 during the heat of August and September. He also began to experience loss of energy and appetite. Still, he started half of the Cardinals' 154 regular-season games. During an off-season sandlot game, however, he collapsed and was diagnosed with
496:, a painful lung disease. Nevertheless, the DeLanceys were able to have another child, Mary Jane, in 1945. His health then began to decline again, and he died on his 35th birthday, November 28, 1946, in Phoenix. He is interred at
472:
of the
Gashouse Gang Cardinals, named DeLancey as the catcher on his all-time team, despite DeLancey's illness-shortened career. In 1963, the elderly Rickey also likened the Cardinals' young catcher,
315:. The catching platoon—Davis started 89 games, and DeLancey 65—was highly effective, as the veteran Davis, 29, hit an even .300 with 65 runs batted in and an .830 OPS. The Cardinals outlasted the
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492:. Frances' nursing experience helped Bill's condition improve somewhat over the next several years, however, his tuberculosis gradually developed into
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championships. He also regained enough strength to return to the field for brief periods as a player, for nine games in 1938 and for 19 games in 1939.
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While playing for the
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for the major league
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championship on
September 29. DeLancey was behind the plate during the clincher, catching fellow rookie
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in 1930. He spent his first year in the minors playing for the
Shawnee (Oklahoma) Robins in the Class C
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team to the world championship; but, after only one more full big-league season, he was stricken with
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suspended operations or folded entirely, and DeLancey's managerial career ended in 1942.
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The 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m), 185 lb (84 kg) DeLancey was born in
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Beating the Breaks: Major League
Ballplayers Who Overcame Disabilities.
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to share the
Cardinals' regular catching job. He became a favorite of
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393:. Realizing the seriousness of his condition while recuperating in
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The 1934 St. Louis
Cardinals: The World Champion Gas House Gang
248:. The following year, DeLancey was transferred to the Class C
433:, 19 home runs, 85 runs batted in and a .289 batting average.
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September 11, 1932, for the St. Louis
Cardinals
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September 8, 1940, for the St. Louis Cardinals
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In 1937, the Cardinals established a Class D farm team in
178:(November 28, 1911 – November 28, 1946) was an American
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Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Co., 2004
602:, Society of American Baseball Research, Inc., 2014
232:on 192 at-bats. In 1931, he was reassigned to the
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385:The DeLancey-Davis catching platoon returned in
615:Career statistics and player information from
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284:hitter, platooned with the right-handed
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449:. When World War II intervened, many
358:(Davis was a perfect two-for-two as a
966:20th-century deaths from tuberculosis
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185:during the 1930s. As a 22-year-old
16:American baseball player (1911-1946)
523:New York: Simon and Schuster, 1975
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220:. He signed with the Cardinals'
338:The Cardinals' opponents in the
276:In 1934, he made the Cardinals'
250:Springfield (Missouri) Cardinals
378:. DeLancey also drove in four
350:, featured an all-right-handed
268:and batting .285 in 123 games.
996:Tuberculosis deaths in Arizona
971:Major League Baseball catchers
260:baptism by appearing in eight
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991:Springfield Cardinals players
946:Albuquerque Cardinals players
498:St. Francis Catholic Cemetery
366:, but four of them were for
238:Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League
234:Danville (Illinois) Veterans
986:St. Louis Cardinals players
976:Pocatello Cardinals players
951:Asheville Tourists managers
548:1935 Bill DeLancey game log
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407:Albuquerque, New Mexico
167:(1932, 1934–1935, 1940)
981:Shawnee Robins players
521:Nice Guys Finish Last.
462:Baseball Hall of Fame
180:professional baseball
415:Arizona–Texas League
246:American Association
668:St. Louis Cardinals
598:Faber, Charles F.,
533:1934-9-29 box score
486:Westville, Illinois
457:Major League legacy
303:, 13 home runs, 41
272:Major League career
256:, and received his
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212:Minor League career
198:St. Louis Cardinals
165:St. Louis Cardinals
108:Last MLB appearance
617:Baseball Reference
437:Return to managing
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673:1934 World Series
589:Biography project
519:, with Linn, Ed,
352:starting rotation
340:1934 World Series
323:race to take the
313:plate appearances
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53:November 28, 1911
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319:in a September
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760:Dazzy Vance
736:Joe Medwick
368:extra bases
282:left-handed
222:farm system
930:Categories
853:Jim Mooney
829:Daffy Dean
808:Dizzy Dean
744:Spud Davis
552:Retrosheet
537:retrosheet
504:References
464:executive
286:Spud Davis
280:and, as a
49:1911-11-28
676:champions
346:champion
329:Paul Dean
266:home runs
200:' fabled
134:Home runs
98:MLB debut
494:pleurisy
882:Coaches
867:Manager
500:there.
490:Phoenix
431:triples
411:manager
395:Arizona
364:at bats
321:pennant
307:and an
301:doubles
244:of the
190:catcher
83:Batted:
36:Catcher
812:NL MVP
356:inning
342:, the
278:roster
187:rookie
183:player
89:Threw:
75:, U.S.
58:, U.S.
550:from
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262:games
157:Teams
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64:Died:
44:Born:
427:1940
387:1935
380:runs
297:hits
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194:1934
128:.289
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