Minneapolis Millers - Compiled by Stew Thornley
1952 - American Association, 79-75, 4th place - Standings, statistics, and notes follow game-by-game results
Manager: Frank "Chick" Genovese
*Scheduled for seven innings
Date Opponent Outcome Record Notes
W 6/16 at Milwaukee Brewers W 11-5 1-0 Winning pitcher-Hugh Oser 1-0.  Clint Hartung, Fred Gerken, and Ray Katt homer before 11,190 in Milwaukee.  Ray Dandridge doubles twice.
Th 4/17 at Milwaukee L 5-6 1-1 Losing pitcher-Jack Harshman 0-1.  Harshman, who hit 40 homers for the Millers in 1949 (and 47 home runs for Nashville in the Southern Association in 1951), returns to Minneapolis as a pitcher.
Sa 4/19 at Kansas City Blues W 12-2 2-1 WP-Norm Fox 1-0.
Su 4/20-1 at Kansas City L 1-6 2-2 LP-Oser 1-1.
*Su 4/20-2 at Kansas City W 7-1 3-2 WP-Al Corwin 1-0.  Corwin pitches 4-hitter in Millers debut and homers twice.
Tu 4/22 Kansas City W 4-1 4-2 WP-Andy Tomasic 1-0.
W 4/23 Kansas City W 3-1 5-2 WP-Fox 2-0.
Th 4/24 Milwaukee L 1-4 5-3 LP-Harshman 0-2.
F 4/25 Milwaukee L 6-7 5-4 LP-Adrian Zabala 0-1.
Sa 4/26 St. Paul Saints W 7-2 6-4 WP-Zabala 1-1.
Su 4/27 at St. Paul L 6-7 6-5 LP-Whitey Konikowski 0-1.
M 4/28 at St. Paul L 4-5 6-6 LP-Fox 2-1.
Tu 4/29 St. Paul W 7-4 7-6 WP-Harshman 1-2.
Th 5/1 at Toledo Mud Hens W 11-1 8-6 WP-Corwin 2-0.
F 5/2 at Toledo L 2-3 8-7 LP-Zabala 1-2.  Millers beaten by former Millers.  Babe Barna hits a 2-run homer in the 4th for the Mud Hens and scores winning run in the 9th, coming home on a single by Mike Vukemire.
Sa 5/3 at Columbus Red Birds W 3-0 9-7 WP-Konikowski 1-1.
Su 5/4-1 at Columbus W 9-0 10-7 WP-Fox 3-1.
*Su 5/4-2 at Columbus L 3-4 10-8 LP-Harshman 1-3.
M 5/5 at Louisville Colonels L 0-1 10-9 LP-Corwin 2-1.
Tu 5/6 at Louisville L 2-7 10-10 LP-Dick Libby 0-1.
W 5/7 at Indianapolis Indians W 5-4 11-10 WP-Konikowski 2-1.
Th 5/8 at Indianapolis L 1-5 11-11 LP-Fox 3-2.
Sa 5/10 Columbus W 4-0 12-11 WP-Corwin 3-1.
Su 5/11-1 Columbus, rain
*Su 5/11-2 Columbus, rain
M 5/12 Toledo W 4-3 (11) 13-11 WP-Zabala 2-2.
Tu 5/13 Toledo W 12-6 14-11 WP-Zabala 3-2.
W 5/14 Toledo L 2-4 14-12 LP-Fox 3-3.
Th 5/15 Louisville L 7-8 (11) 14-13 LP-Oser 1-2.
F 5/16 Louisville L 3-9 14-14 LP-Konikowski 2-2.
Sa 5/17 Indianapolis W 7-3 15-14 WP-Tomasic 2-0.
Su 5/18-1 Indianapolis L 3-7 15-15 LP-Roger Bowman 0-1.
*Su 5/18-2 Indianapolis W 10-7 16-15 WP-Oser 2-2.
M 5/19 St. Paul W 8-6 17-15 WP-Zabala 4-2.
Tu 5/20 at Kansas City L 1-5 17-16 LP-Konikowski 2-3.
W 5/21 at Kansas City L 5-6 17-17 LP-Corwin 3-2.
Th 5/22 at Milwaukee, rain Giants send Dick Wakefield to the Millers.
F 5/23 at Milwaukee W 4-2 18-17 WP-Bowman 1-1.
S 5/24 Kansas City L 7-12 18-18 LP-Konikowski 2-4.
Su 5/25-1 Kansas City L 6-7 18-19 LP-Corwin 3-3.
*Su 5/25-2 Kansas City W 3-1 19-19 WP-Fox 4-3.
M 5/26 Milwaukee L 6-10 19-20 LP-Tomasic 2-1.
Tu 5/27 Milwaukee W 3-2 20-20 WP-Bowman 2-1.
W 5/28 Milwaukee L 6-7 20-21 LP-Libby 0-2.
Th 5/29 at St. Paul, rain
F 5/30 a.m. at St. Paul W 4-3 21-21 WP-Oser 3-2.
F 5/30 p.m. St. Paul L 1-2 21-22 LP-Corwin 3-4.
Su 6/1-1 at Louisville L 3-10 21-23 LP-Bowman 2-2.
*Su 6/1-2 at Louisville W 2-1 22-23 WP-Fox 5-3.
M 6/2 at Louisville L 2-3 (10) 22-24 LP-Libby 0-3.
Tu 6/3 at Indianapolis L 5-7 22-25 LP-Corwin 3-5.
W 6/4 at Indianapolis W 10-9 23-25 WP-Jake Schmitt 1-0.  Oser sold to the Saints.
Th 6/5 at Indianapolis L 9-10 23-26 LP-Zabala 4-3.
F 6/6 at Columbus L 6-8 23-27 LP-Harshman 1-4.
Sa 6/7 at Columbus W 4-1 24-27 WP-Libby 1-3.
Su 6/8-1 at Toledo W 8-5 25-27 WP-Corwin 4-5.
*Su 6/8-2 at Toledo L 4-5 25-28 LP-Konikowski 2-5.
M 6/9 at Toledo L 4-5 25-29 LP-Libby 1-4.  Shortstop Daryl Spencer hurt in collision with Toldeo's Babe Barna.  Billy Gardner replaces Spencer at shortstop.  Spencer was hospitalized with contusion of bowels and other internal injuries (first feared he had a ruptured spleen) and expected to be out a week to 10 days.
W 6/11 St. Paul W 6-5 (14) 26-29 WP-Konikowski 3-5.
Th 6/12 at St. Paul L 1-8 26-30 LP-Corwin 4-6.
F 6/13 Indianapolis L 1-13 26-31 LP-Libby 1-5.
Sa 6/14 Indianapolis W 11-3 27-31 WP-Schmitt 2-0.  Hartung has 2 singles, triple, and home run and drives in 6 runs.
Su 6/15-1 Louisville, wet grounds
*Su 6/15-2 Louisville, wet grounds
*M 6/16-1 Louisville W 5-4 (11) 28-31 WP-Zabala 5-3.
M 6/16-2 Louisville W 3-2 (6) 29-31 WP-Fox 6-3.  Game called to allow Louisville to catch its train.
Tu 6/17 Toledo W 5-0 30-31 WP-Libby 2-5.
W 6/18 Toledo L 4-9 30-32 LP-Pete Burnside 0-1.  On Babe Barna Night at Nicollet Park, Barna hits a grand slam.
Th 6/19 Columbus L 3-7 30-33 LP-Schmitt 2-1.
*F 6/20-1 Columbus L 1-3 30-34 LP-Konikowski 3-6.
F 6/20-2 Columbus W 3-2 (12) 31-34 WP-Zabala 6-3.
Sa 6/21 at St. Paul L 1-3 31-35 LP-Fox 6-4.
Su 6/22-1 at Milwaukee L 3-4 (10) 31-36 LP-Zabala 6-4.
*Su 6/22-2 at Milwaukee W 5-4 (8) 32-36 WP-Harry Nicholas 1-0.  Hartung ties game with 2-run homer in 6th, wins game with 2-run homer in 8th.
M 6/23 at Milwaukee W 2-0 33-36 WP-Schmitt 3-1.  American Association moves Toledo Mud Hens to Charleston, West Virginia.
Tu 6/24 at Kansas City L 3-5 33-37 LP-Konikowski 3-7.
W 6/25 at Kansas City L 6-7 33-38 LP-Zabala 6-5.
Th 6/26 at Kansas City L 4-6 33-39 LP-Konikowski 3-8.
F 6/27 Milwaukee L 4-7 33-40 LP-Libby 2-6.
Sa 6/28 Milwaukee L 1-7 33-41 LP-Schmitt 3-2.
Su 6/29-1 Milwaukee L 4-5 33-42 LP-Zabala 6-6.
*Su 6/29-2 Milwaukee L 1-2 33-43 LP-Fox 6-5.  Wakefield decides to retire.  Known as the first "bonus baby" when he signed with Detroit in 1951, Wakefield went home to Ann Arbor, Michigan, finishing his baseball career at the age of 31.
M 6/30 Kansas City W 11-4 34-43 WP-Corwin 5-6.  Millers stop 11-game winning streak of Kansas City's Ed Erautt.
Tu 7/1 Kansas City L 11-16 34-44 LP-Nicholas 1-1.  Blues hit 8 home runs , including 2 by Vic Power.  Bill Skowron homered and drove in 5 runs for Kansas City, who had hit 10 home runs in a game at St. Paul 2 days earlier.
W 7/2 Kansas City, rain
Th 7/3 St. Paul W 11-8 35-44 WP-Libby 3-6.
F 7/4 a.m. St. Paul L 6-14 35-45 LP-Corwin 5-7.
F 7/4 p.m. at St. Paul W 5-2 36-45 WP-Fox 7-5.
In the third inning of the afternoon game, St. Paul had Pat McGlothin on third, Jack Cassini on second, and Sandy Amoros on first with no out when Bob Wilson flied out to Bob Lennon, who threw home too late to get McGlothin.  Catcher Ray Katt threw to second-baseman Ronnie Samford, who tagged out Amoros, who was trying to advance.  Samford then threw to third to try and get Samford, but his throw was wild, allowing Samford to score.  When the ball was retrieved and thrown to Dandridge at third, McGlothin was called out on appeal for leaving the base too early.  Genovese lodged a protest when the umpires ruled that Cassini's run still counted.  In the July 7 Minneapolis Tribune, Halsey Hall wrote that the umpires were uncertain about the meaning of Rule 7.12, which refers to a preceding runner's failure to touch a base and says if a runner is put out on appeal for the third out, no runners following him could score.  The umpires were unsure if the rulemakers meant to include failure to tag up in their definition of failure to touch a base.   On August 7 Halsey Hall wrote that the rule was to be rewritten to avoid confusion over whether missing a base meant the same as not tagging up.
Sa 7/5 at St. Paul L 0-4 36-46 LP-Corwin 5-8.  Millers shut out on 4 hits by Ray Moore.
Su 7/6 St. Paul W 6-5 (10) 37-46 WP-Zabala 7-6.  Millers convert 7 double plays, including 1 in each of the first 6 innings (and tie a league records for 6 double plays in the first 9 innings).  The Millers tie the game in the 9th and win in the 10th when Hartung singles home Marv Blaylock, who had led off the inning with a double, his 4th hit of the game.
Tu 7/8 at Columbus, rain
*W 7/9-1 at Columbus W 6-3 38-46 WP-Libby 4-6.
W 7/9-2 at Columbus L 5-6 38-47 LP-Fox 7-6.
Th 7/10 at Charleston Senators L 3-10 38-48 LP-Corwin 5-9.
F 7/11 at Charleston W 5-2 (10) 39-48 WP-Zabala 8-6.
Sa 7/12 at Indianapolis L 1-6 39-49 LP-Corwin 5-10.
Su 7/13-1 at Indianapolis W 6-3 40-49 WP-Zabala 9-6.
*Su 7/13-2 at Indianapolis W 6-5 41-49 WP-Libby 5-6.
M 7/14 at Louisville, rain
*Tu 7/15-1 at Louisville W 2-0 42-49 WP-Schmitt 4-2.
Tu 7/15-2 at Louisville W 3-2 (10) 43-49 WP-Zabala 10-6.
W 7/16 at Milwaukee W 12-9 44-49 WP-Corwin 6-10
Th 7/17 at Milwaukee W 8-4 45-49 WP-Libby 6-6.
F 7/18 at St. Paul W 3-1 46-49 WP-Fox 8-6.
Sa 7/19 Charleston, rain
Su 7/20-1 Charleston W 14-2 47-49 WP-Schmitt 5-2.
*Su 7/20-2 Charleston L 5-6 47-50 LP-Zabala 10-7.
M 7/21 Charleston W 12-5 48-50 WP-Libby 7-6.
*Tu 7/22-1 Columbus W 5-4 49-50 WP-Zabala 11-7.
Tu 7/22-2 Columbus L 7-8 49-51 LP-Harshman 1-5.
W 7/23 Columbus W 10-5 50-51 WP-Corwin 7-10.
Th 7/24 Columbus L 11-14 50-52 LP-Tomasic 2-2.
F 7/25 Indianapolis W 6-4 51-52 WP-Libby 8-6.
Sa 7/26 Indianapolis L 5-6 (10) 51-53 LP-Tomasic 2-3.  Herb Score of Indianapolis gets no decision, giving up 2 hits and striking out 10 in 7 innings.
Su 7/27-1 Indianapolis L 6-7 51-54 LP-Schmitt 5-3.  Hartung hits 3 home runs.
*Su 7/27-2 Indianapolis L 3-6 51-55 LP-Corwin 7-11.  Hartung hits 2 more home runs, giving him 25 for the season and 12 in his last 12 games.
M 7/28 Louisville L 5-8 51-56 LP-Nicholas 1-2.  Hartung hits 2 home runs, giving him 14 in the last 13 games and 27 for the season, tying him with Kansas City's Bill Renna for the league lead.  Hartung had come to the Millers in April with instructions to be a pitcher.
*Tu 7/29-1 Louisville L 5-7 51-57 LP-Libby 8-7.
Tu 7/29-2 Louisville W 12-3 52-57 WP-Harshman 2-5.
W 7/30 Louisville W 6-5 (10) 53-57 WP-Zabala 12-7.
Th 7/31 Louisville W 5-2 54-57 WP-Corwin 8-11.
Sa 8/2 at Columbus L 2-3 54-58 LP-Schmitt 5-4.
Su 8/3-1 at Columbus W 8-2 55-58 WP-Harshman 3-5.
*Su 8/3-2 at Columbus W 7-5 56-58 WP-Nicholas 2-2.
M 8/4 at Columbus W 3-2 57-58 WP-Libby 9-7.
Tu 8/5 at Charleston W 7-3 58-58 WP-Tomasic 3-3.
W 8/6 at Charleston W 4-1 59-58 WP-Schmitt 6-4.
Th 8/7 at Charleston W 3-1 60-58 WP-Harshman 4-5.  Giants recall Hartung, who was hitting .334 with 27 home runs and 93 runs batted in.  However, Hartung had fielding problems (misjudging fly balls) and struck out a lot (90 times in 105 games).
F 8/8 at Charleston W 5-4 61-58 WP-Tomasic 4-3.  7th straight win.  Katt wins game with 2-run homer in 9th.
Sa 8/9 at Louisville L 2-4 61-59 LP-Fox 8-7
Su 8/10-1 at Louisville L 4-8 61-60 LP-Zabala 12-8.
*Su 8/10-2 at Louisville L 3-4 61-61 LP-Zabala 12-9.  Spencer's 2-run homer with 2 out in the top of the 9th tied the game 3-3, but Louisville scored in the bottom of the 9th.
M 8/11 at Louisville W 4-3 62-61 WP-Harshman 5-5.
Tu 8/12 at Indianapolis W 4-2 63-61 WP-Libby 10-7.  Millers beat Herb Score, breaking scoreless tie with 4 runs in the top of the 9th.
W 8/13 at Indianapolis L 5-8 63-62 LP-Schmitt 6-5.  Millers, in need of outfielders, lure Bill Barnacle out of retirement.
Th 8/14 at Indianapolis W 3-2 64-62 WP-Mario Picone 1-0.  In the 5th inning with 2 out and Dandridge on first, Daryl Spencer hit a drive to left that umpire Jim O'Connor rules a home run.  However, Indianapolis relayed the ball in and Dandridge, who had slowed down, was tagged before he could reach home plate.  Starting an 18-minute delay, Indianapolis argued that the ball had hit the top of the ivy-covered fence but had not cleared it.  The umpires reversed the decision and ruled Dandridge out.  Millers manager Chick Genovese argued, was ejected, and protested the game.
Sa 8/16 St. Paul L 6-8 (12) 64-63 LP-Tomasic 4-4.
Su 8/17 at St. Paul L 5-8 64-64 LP-Fox 8-8.  Barnacle makes season debut with Millers, as a pinch hitter.
M 8/18 St. Paul W 9-8 65-64 WP-Picone 2-0.  Spencer hits 2 home runs to bring season total to 22.
Tu 8/19 Louisville L 11-13 65-65 LP-Libby 10-8.
W 8/20 Louisville W 2-1 66-65 WP-Harshman 6-5.  Chuck Diering walks to force in the winning run in the last of the 9th.
Th 8/21 Indianapolis W 6-3 67-65 WP-Libby 11-8.
F 8/22 Indianapolis W 5-2 68-65 WP-Picone 3-0.  Spencer hits 2 home runs.
Sa 8/23 Columbus W 4-3 69-65 WP-Schmitt 7-5.
Su 8/24-1 Columbus W 7-6 70-65 WP-Zabala 13-9.  Columbus scores 5 in the 9th to tie the game, but Bill Howerton, who had 2 triples in the game, homers leading off the last of the 9th.
*Su 8/24-2 Columbus W 8-5 71-65 WP-Fox 9-8.
*M 8/25-1 Charleston W 4-0 72-65 WP-Nicholas 3-2.
M 8/25-2 Charleston W 12-3 73-65 WP-Libby 12-8.  Spencer hits 25th home run.
Tu 8/26 Charleston W 7-2 74-65 WP-Picone 4-0.  9th straight win as Dandridge, Blaylock, Katt, Roy Broome, and Picone homer.
Th 8/28 Milwaukee L 3-14 74-66 LP-Harshman 6-6.
F 8/29 Milwaukee, rain
*Sa 8/30-1 Kansas City W 7-1 75-66 WP-Picone 5-0.
Sa 8/30-2 Kansas City L 6-11 75-67 LP-Libby 12-9.
Su 8/31-1 Kansas City W 9-8 76-67 WP-Zabala 14-9.  Zabala knocks in winning run with bases-loaded single with 2 out in the 9th.
*Su 8/31-2 Kansas City L 3-5 76-68 LP-Schmitt 7-6.  Bill Skowron of Kansas City hits his 31st home run of the season, onto the roof of a building in back of the wall in left-center field.
M 9/1 a.m. at St. Paul L 7-8 (13) 76-69 LP-Zabala 14-10. 
M 9/1 p.m. St. Paul W 15-8 77-69 WP-Nicholas 4-2.
Tu 9/2 at St. Paul L 1-4 77-70 LP-Picone 5-1.
*W 9/3-1 at Milwaukee L 1-3 77-71 LP-Schmitt 7-7.
W 9/3-2 at Milwaukee L 0-2 77-72 LP-Harshman 6-7.
Th 9/4 at Milwaukee L 7-11 77-73 LP-Fox 9-9.
F 9/5 at Milwaukee W 12-2 78-73 WP-Libby 13-9.  Millers clinch playoff spot.
Sa 9/6 at  Kansas City W 6-2 79-73 WP-Picone 6-1.
Su 9/7-1 at  Kansas City L 1-2 79-74 LP-Nicholas 4-3.
*Su 9/7-2 at  Kansas City L 0-3 79-75 LP-Fox 9-10.  Kansas City's Ernie Nevel pitches a no-hitter.  Only 2 Minneapolis runners in the 7-inning game reach base on errors.
Playoffs
Tu 9/9 at Kansas City L 2-5 0-1 Erautt beats Libby.
W 9/10 at Kansas City L 2-6 0-2 Jim Russell, with 10 strikeouts, beats Picone.  Skowron triples and hits 430-foot home run.
Th 9/11 at Kansas City W 2-1 1-2 Harshman pitches 1-hitter to beat Art Schallock.  Only hit off Harshman was a 7th-inning single by Renna.
Sa 9/13 Kansas City L 8-9 (10) 1-3 Johnny Gray beats Libby.  Kansas City scored 7 in the 6th inning, capped by Skowron's grand slam, to overcome a 5-1 Minneapolis lead.  Millers get 1 back in the 7th and tie the game on Katt's 2-run homer in the 9th.  Mickey Owen homers in the top of the 10th for the Blues.
Su 9/14 Kansas City L 3-10 1-4 Erautt beats Picone.  Spencer and Katt homre for the Millers.  Bob Cerv (grand slam), Skowron, and Renna homer for the Blues.
W L Manager
Milwaukee 101 53 Charley Grimm-Richard "Red" Smith-Bucky Walters
Kansas City 89 65 George Selkirk
St. Paul 80 74 Clay Bryant
Minneapolis 79 75 Frank "Chick" Genovese
Louisville 77 77 Mike "Pinky" Higgins
Indianapolis 75 79 Gene DeSautels
Columbus 68 85 John Keane
Charleston-Toledo 46 107 Rollie Hemsley
Statistics
Player Games Batting Average Home Runs Runs Batted In Position
Clint Hartung 105 .334 27 93 of
Bill Howerton 67 .307 24 61 of
Roy Broome 142 .305 17 99 of
Ray Katt 123 .304 15 68 c
Dom Dallessandro* 115 .295 7 30 1b-of
Jake Early 63 .295 8 28 c
Bob Lennon 50 .295 8 32 of
Daryl Spencer 142 .294 27 80 ss
Ray Dandridge 145 .291 10 68 3b
Marv Blaylock 133 .283 16 73 1b
Fred Gerkin 50 .274 6 24 1b-of
Ronnie Samford 139 .268 6 35 2b
Chuck Diering 55 .260 4 16 of
Billy Gardner 93 .259 1 15 2b-3b-ss
Dick Wakefield 27 .230 2 8 of
Jack Harshman 77 .222 8 15 1b-p
Ray Berns 28 .178 2 4 of
Bill Barnacle 10 .118 0 1 of
Pitcher G IP W L ERA
Adrian Zabala 69 139 14 10 2.98
Mario Picone 9 73 6 1 3.33
Dick Libby 32 186 13 9 4.06
Hugh Oser* 34 173 11 9 4.21
Norm Fox 31 161 9 10 4.30
Whitey Konikowski 15 90 3 8 4.30
Jake Schmitt 25 119 7 7 4.54
Roger Bowman 6 37 2 2 4.62
Jack Harshman 26 131 6 7 4.67
Al Corwin 26 159 8 11 5.04
Andy Tomasic 35 94 4 4 5.17
Harry Nicholas 18 84 4 3 6.86
Pete Burnside 1 2 0 1 27.00
George Heller 7 8 0 0
*Dallesandro’s statistics include games played with Toledo-Charleston in 1952, and Oser’s statistics include games with St. Paul.