August John "Augie" Galan
^{born: 05-03-1912, died: 12-28-1893}

Augie Galan was born in Burkeley, CA and had an early love for baseball. In fact, at age 11, Augie broke his arm while playing baseball with a group of youngsters and never told his parents of his mishap for fear of being banned from playing his favorite sport. As a result, his shattered elbow was never set properly by a doctor and was shorter than his healthy arm. This did not prevent him from overcoming his deformed arm and becoming a very good baseball player.

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Following the usual west coast path to stardom, Galan started in the Texas League and graduated to the San Francisco Seals of the Pacific Coast League in 1932. In 1933 he was PCL Most Valuable Player, and in 1934 was purchased by the Cubs. He started as utility infielder and played in 66 games batting .260 with 50 hits, 6 doubles, 2 triples and 5 home runs. He was the only switch-hitter on the team except for relief pitcher Bud Tinning.

In 1935, Galan replaced Babe Herman in the outfield and remained in that position for most of the rest of his career. Galan set a record by going to the plate over 700 times and not hitting into a double play all season, (although he did hit into a triple play.) He ended up hitting .314 with 646 official at-bats and 203 hits, including 41 doubles, 11 triples and 12 home runs. He scored 133 runs and had 79 RBI. Augie was an important part of the Cubs winning the National League Pennant that year. The Cubs finished the season with a 21 game winning streak and faced off against the Detroit Tigers in the World Series.

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Augie, batting lead-off, started the game hitting a double aganist Schoolboy Rowe. Billy Herman hit a ground ball that resulted in a throwing error and Augie scored from second. Gabby Hartnett hit a single to right field and Herman crossed the plate for another unearned run. A pop fly and double play ground out ended the inning but the Cubs would need no more. Cubs Pitcher, Lon Warneke pitched a 4 hit shutout to give the Cubs a victory.

Charlie Root, starting pitcher for the Cubs in game two was bothered by the extreme cold Detroit weather and did not last a full inning giving up 4 runs. Roy Henshaw came into the game in the fourth inning with the score 4-0 and proceeded to give up 3 more runs on some wild pitching. Galan went 0 for 4 for the day, but the Cubs did scored three runs. The Tigers won easily 8 to 3.

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The next game took place in the friendly confines of Wrigley Field with greatly improved weather. But the game turned out to be very controversial. The plate umpire, George Moriaty, was an former player of both the Cubs and Tigers. However, while he played in only 5 games total for the Cubs (1903-04) when he was a youngster, he played seven season for Detroit, (1909-15) and managed the Tigers (1927-28.) Throughout the series, the Cubs were hollaring snide remarks to the Tigers, which was not unusual for them. However, when Moriaty made some seemingly bad calls at the plate, the bench turned its bench jocking to the plate umpire. Moriaty had had enough in the sixth inning and ejected manager, Charlie Grimm. The next inning, he ejected three more Cubs' players, including starting short stop Billy Jurges. At that point in the game, the Cubs were leading 3-1. The Tigers score 4 runs off of Bill Lee in the top of the eight inning and took a 5-3 lead. The Cubs score two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning sending the game to extra innings. The Tigers score an unearned run in the 11th inning and the Cubs did not answer and lost the game. Augie Galan played his best going 2 for 4 with a walk and 2 RBI.

The next game turned out to be a pitching duel between Cubs' Tex Carleton and Tigers' Alvin Crowder. Crowder held the Cubs to 1 run on 5 hits including Augie going 0 for 4. Carleton pitched 7 innings allowing 2 runs on 7 hits and Charlie Root held the Tigers scorless for 2 innings but the Cubs lost 2-1. In Game 5, with the Tigers leading 3 games to 1, Lon Warneke took the mound for the Cubs and held the Tigers to only one run. Schoolboy Rowe pitched for Detroit, but the gave up 3 runs on 8 hits. Augie did not get a hit but reached on a error and scored an unearned run.

The Series returned to Detroit for the next game and the Cubs faced the Tigers best pitcher, Tommy Bridges. Larry French pitched for the Cubs and the game turned out to be a thriller. The Tigers scored one run in the bottom of first inning. In the top of the third inning, Billy Jurges singled to center field to begin the inning. After Larry French struck out, Augie singled to move Jurges to third base. Billy Herman followed with another single, scoring Jurges, but Augie, trying to get an extra base, was tagged out at third base. Klein flied out to end the inning scoring one run for the Cubs. The Tigers scored another run in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 2-1 lead. With one out in the top of the fifth inning, Cubs pitcher French singled to righrt field. Augie struck out looking before Billy Herman hit a home run giving the Cubs a 3-2 lead. The Tigers answered in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the game. It remained tied until the bottom of the ninth inning with two outs. With Micky Cochrane on second base, Goose Goslin hit a single to right field scoring Cochrane and giving the World Series title to the Tigers

In 1936, the Cubs finished second behind the Giants and Augie's numbers were not as good, averaging .264. But he was rewarded for his previous season by being selected to the All-Star Game. After the National League lost the first three All-Star Games, they won this one by the score of 4 to 3. Augie contributed by being the first Cub to hit a home run in an All-Star Game, a disputed drive that struck the foul pole at Braves Field just at the fence top. The following season, the Cubs again came in second behind the Giants and Augie numbers continued to decline. He hit for .252 but led the Cubs with 18 home runs. However he made the records books. On June 25, 1937, he performed a feat much anticipated but never seen in the National League. In an 11-2 win over the Dodgers at Wrigley field, Galan homered from the left side against Freddie Fitzsimmons in the fourth inning; and from the right side off Ralph Birkofer in the eighth inning.

Injuries prevented Galan from playing as much in 1938 but his batting average did improve. He played in 110 games and had a .286 batting average. The Cubs won the National League Pennant by two games over the Pirates and played the New York Yankees in the World Series. Galan came to the plate only twice in the series and popped out and struck out. The Yankees won the series in four games.

Healthy again in 1939, Augie played in 148 games and hit for .304 including 167 hits scoring 104 runs. But the Cubs fell to fourth place in the National League. In 1940, Augie broke his knee and the following year he was traded to the Brooklyn Dodgers in August for pitcher Mace Brown. The Dodgers won the National League Pennant and lost to the Yankees in the World Series, 4-1. Augie pinch-hit twice in the series without a hit.

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In 1942, Galan played occasionally while still hampered with injuries. But healthy again in 1943, he played in 139 games and batted .287. He had 142 hits in 495 at-bats and also had 103 bases on balls which gave him an on base percentage of .412. He was selected to the National League All-Stars for the second time. He got into the game in the sixth inning and walked. He flied out in the eight inning. The American League won 5 to 3.

Augie's best year came in 1944. With many of the best ballplayers serving in the arm forces, the remaining stars were able to shine. He hit for .318 in 151 games. He had 174 hits and 101 walks for an on base percentage of .426. The Dodgers fell to next to last place, 42 games behind the Cardinals. Galan was again selected to the All-Star National League team and started in left field and was the lead-off batter. In his first two appearances at the plate he ground out and flied out. He hit a single and scored a run in the fifth inning, and ground out in the sixth inning. His last time at the plate, he walked. The National League won 7-1.

In Augie's last two years with Brooklyn, the team came in third and second place respectively. Wear and tear caught up with Augie and in 1945, he batted only from the left side of the plate. However, he batted .307 with 177 hits and 114 runs, and came in second in the league with 114 walks. In 1946, he played in only 99 games but still managed to hit for .310. In December, at age 35, he was traded to Cincinnati for 37 year old pitcher Ed Heusser.

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In Cincinnati in 1947, he played in 124 games and posted a .314 batting average. The next season, he played in only 54 games and he hit for .286. Cincinnati released him in December 1948 and he was picked up by the NY Giants. He played in 22 games for the Giants before being purchased the by the Philadelphia Athletics in July 1949. He played in 12 games and went 8 for 26 with 9 walks for a .308 batting average. At the end of the season, at age 37 he was released by the Phillies.

In a 16-season career, Galan posted a .287 lifetime batting average with 100 home runs and 830 RBI in 1742 games played. Galan played in three World Series, but his teams never won. He played in three All-Star games, and got into the record book for not hitting into a double play all season in 1935, and being the first switch-hitter to hit home runs from both side of the plate in one game.

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Augie signed with the Oakland Oaks as a free agent in 1950. He played first base and outfield in 1950, hitting .282. In 1951, he batted .307. He also coached under manager Mel Ott. His lifetime Pacific Coast League batting average was .313. He was named manager of the Oaks in 1953, but the team finished seventh and Galan was fired at the end of the season. He went on to coach for the Philadelphia A's in 1954, then retired to manage a string of meat markets he owned in the Bay Area. Galan died in Fairfield, California, at 81 years of age.