<Archive Obituary> Rogers Hornsby (January 5th 1963)
Bill Schenley
this is *not* a great obit.>
Hornsby, In Death, Acclaimed For Great Hitting
He Is Called Best Right-Hand Batter In History
Rajah Retained Frank, Blunt Attitude Until End
Photo: http://www.onlinesports.com/images/phf-aaei031.jpg
FROM: The New York Times (January 6th 1963) ~
By The Associated Press
CHICAGO, Jan. 6
The frankness and bluntness that characterized the great Rogers
Hornsby in life were there at the end - rather symbolized in a
succinct request of "no flowers, please."
"He didn't like flowers and his desire was that none be sent," said
his step-daughter, Mary Beth Porter. "He wanted any such money to go
to the National Heart Fund instead."
She and her mother, his third wife, were at the bedside of baseball's
famed Rajah when he died yesterday morning in Wesley Memorial Hospital
at the age of 66.
An autopsy revealed that death came from a heart condition known as
myocardial infraction in which the blood supply to heart muscles is
blocked and the muscles die.
The man for whom baseball was the breath of life had undergone a
cataract operation Dec. 10. He had suffered a small stroke Dec. 14.
His condition was reported improving until late Friday night when he
developed a high temperature and lung congestion.
Funeral services will be Tuesday at 3 P.M. (Eastern standard time) at
Drake and Son Funeral Home, 5300 Northwest Ave., Chicago. Burial will
be Thursday from the family home in Bend, Tex., near Austin.
Hornsby, shy and retiring despite his outspoken nature, was elected to
baseball's Hall of Fame in 1942.
At least three other members of the Hall of Fame - Ray Schalk, Ted
Lyons and Gabby Hartnett - will be honorary pallbearers along with Rip
Collins, Lou Boudreau, Johnny Mostil, Frank Parenti and Glen Miller.
The Rajah was hired and fired by five major league clubs.
He was considered by many as the greatest right-handed hitter in
baseball history with a lifetime batting average of .358.
He batted over .400 in successive years, a modern record of .424 in
1924 with the St. Louis Cardinals and .403 in 1925.
Hornsby was a rugged individualist and a man who walked alone. He
shunned social gatherings, music, books, and even the company of other
ballplayers.
One of his most remarkable achievements was winning the National
League's Most Valuable Player award in in 1920 with the Cardinals when
the great second baseman went through the season with a painfully
injured heel. He kept it a secret from everyone except his manager
and trainer.
When it last became known, Hornsby, in a typical candor, said: "There
wasn't any use telling the world about my foot. The ball club needed
me and it was up to me to get around the best way possible."
---
Photos:
http://kingstonuu.org/images/mlk-kkk.jpg
http://www.nndb.com/people/046/000085788/rogers-hornsby-1.jpg
http://images.encarta.msn.com/xrefmedia/sharemed/targets/images/pho/t012/T012040A.jsm
1928 Exhibit (#28) baseball card:
http://www.vintagecardtraders.com/virtual/28exhibit/28exhibit-28.jpg
1933 Goudey (#188) baseball card:
http://www.vintagecardtraders.com/virtual/33goudey/33goudey-188.jpg
Rogers Hornsby in art:
http://www.artofthegame.com/paintings/Hornsby.jpg
http://www.hornsbybend.com/Rogers%20Hornsby/Rogers%20Hornsby%20Detail.jpg