William Malcolm Dickey was an American professional baseball catcher and manager.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,115 |
33 Facts About Bill Dickey
2.
Bill Dickey played in Major League Baseball with the New York Yankees for 19 seasons.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,116 |
3.
Bill Dickey managed the Yankees as a player-manager in 1946 in his last season as a player.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,117 |
4.
Bill Dickey retired after the 1946 season, but returned in 1949 as a coach, where he taught Yogi Berra the finer points of catching.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,118 |
6.
Bill Dickey was one of seven children born to John and Laura Dickey.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,120 |
7.
John Bill Dickey had played baseball for a semi-professional team based in Memphis, Tennessee.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,121 |
8.
Bill Dickey's older brother, Gus, was a second baseman and pitcher in the East Arkansas Semipro League, while his younger brother, George, would go on to play in Major League Baseball as a catcher.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,122 |
9.
At Searcy, Bill Dickey played for the school's baseball team as a pitcher and second baseman.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,123 |
10.
Bill Dickey enrolled at Little Rock College, where he played guard for the school's American football team and pitcher for the baseball team.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,124 |
11.
Bill Dickey substituted for a friend on a semi-professional team based in Hot Springs, Arkansas as a catcher, impressing the team's manager with his throwing arm.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,125 |
12.
Lena Blackburne, manager of the Little Rock Travelers, a minor league baseball team, noticed Bill Dickey while scouting an outfielder on the Hot Springs team.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,126 |
13.
Bill Dickey made his professional debut at the age of 18 with the Little Rock Travelers of the Class A Southern Association in 1925.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,127 |
14.
Bill Dickey replaced Benny Bengough as the Yankees' starting catcher, as Bengough experienced a recurrent shoulder injury, and Dickey outperformed Bengough and Johnny Grabowski.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,128 |
15.
Bill Dickey led all catchers with 95 assists and 13 double plays.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,129 |
16.
In 1932, Bill Dickey broke the jaw of Carl Reynolds with one punch in a game after they collided at home plate, and received a 30-day suspension and $1,000 fine as punishment.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,130 |
17.
Bill Dickey held out for an increase from his $14,500 salary in 1936, seeking a $25,000 salary.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,131 |
18.
Bill Dickey ended the holdout by agreeing to a contract worth $17,500.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,132 |
19.
Bill Dickey signed a contract for 1940, receiving a $20,500 salary.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,133 |
20.
Bill Dickey suffered a shoulder injury in 1942, ending his streak of catching at least 100 games in a season.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,134 |
21.
Bill Dickey saw his playing time decrease with the addition of Hemsley.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,135 |
22.
Bill Dickey returned for the 1942 World Series, but was considered to be fading.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,136 |
23.
Bill Dickey hit the series-clinching home run in the 1943 World Series.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,137 |
24.
Bill Dickey was rumored to be a candidate for the managerial position with the Philadelphia Phillies after the 1943 season.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,138 |
25.
Bill Dickey entered the United States Navy on March 15,1944, as he was categorized in Class 1-A, meaning fit for service, by the Selective Service System.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,139 |
26.
Bill Dickey was discharged in January 1946 as a lieutenant senior grade; one of his main tasks had been to organize recreational activities in the Pacific.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,140 |
27.
Bill Dickey returned to the Yankees in 1949 as first base coach and catching instructor to aid Yogi Berra in playing the position.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,141 |
28.
Bill Dickey later instructed Elston Howard on catching, when Berra moved to the outfield.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,142 |
29.
Bill Dickey appeared as himself in the film The Stratton Story in 1949.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,143 |
32.
Bill Dickey was noted for his excellent hitting and his ability to handle pitchers.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,146 |
33.
Bill Dickey was named in 1999 to The Sporting News list of Baseball's Greatest Players, ranking number 57, trailing Johnny Bench, Josh Gibson, Yogi Berra, and Roy Campanella among catchers.
| FactSnippet No. 2,166,147 |