Gus Mancuso

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August Rodney (Gus) Mancuso (December 5, 1905 - October 26, 1984), nicknamed "Blackie", was a catcher in Major League Baseball who played with the St. Louis Cardinals (1928, 1930-32, 1941-42), New York Giants (1933-38, 1942-44), Chicago Cubs (1939), Brooklyn Dodgers (1940) and Philadelphia Phillies (1945). Mancuso batted and threw right handed. His younger brother, Frank, also was a major league catcher in the mid-1940s.

In a 17-season career, Mancuso was a .265 hitter with 53 home runs and 543 RBI in 1460 games.

A native of Galveston, Texas, Mancuso was one of the top major league catchers of the 1930s. After working as a backup for two St. Louis Cardinals pennant winners (1930-31), Mancuso was traded to the New York Giants before the 1933 season. Giants manager Bill Terry credited him as the major factor in moving New York from sixth place in 1932 to the 1933 World Series pennant. A fine defensive receiver, Mancuso handled a pitching staff that included Carl Hubbell, Hal Schumacher and Freddie Fitzsimmons. He placed sixth in balloting for the Most Valuable Player in the National League.

An All-Star in 1935 and 1937, Mancuso enjoyed his most productive season in 1936 when he posted career highs in average (.301), home runs (9), RBI (63), runs (55), hits (156) and doubles (21). He continued as the Giants' regular through the pennant seasons of 1936-37 and later shared brief catching tenures for the Chicago Cubs, Brooklyn Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, and new stints with the Cardinals and Giants. He later served as a coach for the Cincinnati Reds.

Gus Mancuso died in Houston, Texas, at age of 78.

[edit] Related links

• List of athletes on Wheaties boxes
• List of members of the Italian American Sports Hall of Fame

[edit] Sources

• Baseball Library - profile and chronology
• Baseball Reference - career statistics and analysis
• The Deadball Era