Barons of the Ballpark

Rogers Hornsby

The great “Rajah” Rogers Hornsby, a seven-time batting champion and two-time MVP, found himself at a crossroads after the 1932 season. He was let go by the eventual NL pennant-winning Chicago Cubs as player-manager midway through the season. Hornsby then signed with his old team, the St. Louis Cardinals, but only as a player. Upon signing the deal, Hornsby wrote this humble letter to Cardinals GM Branch Rickey declaring “how much I appreciated the chance you have given me to come back in baseball.” Despite the humility, Hornsby could not “give you a definite promise” to stop wagering on horse races. Hornsby hit .325 for the Cardinals in 1933 before he was released to pursue a player-manager role with the crosstown St. Louis Browns.