1953 Ted Kluszewski Reds Baseball AP Wire Photo

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is a TERRIFIC 3 1/2 x 5 inch Baseball Wire Photograph of Ted Big KLU Kleszewski. Offered photo is in great shape with Associated AP Press Stamp on the back and original newspaper caption sheet. It is crystal clear first generation all the way. WIKIPEDIA Theodore Bernard "Big Klu" Kluszewski (born September 10, 1924 — died March 29, 1988), was a Major League first baseman from 1947 to 1961. He batted and threw left-handed.Contents [hide]1 Career 2 Highlights 3 Honors 4 See also 5 Sources [edit]Career Ted Kluszewski, who was born in Argo, Illinois and attended Argo Community High School. He was discovered at Indiana University, w he played football as well as baseball. Due to wartime travel restrictions, the Cincinnati Reds, who normally held spring training in Tampa, Florida, were forced to train at the university from 1943 to 1945. Kluszewski drew the attention of Reds' groundskeeper Matty Schwab. Schwab saw Kluszewski blasting balls over an embankment near the baseball diamond that none of the other Reds players were able to get near. Reds scouts were sufficiently impressed, but Kluszewski, who was also a standout tight end on the Hoosiers' football squad, did not immediately sign, because he didn't want to endanger his collegiate football eligibility. Instead, he signed after he graduated in 1946. After batting .325 and .377 in two minor league seasons, he was called up to Cincinnati and became the Reds' starting first baseman at the end of 1948. Soon after the 6'-2" (1.89 m), 240-pound (108.8 kg) Ted Kluszewski joined the Reds, he cut off the sleeves of his uniform, much to the chagrin of the Reds front office. He did it because the tight sleeves constricted his large biceps and shoulders and interfered with his swing. "They got pretty upset, but it was either that or change my swing — and I wasn't about to change my swing", said Kluszewski. Ted Kluszewski also became notorious for his strength. When Hall of Fame manager Leo Durocher was once asked by a writer to name five of the strongest players in baseball, he complied. However, when the writer pointed out that he'd left Ted Kluszewski off the list, Durocher huffed and said: "Kluszewski? I'm talking about human beings!" The statue of Kluszewski at Great American Ball Park Ted Kluszewski was selected as an All-Star in four seasons, and was a career .298 hitter with 279 home runs and 1028 RBI in 1718 games. In ten of his fifteen seasons, Kluszewski walked (492) more often than he struck out (365). In 1955, he hit 47 homers while striking out only 40 times. No player since him has hit 40 homers and struck out 40 or fewer times in the same season (Barry Bonds missed duplicating this feat by one strikeout in 2004). "Big Klu" enjoyed his most productive years from 1953 through 1956, with home run totals of 40, 49, 47 and 35 while driving in over 100 baserunners in each, including a league-leading 141 RBIs in 1954. He also hit .300 or better eight times. Kluszewski also led National League first basemen in fielding percentage five straight years, a major league record. However, injuries began taking their toll; Kluszewski was limited to playing just four full seasons in his fifteen-year career. He spent his last four seasons switching teams. He was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates before the 1958 season, and in August 1959 he was sent to the Chicago White Sox to give the team added punch. They eventually won the American League pennant and faced the National League champs, the Los Angeles Dodgers, in the World Series. In the first game at Chicago's Comiskey Park, Kluszewski slugged two home runs and drove in five in an 11-0 rout of the Dodgers. However, the Dodgers would win the next four out of five games and take the series with strong pitching that neutralized the White Sox' hitters — except for Kluszewski, who hit .391 with three home runs and ten RBIs, which tied Gil Hodges' mark set in the same series. About that time, Sox owner Bill Veeck introduced uniforms with players' names on the backs, above the numbers. Veeck deliberately spelled Ted's last ... read more

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