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AFL Hall Of Fame:
Virgil Trucks Collection |
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During the 1937 baseball season, word of a fireballing young sensation reached the
ears of Detroit Tigers’ scout, Eddie Goosetree. When the 1938 season began, Goosetree made the trek to Andalusia, Alabama to evaluate the young pitching sensation, Virgil Trucks. Trucks had started his baseball career in Birmingham in 1935 playing for the semi-pro team ACI as a utility outfielder. In 1936, Trucks played outfield for the Hightower Box Company team in the Birmingham City League. In 1937, Trucks’ throwing ability landed him a pitching job with Shawmut in the Valley League of north-central Alabama. Andalusia got hold of Virgil late in 1937 and used him late in the season and in the playoffs. In 1938, the 19 year old with amazing stuff blossomed. He pitched the opener on April 21st, and struck out 20 Evergreen batters. Goosetree signed Virgil on the spot, saying that only Bob Feller was faster. Virgil would continue to play in Andalusia for the season, with Goosetree monitoring his progress with the help of manager, Yam Yaryan. Trucks’ 20-strikeout start was just the tip of the iceberg. On May 30th, Virgil mowed down 22 Panama City Pelicans, marking the fifth time in the young season that he struck out more than 16 batters in a game. By June 14th, Trucks had struck out 170 batters in 106 innings, giving up only 50 hits, and a paltry 17 earned runs. He had won 10 games while losing 2, and easily could have been 12-0. The Andalusia management realised what a gate draw they had with Trucks and they began to pitch him only at home. There was no use in letting some other town get reap the rewards of a Trucks outing! As the season progressed, Trucks continued to dominate the opponents. By August 16th, with a week left in the season, Virgil had 398 strikeouts, 13 short of the all-time record set by Hoss Radbourne 54 years earlier (when the mound-to-plate distance was 50 feet). Trucks had two starts left with which to get the 13 K’s, but only needed one. On August 20th, he struck out 15 Troy Trojans to break the record. Virgil had one more start in which he added 7 more K’s giving him a grand total of 420 strikeouts in 263 innings. Trucks was obviously too good for the AFL, and in 1939 he moved up to Beaumont in the Texas League, eventually making a name for himself with the Detroit Tigers. Virgil was sold for $2000 dollars. although records state that the amount was $10,000, Andalusia baseball expert Marvin Walker says the amount was actually $2000, which paid for the lighting system in Andalusia’s stadium. |
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Marvin Walker (left) and Virgil at a cermony honoring Trucks in Andalusia
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