Russ Meyer

The flamboyant Russ Meyer was a rabid bench jockey who had an explosive temper and relished the title, The Mad Monk. He frequently angered his teammates, opponents, and the umpires, often to his own detriment. He would lose his cool on the mound after a base hit or an infielder’s error. Once, with the Phillies, after being knocked out of a game, he took off his spikes and hurled them into the shower ceiling, where they stuck. Despite his tantrums, he was often effective. He went 17-8 for Philadelphia in 1949. In 1952 he won 13 games and was coveted by the Dodgers, who, in desperate need of another solid starter, purchased him from the Braves in a four-team deal. He helped them to the 1953 pennant with a 15-5 mark and followed with an 11-6 record in 1954. In June of 1955 he broke his shoulder blade in a collision, and he never returned to winning form.