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Old Double XX Was Once Daisies Boss



By Don Graham - Originally published in the NEIBA Line Drives December 2006 Newsletter


Of all the famous baseball players who managed teams in the All American Girls Professional Baseball League, not one can equal oor surpass in stature Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx who managed the Fort Wayne Daisies in 1952. Such famous major league players as Bill Wambsganss, Dave Bancroft, John Rawlings, Max Carey, Marty McManus and others have served as managers in the twelve year history of the league. But old Double XX topped them all. 


Major League record books are filled with his records and accomplishments. He in fact was rated as Babe Ruth’s closest rival during his heyday with the Philadelphia Athletics and Boston Red Sox. 


Over a span of 19 years, Foxx banged out a total of 534 home runs, 58 of which he belted in 1932, falling only two short of the record 60 hit by the Babe in 1927. In addition to his slugging records, Old Double XX was also among the leading hitters in the American League throughout his 19 year career. He won the league batting crown in 1933 with the Athletics and again in 1938 with the Red Sox. As a result, his hitting and slugging feats overshadowed his defensive skills. Strangely enough, Foxx broke into the majors as a second baseman but manager Connie Mack immediately made a catcher out of him. But that move was short-lived with the arrival of future Hall of Famer Mickey Cochrane. After being shifted around to virtually every position, Foxx finally settled in at first base. As for the position where he broke in, second base, it is the only position he never played in the major leagues. 



Jimmie Foxx Profile from Fort Wayne Daisies Game Program
Jimmie Foxx Profile from Fort Wayne Daisies Game Program

Foxx finished his 19 year career with 534 home runs; 1921 RBIs; a .609 slugging percentage; and a career .325 batting average. He was a three time MVP award winner (1932, 1933, and 1938). And in 1951, he received the greatest single honor of all, an induction into major league baseball’s Hall of Fame. 


Although Double XX managed the Daisies for only one year (1952), he left an indelible mark that has endured the test of time. Not only was he much beloved by the players (and that feeling was mutual), he led the team to the 1952 AAGPBL regular season league championship with a 67-42 win-loss record.


James Emory Foxx; Major League Baseball Hall of Famer and Fort Wayne Daisies Manager. Yet another extraordinary chapter in the Summit City’s rich baseball history.  


 

With roots back to the 1940's, the Northeast Indiana Baseball Association (NEIBA) works to celebrate baseball in Fort Wayne. The organization hosts an annual Hall of Fame and Awards Banquet and publishes a quarterly publication, Line Drives. Learn more about the Northeast Indiana Baseball Association on their website.






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