1934-1936 Diamond Stars: #42 Jimmy Dykes MG

Sunday, May 15, 2022

#42 Jimmy Dykes MG - Chicago White Sox

James Joseph Dykes

Chicago White Sox

Third Base-Manager

Bats: Right Throws: Right Height: 5'9" Weight: 185

Born: November 10, 1896, Philadelphia, PA

Major League Teams: Philadelphia Athletics 1918-1932; Chicago White Sox 1933-1939

World Series Appearances: Philadelphia Athletics 1929-1931

As a Manager: Chicago White Sox 1934-1946; Philadelphia Athletics 1951-1953; Baltimore Orioles 1954; Cincinnati Redlegs 1958; Detroit Tigers 1959-1960; Cleveland Indians 1960-1961

Died: June 15, 1976, Philadelphia, PA (79)

Jimmy Dykes played 22 seasons in the majors and was a key contributor to the Athletics' dynasty of the late 1920s/early 1930s that won World Series titles in 1929 and 1930. Dykes played all three middle infield positions and batted over .300 in seven different seasons. He enjoyed a career year in 1929 for Connie Mack's (#142) club, batting .327 with 13 home runs and 79 RBIs, as part of a potent line-up that also boasted catcher Mickey Cochrane (#9) and first baseman Jimmie Foxx (#64). Dykes batted .421 (8 for 19) in the 1929 World Series as the Athletics defeated the Cubs in five games. Dealt to the White Sox following the 1932 season, Dykes was named to the first two American League All-Star teams, starting at third base in the first Mid-Summer Classic in his home ballpark of Comiskey Field. He went 2 for 3 in the game.

Dykes assumed player-manager duties for the White Sox in 1934, and he'd play his last games as a player in 1939. For his playing career, Dykes was a .280 batter with 2,256 hits and at the time of his retirement he ranked eighth all-time in American League games played (2,282) and ninth in at-bats (8,046). He still holds the Athletics franchise record for career doubles with 365, and his 115 times hit by pitch rank second in American League history. Dykes would manage for parts of 21 seasons, compiling a lifetime record of 1,406-1,541. His teams never reached the postseason, often finishing in the second division.

April 30, 2022 - Ocean City Music Pier
Building the Set

May 3, 2022 from Wenonah, NJ (Gar Miller Cards) - Card #51

Growing up in South Jersey, I'd look forward to the Ocean City Baseball Card show every summer, saving my precious birthday or gas mowing money so that I could spend it all during one glorious afternoon inside the Ocean City Music Pier among dozens of tables of vintage baseball cards. When my wife Jenna texted me that there was a baseball card show coming up in Ocean City on April 30th, I admittedly got giddy. We needed 11 cards to complete our 1965 Topps set, I had plans to begin collecting a 1969 Topps set, and I figured I'd add a Diamond Stars card or two to that growing set. We loaded the family in the car, trekked down to Ocean City, and I stepped inside the Music Pier for the first time in over 20 years.

The memories came flooding back, but none of the former baseball card dealers from my youth did. There were maybe 15 tables scattered on the lower portion of the Music Pier floor and I immediately scanned mostly shiny slabbed cards, bobble heads, signed jerseys, and nary a vintage baseball card in sight. It was a little depressing. Determined to come away with something, anything for my collection, I scoured a "3 for $20" box and came away with a few cards for Doug's collection, namely Alec Bohm relic cards, and six cards from sets I'm not even collecting yet.

All of this is meant as a prelude to how this Dykes card ended up in my collection. My budgeted show money burning a hole in my pocket, I navigated over to Gar Miller Cards' online store when we got home and held my own virtual baseball card show. I added four cards to our Diamond Cards set, crossed off three more cards for our 1965 Topps set and threw in a few cool cards to add to the 1969 Topps pile I've started.

Variations Available

1 - 1935 / green back / 1934 statistics / 1935 copyright

The Card / White Sox Team Set

The back of this card describes how to properly execute a run-down, by forcing the runner back to the base from which he came, and limiting run-down throws to just two. I'm surprised there's no mention of Dykes now managing the White Sox, as he had taken over for the departed Lew Fonseca (#7) just 15 games into the 1934 season.

1935 Season

While also serving as the manager of the White Sox, Dykes was the club's regular third baseman, appearing in 117 games. He batted .288 with four home runs and 61 RBIs for a team that finished in fifth place in the American League with a 74-78-1 record. Shortstop Luke Appling (#95) was the star of the team, leading the White Sox in hitting (.307) and driving in 71 runs.

Phillies Connection

Following his retirement as a manager, Dykes hosted a postgame Phillies radio show from his native Philadelphia.