Frisch, Frank

▪ American athlete

byname of  Frank Francis Frisch,  also called  The Fordham Flash 

born Sept. 9, 1898, Queens, New York City

died March 12, 1973, Wilmington, Del., U.S.

      U.S. professional National League baseball player and manager, who played in 50 World Series games and was on four pennant winners with the New York Giants (1919–26) and four with the St. Louis Cardinals (1927–37).

      Frisch played baseball, football, and basketball at Fordham University (New York City) and after graduating went directly to the Giants in 1919. He played the infield, mainly at second base, through the 1926 season and was then traded to the St. Louis Cardinals, where he played at second and third base through the 1937 season and also managed (1933–38). He hit for an average of .300 or more in 13 of his 19 seasons. He was a switch hitter (batting right- and left-handed) and a very good base runner. He threw right-handed. He led the league in stolen bases for three seasons (1921 [49], 1927 [48], 1931 [28]). His career batting average was .316. He later managed the Pittsburgh Pirates (1940–46) and the Chicago Cubs (1949–51). He was a radio sports broadcaster in the 1940s and a radio and television broadcaster in New York City in the 1950s. He was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1947.

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