Frenchy Bordagaray facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Frenchy Bordagaray |
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Bordagaray in 1936
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| Outfielder / Third baseman | |||
| Born: January 3, 1910 Coalinga, California, U.S. |
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| Died: April 13, 2000 (aged 90) Ventura, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 17, 1934, for the Chicago White Sox | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 30, 1945, for the Brooklyn Dodgers | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .283 | ||
| Home runs | 14 | ||
| Runs batted in | 270 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Stanley George "Frenchy" Bordagaray (born January 3, 1910 – died April 13, 2000) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1934 to 1945. Frenchy played as an outfielder and third baseman. He was part of teams like the Chicago White Sox, Brooklyn Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, and New York Yankees.
Over his career, he had a .283 batting average. He hit 14 home runs and had 270 runs batted in (RBIs) in 930 major league games. Frenchy was known for his fun personality and unique style. He even appeared in movies and grew a mustache when most baseball players were clean-shaven. He is honored in several Halls of Fame, including the Brooklyn Dodgers Hall of Fame.
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Early Life and School Sports
Frenchy Bordagaray was born in Coalinga, California, on January 3, 1910. His parents, Dominique and Louise Bordagaray, were among the first people to settle in the San Joaquin Valley. Frenchy was the middle child of seven children in his family.
His family had roots in Basque and French cultures. His mother gave him the nickname "Frenchy." Even though his father wanted him to be a violinist, Frenchy loved sports. He was a talented athlete at Fresno State College. There, he earned special recognition in baseball, football, and track and field.
Starting His Baseball Journey
Minor League Years (1931–1933)
Frenchy Bordagaray began his professional baseball career in the minor leagues. He joined the Sacramento Senators in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) in 1931. At first, he had a three-week tryout without pay. This allowed him to keep his amateur status for college sports.
After the tryout, the Senators offered him his first professional contract. Since he was only 20, his father had to give permission. His father first said no, but changed his mind after visiting Frenchy. In 1931, Frenchy led the PCL with an amazing .373 batting average. He continued to play well, batting .322 in 1932 and .351 in 1933.
Frenchy was known for his playful antics even in the minor leagues. Once, he raced a horse in a 100-yard dash and almost won! Another time, he left the field during a game to use the restroom. While he was gone, the pitcher threw the ball, and the batter hit it to right field where Frenchy should have been. It resulted in a double. His manager didn't get mad, just told the pitcher to check his fielders next time.
Playing in the Major Leagues
Chicago White Sox and Brooklyn Dodgers (1934–1936)
The Chicago White Sox bought Frenchy's contract in 1934. He played 29 games for them, batting .322. However, he was sent back to Sacramento later that year. After the 1934 season, the Senators traded Frenchy to the Brooklyn Dodgers.
In 1935, Frenchy hit .282 for the Dodgers. He also stole 18 bases, which was third-best in the National League.
The Famous Mustache
In 1936, Frenchy showed up to spring training with a mustache. He had grown it for a small role in a movie. This was a big deal because baseball players were expected to be clean-shaven back then. No one had seen a mustache in MLB since 1914!
Newspaper writers loved the story and encouraged him to grow it even more. The Brooklyn Eagle newspaper even held a contest to decide what kind of beard Frenchy should grow. After a few months, the Dodgers manager, Casey Stengel, told him to shave it off. Stengel joked, "If anyone's going to be a clown on this club, it's going to be me." Mustaches didn't become common in MLB again until the 1970s.
Frenchy had a great season in 1936, batting .315 for the Dodgers. He also stole 12 bases. He was known for his funny sayings. Once, after the Dodgers won 4-3, he said, "I accounted for all seven runs. I knocked in four myself and played a Terry Moore hit into a three-run homer."
St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds (1937–1939)
After the 1936 season, Frenchy was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. In 1937, he batted .293 and stole 11 bases. In 1938, he was mostly a bench player for the Cardinals. While with the Cardinals, Frenchy played the washboard in a band called the "Mudcat Band."
After the 1938 season, Frenchy was traded to the Cincinnati Reds. In 1939, his batting average dropped to .197. He appeared in the 1939 World Series as a pinch runner but did not play in the field.
New York Yankees and Return to Dodgers (1940–1945)
Frenchy was traded to the New York Yankees after the 1939 season. He spent 1940 in the minor leagues. In 1941, the Yankees called him up to the major leagues. He batted .260 in 36 games. He also appeared in one game of the 1941 World Series as a pinch runner, helping the Yankees win the championship.
Before the 1942 season, the Dodgers bought Frenchy back from the Yankees. He played for the Dodgers until 1945. In 1943, he batted .302. In 1944, he became the Dodgers' main third baseman and leadoff hitter. He played over 100 games that year, batting .281. In his final season in 1945, he batted .256.
After His Playing Days
Minor League Player-Manager (1946–1948)
The Dodgers released Frenchy before the 1946 season. He returned to the minor leagues as a player–manager for the Trois-Rivières Royals. He was named both the league's Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Manager of the Year. In 1947, he was a player-manager for the Greenville Spinners. He tried to return to MLB with the Dodgers in 1948 but retired before the season began.
Life After Baseball
After his baseball career, Frenchy Bordagaray owned restaurants and clubs. He also worked in land development, selling cemetery plots. In 1961, he moved to Ventura, California. There, he became a supervisor for youth sports and recreation programs.
Frenchy was inducted into the Fresno County and Ventura County Sports Halls of Fame. He is also in the Brooklyn Dodgers Hall of Fame. He was very proud of his fame and kept newspaper clippings in a scrapbook that weighed 15 pounds!
Frenchy Bordagaray passed away in Ventura at the age of 90. He was survived by his wife, Victoria, two sons, two daughters, seven grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. He is buried in Pleasant Valley Cemetery in Coalinga.
Images for kids
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Bordagaray in 1936
