Appendix: Scoreboard Numbers vs. Uniform Numbers: The 1931–34 Detroit Tigers and the Letter of the Law

This is the online appendix for Herm Krabbenhoft’s article, “Scoreboard Numbers vs. Uniform Numbers: The 1931–34 Detroit Tigers and the Letter of the Law,” published in the Spring 2025 edition of the SABR Baseball Research Journal.

 

There are many interesting aspects for the ID numbers of the Tigers players for each season during the 1931-1934 period. Here are some additional ones that did not fit in the main article.

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1931 and 1932

The 1931 Detroit Tigers hosted their seven AL rivals in a total of 24 series — each with a unique scorecard, each having a unique set of scoreboard ID numbers. The Tigers were generous hosts, compiling a 61-93 W-L ledger, which gave them a seventh place finish. A total of 34 players were on the Tigers at one time or another (including manager Bucky Harris, who also played in four games). The fifth-place 1932 Detroit Tigers (76-75-2 W-L-T) entertained their guests from the other seven AL cities in 25 series. There were 29 players on that team at one time or another (30 if counting Ken Strong, who didn’t play a game).

Chart 3A presents the 1931 and 1932 scoreboard ID numbers and uniform numbers for the pitchers and catchers; Chart 3B provides the analogous information for the infielders and outfielders (as well as the manager and coaches). Among the interesting items than can be gleaned from examination of the official Detroit Tigers scorecards for eleven 1931 series and twelve 1932 series are the following:

• In 1931, there were three players with unusually high (out-of-sorts) uniform numbers — Johnny Grabowski (35), George Quellich (37), and Art Herring (41). In addition, the two Detroit coaches also had high (out-of-sorts) uniform numbers — Jean Dubuc (43) and (future Hall-of-Famer) Roger Bresnahan (52). It has not yet been ascertained if those unusually high uniform numbers had any special significance to the players. Only Herring continued in the major leagues beyond the 1931 season; he wore uniform number 18 in both 1932 and 1933.
• Of the eleven 1931 pitchers, five had scoreboard ID numbers that were identical to their uniform numbers. For the ten 1932 hurlers, none of their scoreboard ID numbers matched their uniform numbers. A similar lack of corresponding scoreboard ID numbers and uniform numbers was the case for the catchers.
• Most of the infielders and outfielders had multiple scoreboard ID numbers. For example, in 1931, infielders Koenig and Owen and outfielders Doljack and Hub Walker each had at least six different scoreboard ID numbers. In 1932, Billy Rhiel had five different scoreboard ID numbers.
• In 1931, there were four pairs of players who each wore the same uniform number at different times during the season — uniform number 5: Marty McManus (107 games, April 14 through August 25) and Gene Desautels (3 games, September 23-27); uniform number 6: Frank Doljack (60 games, April 14 through July 25) and Orlin Collier (2 games, September 11-23); uniform number 8: Wally Schang (30 games, April 14 through June 22) and Muddy Ruel (14 games, September 14-26); uniform number 29: Marv Owen (107 games, April 16 through August 16) and Nolen Richardson (38 games, August 20 through September 27). Also in 1931, three players each wore uniform number 7 at one time or another during the season — Bill Akers (29 games, April 14 through June 08), Louis Brower (21 games, June 13 through July 27), and Billy Rogell (48 games, August 08 through September 27).
• Twenty men were on the Tigers in both 1931 and 1932; only two of them had the same uniform number in both seasons — Tommy Bridges (16) and Dale Alexander (4). Alexander (who was batting a lackluster .250 in 23 games as a pinch hitter) was traded to the Red Sox (with whom he batted a lustrous .372 in 101 games as a full-time first baseman) and won the AL batting crown.
• Considering the uniform numbers ultimately retired by the Tigers — 1 (in honor of Lou Whitaker, 2022), 2 (Charlie Gehringer, 1983), 3 (Alan Trammell, 2018), 5 (Hank Greenberg, 1983), 6 (Al Kaline, 1980), 11 (Sparky Anderson, 2011), 16 (Hal Newhouser, 1997), 23 (Willie Horton, 2000), 47 (Jack Morris, 2018) — the following 1931 Tigers were the first ones to wear them — Hub Walker (1), Gee Walker (2), Charlie Gehringer (3), Marty McManus (5), Frank Doljack (6), Earl Whitehill (11), Tommy Bridges (16). The first Tigers player to have uniform number 23 was Ray Hayworth in 1932. No players on the 1931-32 Tigers wore uniform number 47. The first Tigers player to have uniform number 47 was Duke Maas in 1955.

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Chart 3A. Scoreboard ID and Uniform Numbers for 1931-1932 Pitchers and Catchers.

1931		Pitchers and Catchers	1932
Scoreboard ID #s	Uniform #	Pitcher	Uniform #	Scoreboard ID #
16	16	Tommy Bridges	16	17
17	21	Guy Cantrell	—————	—————
22	6	Orlin Collier	—————	—————
—————	—————	Izzy Goldstein	21	22
17, 18	41	Art Herring	18	16
14, 22	18	Chief Hogsett	17	15
14	14	Waite Hoyt	—————	—————
—————	—————	Buck Marrow	29	16, 23
—————	—————	Rip Sewell	22	16, 23
12	12	Vic Sorrell	11	14
18, 23, 31	19	Charlie Sullivan	—————	—————
15	15	George Uhle	14	12
11	11	George Whitehill	15	11
22, 23	17	Whit Wyatt	12	18
Scoreboard ID #s	Uniform #	Catcher	Uniform #	Scoreboard ID #
49, 51	5	Gene Desautels	25	49, 51
9, 49	35	Johnny Grabowski	—————	—————
8, 9, 49, 51	9	Ray Hayworth	23	9
49	8	Muddy Ruel	9	8
8	8	Wally Schang	—————	—————————-
—————	—————	George Susce	24	49

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Chart 3B. Scoreboard ID and Uniform Numbers for 1931-1932 Infielders and Outfielders.

1931		Infielders and Outfielders	1932
Scoreboard ID #s	Uniform #	Infielder	Uniform #	Scoreboard ID #
6, 7, 61	7	Bill Akers (ss)	—————	—————
4	4	Dale Alexander (1b)	4	122
7, 71, 122	7	Louis Brower (ss)	—————	—————
—————	—————	Harry Davis (1b)	26	1, 2
2, 3, 71	3	Charlie Gehringer (2b)	2	2, 4
2, 3, 6, 7, 61, 122	27	Mark Koenig (2b)	19	149
3, 5, 6, 7, 71	5	Marty McManus (3b)	—————	—————
2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 61	29	Marv Owen (ut)	—————	—————
—————	—————	Billy Rhiel (ut)	5	5, 6, 7, 61, 112
7, 71	29	Nolen Richardson (3b)	8	2, 61, 71, 112
6	7	Billy Rogell (ss)	6	5, 6, 7, 61
—————	—————	Heinie Schuble (3b)	33	7, 61
Scoreboard ID #s	Uniform #	Outfielder	Uniform #	Scoreboard ID #
2, 6, 7, 122, 149, 161	6	Frank Doljack	21	122
1, 2, 4	22	Roy Johnson	1	1, 6
—————	—————	Bill Lawrence	7	6, 71
5, 149	37	George Quellich	—————	—————
3, 4, 5, 6	24	John Stone	3	3
5, 149, 171	2	Gee Walker	27	5, 6, 7, 151
1, 2, 61, 71, 122, 161	1	Hub Walker	—————	—————
—————	—————	Jo-Jo White	28	4, 5, 122, 151
Scoreboard ID #s	Uniform #	Manager and Coaches	Uniform #	Scoreboard ID #
112	34	Bucky Harris (Mgr.)	32	—————
—————	52	Roger Bresnahan (Ch.)	—————	—————
—————	43	Jean Dubuc (Ch.)	—————	—————
—————	—————	Bob Coleman (Ch.)	24	—————
—————	—————	Jewel Ens (Ch.)	31	—————

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1933 and 1934 

In 1933 (during which the Tigers ended up in fifth place, 75-79-1), there were 31 players who donned the Detroit D. In 1934 (when the Tigers finished in first place, 101-53), there were 29 men (including player-manager Mickey Cochrane and coach Cy Perkins) who participated in at least one game. There were also three men who were on the team for at least a few days, but didn’t play in any games — Orlin Collier, George Susce, and Birdie Tebbetts; they’re classified as “Phantom Tigers.”

Chart 4A presents the scoreboard ID numbers and uniform numbers for the pitchers and catchers for the 1933 and 1934 seasons; Chart 4B provides the relevant information for the infielders and outfielders (as well as the manager and coaches). Some the interesting facts that emerge from inspecting the official Detroit Tigers scorecards for nine 1933 series (out of the possible 24 scorecards) and sixteen 1934 series (26 possible scorecards) are the following:

• The players with the most scoreboard ID numbers were Pete Fox with at least five in 1933 — 1, 2, 5, 6, and 112 — and Jo-Jo White with at least seven in 1934 — 1, 2, 6, 7, 71, 122, and 149.
• The scoreboard ID number utilized for the most players in 1933 was 6: at least six players had scoreboard ID number 6 — Hank Greenberg, Frank Doljack, Harry Davis, Gee Walker, Fox, and Marv Owen. For 1934, the scoreboard ID number assigned to the most players was 6, with at least half a dozen players: Greenberg, Owen, Billy Rogell, Doljack, Fox, and White.
• Uniform number 19 ID’d at least five different players in 1934. Firpo Marberry, who had #19 for the entire 1933 season, switched to #11 for the 1934 campaign, which saw the following players wear uniform number 19 (in chronological order) — Steve Larkin, George “Icehouse” Wilson, Susce, Red Phillips, and Rudy York. It’s possible that Tebbetts might have had uniform number 19 between the stints of Wilson (May 27-31) and Susce (June 29 through July 04). Tebbetts joined the Tigers in New York on June 16 after graduating with a degree in philosophy from Providence College. He was with the team for about ten days on their eastern road trip before being released to the New Bedford Whalers in the Northeastern League.
• Unlike the numerous changes in uniform numbers which accompanied the progression of the 1931 season to the 1932 season, there was only one 1932 player who had a different uniform number in 1933 — Frank Doljack (21—> 9).
• Eighteen men played for Detroit in both 1933 and 1934; only three of them had the same uniform number in both seasons — Chief Hogsett (17), Ray Hayworth (23), and Charlie Gehringer (2). The fifteen players with different uniform numbers in 1933 and 1934 were Elden Auker (14 and 13), Bridges (16 and 10), Carl Fischer (22 and 15), Vic Frazier (12 and 16), Marberry (19 and 11), Schoolboy Rowe (24 and 14), Vic Sorrell (11 and 18), Greenberg (7 and 5), Owen (15 and 8), Rogell (6 and 7), Heinie Schuble (33 and 22), Doljack (9 and 26), Fox (1 and 12), Walker (27 and 6), and White (28 and 25).
• As had been the case in the 1930-1932 seasons, the pitchers and catchers for the 1933 campaign generally had the same scoreboard number throughout the season. For 1934, while there was some variability in the early part of the season, by the end of May the hurlers had the same scoreboard numbers for the balance of the campaign. For example Rowe had the following scoreboard ID numbers — 23 (April 24); 31 (April 28); 24 (May 22); 16 (from June 05 forward).

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Chart 4A. Scoreboard ID and Uniform Numbers for 1933-1934 Pitchers and Catchers.

1933		Pitchers and Catchers	1934
Scoreboard ID #s	Uniform #	Pitcher	Uniform #	Scoreboard ID # [WS]
15	14	Elden Auker	13	14 [14]
11	16	Tommy Bridges	10	11 [12]
—————	———————	Orlin Collier	28	61, 23
—————	———————	General Crowder	16	51, 17 [15]
12	22	Carl Fischer	15	12, 16, 15 [17]
14	12	Vic Frazier	16	15, 12, 17
14	21	Izzy Goldstein	——————	—————
?	?	Luke Hamlin	20	16, 18, 31 [23]
15	18	Art Herring	——————	—————
16	17	Chief Hogsett	17	17, 22 [18]
—————	———————	Steve Larkin	19	18, 19
?	?	Roxie Lawson	——————	—————
17	19	Firpo Marberry	11	22, 17, 12 [16]
—————	———————	Red Phillips	19	18
18, 22	24	Schoolboy Rowe	14	23, 31, 24, 16 [11]
22, 23	11	Vic Sorrell	18	31, 61, 23 [22]
34	14	George Uhle	——————	—————
14, 51	12	Whit Wyatt	——————	—————
Scoreboard ID #s	Uniform #	Catcher	Uniform #	Scoreboard ID # [WS]
—————	———————	Mickey Cochrane	3	8 [8]
9, 49	25	Gene Desautels	——————	—————
8	23	Ray Hayworth	23	9 [9]
49	5	Johnny Pasek	——————	—————
9	9	Frank Reiber	——————	—————————-
—————	———————	George Susce	19	49
—————	———————	Birdie Tebbetts	?	—————
—————	———————	Rudy York	19	49 [49]

NOTE: The scoreboard ID # for those players on the 1934 World Series roster are shown in brackets.

• For the 1934 World Series, the Detroit Baseball Club changed the regular-season scoreboard ID numbers for all of the pitchers (except Auker): Bridges [11—>12], Crowder [17—>15], Fischer [15—>17], Hamlin [31—>23], Hogsett [22—>18], Marberry [12—>16], Rowe [16—>11], and Sorrell [23—>22].

• Finally, it is mentioned that there are three 1933-34 Tigers players for whom their uniform numbers (and scoreboard numbers) have not yet been documented with scorecards — Luke Hamlin and Roxie Lawson in 1933 and Tebbetts in 1934.

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Chart 4B. Scoreboard ID and Uniform Numbers for 1933-1934 Infielders and Outfielders.

1933		Infielders and Outfielders	1934
Scoreboard ID #s	Uniform #	Infielder	Uniform #	Scoreboard ID # [WS]
—————	—————	Flea Clifton (3b)	24	112, 122 [112]
1, 6, 61	26	Harry Davis (1b)	——————	—————
2, 3, 4	2	Charlie Gehringer (2b)	2	2, 3, 4 [2]
5, 6, 7, 61	7	Hank Greenberg (1b)	5	3, 5, 6 [3]
2, 6, 7	15	Marv Owen (3b)	8	4, 6, 7 [6]
1, 7	6	Billy Rogell (ss)	7	1, 4, 5, 6 [5]
112, 122	33	Heinie Schuble (3b)	22	149, 71 [71]
Scoreboard ID #s	Uniform #	Outfielder	Uniform #	Scoreboard ID # [WS]
6	9	Frank Doljack	26	1, 6, 61, 112 [61]
1, 2, 5, 6, 112	1	Pete Fox	12	1, 6, 7, 61, 122 [7]
—————	—————	Goose Goslin	4	2, 3, 4, 5 [4]
71	4	Billy Rhiel	——————	—————
3, 4, 5, 71	3	John Stone	——————	—————
4, 5, 71	27	Gee Walker	6	3, 4, 7, 122 [122]
122	4	Earl Webb	——————	—————
2, 112, 122, 149	28	Jo-Jo White	25	1, 2, 6, 7, 71, 122, 149 [1]
—————	—————	Icehouse Wilson	19	—————
Scoreboard ID #s	Uniform #	Manager and Coaches	Uniform #	Scoreboard ID #
—————	—————	Mickey Cochrane (Mgr.)	3	8
—————	32	Bucky Harris (Mgr.)	——————	—————
—————	31	Del Baker (Ch.)	32	—————
—————	—————	Cy Perkins (Ch.)	31	?

NOTE: The scoreboard ID # for those players on the 1934 World Series roster are shown in brackets.