Richards: Jimmie Foxx, the great Double-X

From Lawrence Richards at The National Pastime Museum on December 17, 2014:

Jimmie Foxx was right behind Ruth in homers, but in 1932 he probably broke his landmark single-season record of 60; more about that later.

No doubt Double-X is a catchy moniker, but aside from baseball historians and a segment of well-informed fans, how many are knowledgeable about his illustrious career? His legacy is relatively obscure when one reviews his greatness. In some fundamental ways his is a classic American story, the rise from humble beginnings to remarkable achievements to self-inflicted downfall.

Unlike many star athletes who manipulate their persona with the guile of a card shark, Foxx was a prototype “does his job with a profound work ethic” and gives credit to others. He was a man of humility and generosity. Double-X was a Hall of Fame inductee and a Hall of Fame person. And, he was some kind of ferocious slugger.

It seems when Neil Armstrong landed on the moon in 1969 all the NASA scientists couldn’t identify a round, white sphere. HOF pitcher Lefty Gomez cleared up the mystery. He said the object was a home run Foxx hit off him in 1937. Another El Señor quote: “I was pitching one day when my glasses clouded up on me. I took them off to polish. I looked at the plate, I saw Jimmie Foxx. The sight of him terrified me so much that I haven’t been able to wear glasses since.” One more Gomez, “He has muscles in his hair.”

Read the full article here: http://www.thenationalpastimemuseum.com/article/jimmie-foxx-double-x



Originally published: December 18, 2014. Last Updated: December 18, 2014.