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4 unusual facts about Joe Cronin


Bill Valentine

On September 16, 1968, Valentine received a call from American League president Joe Cronin, informing Valentine that he and fellow umpire Al Salerno were being fired, effective immediately.

Joe Cronin

Cronin died at the age of 77 on September 7, 1984, in Osterville, Massachusetts, and is buried in St. Francis Xavier Cemetery in nearby Centerville.

In his first off-season, he acquired shortstop Vern Stephens and pitchers Ellis Kinder and Jack Kramer from the St. Louis Browns; all played a major roles in Boston's contending 1948 season, and Kinder and Stephens were centerpieces of the Red Sox' 1949–1950 contenders as well.

The Red Sox remained all white until shortly after Cronin's departure, when they promoted Pumpsie Green from their Triple-A affiliate, the Minneapolis Millers, in July 1959.


Al Salerno

On September 16, 1968, Salerno received a call from American League president Joe Cronin, informing Salerno that he and his crew chief Bill Valentine were being fired, effective immediately.

Meeker, Oklahoma

In six career Series starts, he was 4-2 with 32 strikeouts and a low 1.79 earned run average, and is still remembered for striking out Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Al Simmons, and Joe Cronin in their consecutive at-bats in the 1934 All-Star Game.


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