Buzz Arlett????

[rhettyeakley]

Think about it from Arlett's POV. He was just about the biggest player in the PCL during his career and beloved by the fans, in the National League he was another "good" ballplayer and nothing more. Another thing to keep in mind that the ballclubs "owned" these players and had full control over their careers, look at Lefty Grove's record for Balto from 1920-24--Baltimore had tons of offers for Grove but they weren't willing to sell him. Arlett was the most popular player in Oakland for over a decade, Oakland probably had NO desire to sell him in his prime.

Keep in mind that while the PCL is a "Minor League" according to us today, back then it was the only game in town and these guys didn't really consider themselves Minor Leaguers like we do today.

Were I Arlett, I'd opt to stay where everybody knows your name rather then move East and give it a go (not that it was really up to Arlett at the end of the day).

[oaks1912]

Bob.... Buzz Arlett is not a native of Minnesota. He was born in Elmhurst, California, which was a district of Oakland (Southeast)... Arlett started his PCL career as a pitcher racking up 20 or more wins in three seasons, including a league leading 29 victories in 1920 before switching to an outfielder (brought on by injury) ..... His lifetime batting (PCL) stats include 251 Home runs and 1188 RBI's, both of which represent the number 1 spot in the record books. He played 175 or more games 5 years in the PCL, with 7 consecutive years of 120 or more hits. A PCL Lifetime batting average of .342. Fielding was his weak point, as he led the league (single season) in errors, not only as a pitcher , but also as an outfielder. His game used bats have been seen as "Arlett" , which is correct, and "Artlett" which is not. Four boys from the Arlett family played in the PCL. Buzz played for Minneapolis after leaving the PCL, settled there and opened a bar near the ballpark. He spent his remaining 30 years in Minnesota.

[tbob]

Mark- I stand corrected, thanks. I knew he spent a long time in Minnesota during the last days of his career and after he retired, I thought he was returning home.
Bob

[FrankWakefield]

Arlett played on the west coast, in the sunshine... a regular home and away travel schedule, in front of friends; instead of a more eratic schedule in front of a bunch of yankees. In the majors he wasn't a regular, and played in the cold and crap weather... In the PCL he could get paid for playing about 8 months, only for about 6 in the majors. He may well have made more money in the majors. And we lack the perspective of the times; out west in the 20s they took the PCL about as seriously as the 'major' leagues back east. Today the stratification of the majors and minors is more significant. There are several players in the PCL back then who chose it over the 'majors'.

[nolemmings]

Buzz really hated Yankees and cold, "crap" weather. That's why he continued to play his last six minor league seasons up North, retired in Minnesota, operated a business for thirty years, died and is buried there.

Who's the one who lacks perspective?

[FrankWakefield]

Maybe I lack perspective.

Maybe Arlett loved the north, yankees, and cold weather. Even if he did, there were a bunch of guys in the PCL who didn't, and played there instead of in the majors. I stand by the last 3 sentences. And Minnesota isn't New York or Philadelphia.

[nolemmings]

Rhett already made the point about the PCL being considered essentially as important as the major leagues. Your comments were more of a snide dig at the North, which I chose to disprove by Mr. Arlett's life decisions. And while you claim that you know a bunch of guys preferred not to play with Yankees in crap weather, I would submit that the vast majority of players who decided to stay home in CA chose not to go East rather than North. Put differently, those players were not inclined to play in the land of cotton either.

[steve B]

All good points why someone might only play one year in the majors but be that good in the PCL which was probably close to major league.

Another thing to consider is his personality. An oldtimer spoke to the club I'm in and commented that counting semi pro and industrial leagues that were scouted almost as much as a minor league there were about 175000 people playing organised baseball compared to about 17000 today. He said that guys like Cobb, Ruth, Williams etc could get away with being a bit troublesome. But if a player was merely above average overall - Like a guy who could hit but not field well- And if they had any issues like wanting more money or partying too much or just not getting along with a manager or star, they were gone. Replaced by one of the very many good but not great ball players that wanted the job and were pleasant and hard working.

Not that he had problems, I don't know anything about him. But it's another reason why some guys that look good in the books didn't last.

Steve B


Steve B