Arndt Jorgens

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Arndt Jorgens
Catcher
Born: (1905-05-18)May 18, 1905
Modum, Norway
Died: March 1, 1980(1980-03-01) (aged 74)
Wilmette, Illinois, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 26, 1929, for the New York Yankees
Last MLB appearance
August 2, 1939, for the New York Yankees
MLB statistics
Batting average.238
Home runs4
Runs batted in89
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Arndt Ludwig Jorgens (May 18, 1905 – March 1, 1980) was a Norwegian professional baseball catcher who played in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees from 1929 through 1939. A backup to Bill Dickey throughout his career, Jorgens played sparingly. He was a member of five World Series champions even though he did not play in a single World Series game.

Early life[edit]

Arndt Ludwig Jorgens was born May 18, 1906, in Modum, Buskerud County, Norway. His father moved to the United States shortly after his birth, settling in the Chicago area. Arndt, his mother, and his brother followed when he was two years old.[1][2]

Jorgens began playing baseball when he was six years old, playing as a catcher. He attended Lane Technical High School in Chicago.[2] He played on the school's baseball team, and in 1923, they were the national preparatory baseball champions.[1][3] After graduating from high school, Jorgens worked with his father and uncle in a furniture factory and played baseball as a semi-professional.[1][2]

Career[edit]

The Rock Island Islanders of the Class D Mississippi Valley League attempted to sign Jorgens for the 1925 season after major leaguers Johnny Mostil and Freddie Lindstrom saw him playing as a semi-professional. With his father's permission, Jorgens signed with Rock Island before the 1926 season.[1][3] The Oklahoma City Indians of the Class A Western League purchased Jorgens from Rock Island in August 1926 for a price believed to be between $1,000 to $1,500, and he was to report to Oklahoma City after the season.[4] He finished the 1926 season with Rock Island with a .302 batting average.[1] In 1928, Jorgens batted .335 for Oklahoma City.[2]

The New York Yankees purchased Jorgens from Oklahoma City on August 24, 1928, for $22,000 (equivalent to $390,372 in 2023). He was not to report to the Yankees until after the 1928 season.[5][6] Due to a strong performance in spring training, Jorgens made the team.[1] Injuries limited regular catchers Benny Bengough and Johnny Grabowski, but Bill Dickey received the majority of playing time at catcher.[7] The Yankees optioned Jorgens to the Jersey City Skeeters of the Class AA International League in May[8] and recalled him to the major leagues in September.[9] He began the 1930 season with the Yankees but was again optioned to the Skeeters in May.[10] They promoted Jorgens back to the major leagues in August due to injuries to Dickey and Bubbles Hargrave.[11]

Jorgens's 1934 Goudey baseball card

In July 1932, Dickey got into a fistfight with Carl Reynolds and was suspended for a month; Jorgens became the Yankees starting catcher during the suspension.[12] Dickey and Jorgens were the Yankees only two catchers for the 1932 World Series.[13] Dickey played in all games and Jorgens did not play in the series as the Yankees defeated the Chicago Cubs in four games.[14] In 1934, Jorgens posted career-highs in hits (38), runs batted in (20) and games (58). He had a career-high .270 batting average in 1931 in 46 games.[15]

Jorgens played in 13 games in the 1937 season, nine games in the 1938 season, and three games in the 1939 season.[16] He did not appear in a single game during the 1940 season. After the 1940 season, Jorgens retired from baseball.[16]

In his major league career, Jorgens played in 306 games and had 738 at bats. He batted .238 with four home runs and 89 RBIs.[2]

Personal life[edit]

Jorgens married Madelyn Schultz and they had a daughter. They lived in Wilmette, Illinois. After he retired from baseball, Jorgens went to work for his father-in-law, Louis F. Schultz, in the Schultz Brothers chain of variety stores.[1]

His brother Orville Jorgens also played in the majors.[2]

Jorgens died on March 1, 1980, at Evanston Hospital in Evanston, Illinois.[17] He is buried in Memorial Park Cemetery, Skokie, Illinois.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Arndt Jorgens – Society for American Baseball Research".
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Norwegian Yankee warmed up to baseball". February 24, 1994. p. 72 – via newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b "Chicago Catcher Signed By Gray For Islanders". February 11, 1926. p. 14 – via newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Islanders Sell Arndt Jorgens". August 18, 1926. p. 14 – via newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Indians' Star Catcher Sold to Yankees". August 24, 1928. p. 7 – via newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Yankees Count On Jorgens To Bolster Staff". October 22, 1928. p. 16 – via newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Young Catchers Aid Yanks: Dickey and Jorgens Fill Gap While Regulars Nurse Hurts". May 19, 1929. p. 61 – via newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Yankees Release Arndt Jorgens to Jersey City Club". May 22, 1929. p. 17 – via newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Huggins Recalls Rookies From Jersey City Team". September 2, 1929. p. 8 – via newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Another for Skeeters". May 2, 1930. p. 17 – via newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Yanks Recall a Catcher". August 6, 1930. p. 11 – via newspapers.com.
  12. ^ "Norwegian Breaks In With Yankees After Four Years". July 14, 1932. p. 13 – via newspapers.com.
  13. ^ https://www-newspapers-com.wikipedialibrary.idm.oclc.org/article/the-brooklyn-daily-eagle/137267359/
  14. ^ "1932 World Series - New York Yankees over Chicago Cubs (4-0) | Baseball-Reference.com".
  15. ^ "Gets Big Chance". July 14, 1932. p. 6 – via newspapers.com.
  16. ^ a b "Jorgens, Yanks' Forgotten Man, Leaves Baseball". November 14, 1940. p. 41 – via newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Arndt L. Jorgens". March 4, 1980. p. 17 – via newspapers.com.

External links[edit]

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