| Cy Block | |
|---|---|
 Block in 1946 | |
| Second baseman /Third baseman | |
| Born:(1919-05-04)May 4, 1919 Brooklyn,New York, US | |
| Died: September 22, 2004(2004-09-22) (aged 85) Manhasset, New York, US | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 7, 1942, for the Chicago Cubs | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 23, 1946, for the Chicago Cubs | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Fielding percentage | .960 |
| Putouts | 19 |
| Batting average | .302 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
Seymour "Cy"Block (May 4, 1919 – September 22, 2004) was an American professionalbaseballsecond baseman andthird baseman for theChicago Cubs ofMajor League Baseball during the 1942, 1945, and 1946 seasons. He played in theminor leagues from 1938 to 1950, with the exception of his military service from 1943 to 1944. After his playing career, Block became an insurance salesman.
Block was born on May 4, 1919, inBrooklyn, aborough of New York City. His parents, Abraham and Jenny (née Levitsky), were immigrants from Russia. He was raised inFlatbush, nearEbbets Field, the home of theBrooklyn Dodgers ofMajor League Baseball (MLB).[1][2]
Block attendedBoys High School inBedford–Stuyvesant, where he was told that he was too small and not good enough to make the school's baseball team. He organized asandlot ball team and playedAmerican Legion Baseball.[1][2]
In 1937, Block attended an open tryout for the Dodgers at Ebbets Field; though he survived the first cut and was invited to another tryout inElmira, New York, the Dodgers opted not to sign him. In 1938, Block attendedJoe Stripp's baseball academy inOrlando, Florida, where he received personal instruction fromJoe Tinker.[1][2][3]
Tinker recommended Block to theMemphis Chicks of theClass A1Southern Association.[2] They assigned him to theParagould Rebels of theClass DNortheast Arkansas League for the 1938 season.[4] Block was batting .331 for Paragould, the fourth-best average in the Northeast Arkansas League, when Memphis acquired Block from Paragould.[5] In 1939, Memphis optioned Block to theGreenville Buckshots of theClass CCotton States League.[2] He had agreed to a salary of $125 per month with Memphis, but received $85 per month from Greenville. He appealed toWilliam G. Bramham, the president ofMinor League Baseball, who declined to intervene, and wrote toKenesaw Mountain Landis, theCommissioner of Baseball, who did not meet with him for a year and a half.[1]
In April 1940, Memphis sold Block to theElmira Pioneers of theClass AEastern League, afarm team for the Dodgers;[6] later in the month, Elmira assigned Block to theMacon Peaches of theClass BSouth Atlantic League.[7] He batted .311 in 1940.[8] Landis met with Block after the 1940 season, who told him that Block would only have a case if he had the salary agreement in writing, which he did not.[1] Elmira added Block to theirreserve list going into the 1941 season.[8] Playing for Macon in 1941, Block won the league's batting championship with a .357 batting average.[9]
In January 1942, theChicago Cubs purchased Block from Macon for $15,000.[2] The Cubs gave Block andGlen Russell an opportunity to compete withStan Hack, the incumbent third baseman of the Cubs, for playing time duringspring training.[10] The Cubs optioned Block to theTulsa Oilers of the Class A1Texas League before the start of the 1942 season.[11] Block made his major league debut with the Cubs on September 7.[12] He batted .364 (12-for-33) in nine games.[13] Block enlisted in theUnited States Coast Guard duringWorld War II and served atEllis Island and on theUSSMonticello.[1][14]
In September 1945, Block was honorably discharged from the Coast Guard.[15] Returning to the Cubs, Block appeared in two games during the 1945 season. He batted .143 (1-for-7).[16] Block appeared in one game of the1945 World Series, which the Cubs lost to theDetroit Tigers. He entered the game as apinch runner and did not record an official at-bat.[17] In 1946, the Cubs optioned Block to theLos Angeles Angels of thePacific Coast League.[18] In June, Los Angeles optioned Block to theNashville Volunteers of theClass AA Southern Association, where he succeededPete Elko as their third baseman.[19] Block batted .354 in 81 games for Nashville.[20] He was again recalled to the Cubs in September 1946[21] and appeared in six games for the Cubs before the end of the season. Block batted .231 (3-for-13).[22]
In April 1947, the Cubs released Block, who was out of options, to Nashville.[1][23] He appealed toJames T. Gallagher, thegeneral manager of the Cubs, to sell him to another MLB team instead.Larry Gilbert, Nashville's owner, allowed Block to try to arrange a deal with an MLB team, but Block found that the Cubs refused to trade him. Block appealed to the new commissioner,Ford Frick, who told Block that there was nothing that he could do.[1] Block reported to Nashville and batted .360. His average was the second-best in the league, behindTed Kluszewski, who batted .377,[24] and Block was named to the league's post-season all-star team.[25] After the 1947 season, Nashville traded Block to theBuffalo Bisons of theClass AAAInternational League for a minor league pitcher and an undisclosed amount of money.[20] Block played for Buffalo from 1948 to 1950 before he was released in April 1951.[1]
Block played in 17 major league games in his career, finishing with a .302 batting average in the major leagues.[17] He retired with a lifetime .325 batting average in professional baseball.[14]
In 1951, RepresentativeEmanuel Celler announced that he would hold hearings in theUnited States House Judiciary Committee to examine MLB'santi-trust exemption.[26] Celler entered the hearings believing that MLB needed laws to support the reserve clause.[27] Star players, such asLou Boudreau andPee Wee Reese, indicated their support of the reserve clause. Minor league veteranRoss Horning testified about his experiences in baseball, which he said were more common for rank-and-file players.[28] Block testified about his experiences and how the reserve clause prevented him from getting an extended trial in the major leagues.[29]
Celler's final report suggested that theU.S. Congress should take no action, allowing for the matter to be settled in thefederal judiciary of the United States. TheSupreme Court of the United States upheld MLB's anti-trust exemption and the reserve clause inToolson v. New York Yankees, Inc. in 1953.[28]
Block began to sell life insurance after the 1950 season, and made $120,000 of sales. He sold $480,000 in 1951, reached $1 million in sales in 1952, and had sold $6 million in 1963. Block became a twelve-time member of theMillion Dollar Round Table, which requires $1 million in sales for membership.[30] He worked forMutual Benefit Life Insurance Company[31] before becoming chairman of his own firm, CB Planning Services Corp.[32]
In December 1955, Block led a six-membersyndicate which attempted to purchase theDetroit Tigers fromWalter Briggs Jr.[33] Though they made a good-faith $250,000 deposit to signify their interest,[34] their offer to purchase the club was received by Briggs after the deadline.[35]
In 1943, he married Harriet Block. Together they had three daughters. He also authored a book,So You Want to be a Major Leaguer, in 1980.[14]
Block was Jewish. He was involved withB'nai B'rith and served on theboard of directors forIsrael Tennis Centers and the American Committee of theMaccabiah Games.[1] Block also founded severalLittle League Baseball leagues in New York.[36]
In 1997, Block and four other players from before 1947,Dolph Camilli,Frankie Crosetti,Al Gionfriddo, andPete Coscarart, brought aclass action lawsuit against MLB alleging that the league was profiting off of their likeness without compensating them.[37] They were denied class certification.[38]
Block developedAlzheimer's disease in 1995.[39] He died in his home on Long Island on September 29, 2004.[40]
· Baseball Almanac