Babe Dahlgren
Encyclopedia
Ellsworth Tenney "Babe" Dahlgren (June 15, 1912 - September 4, 1996) was a Major League Baseball
infielder from 1935 to 1946 for the Boston Red Sox
, New York Yankees
, Boston Braves
, Chicago Cubs
, St. Louis Browns
, Brooklyn Dodgers
, Philadelphia Phillies
, and Pittsburgh Pirates
. Dahlgren replaced Lou Gehrig
in the line up on May 2, 1939, ending Gehrig's 14-year, 2,130 consecutive game streak.
In 1941, a rumor was circulated in Major League baseball that Dahlgren smoked marijuana. After discovering the existence of the rumor in 1943, Dahlgren became the first Major League Baseball player to take a drug test
for a non-performance enhancing drug. He did so voluntarily to discredit the rumors circulating at the time. The tests were all negative, refuting the charges of marijuana use. Dahlgren continued to play at the major league level until 1946, in a playing career which spanned 18 years, including all or part of twelve seasons in the majors. Dahlgren spent decades trying to uncover the source of the rumor.
A hypothesis
as to who the perpetrator of the rumor was has been recently brought forth by his grandson, Matt Dahlgren, in his self published book, Rumor in Town.
Also notable during this period, the Browns returned Dahlgren to the Cubs for a contract dispute once it was learned that he had become eligible for the draft in May 1942. He was sold to the Dodgers soon after. In August 1942 he sought voluntary retirement. In early 1943, Dahlgren was notified by the draft board to report for his physical, which occurred in mid-May of that year. After passing his physical, Dahlgren was to be inducted into the military in July 1943. In July 1943, he played on the National League All-star team. In October 1943, Dahlgren was rejected for military service.
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
infielder from 1935 to 1946 for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
, New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, Boston Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
, Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
, Brooklyn Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
, Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
, and Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. Dahlgren replaced Lou Gehrig
Lou Gehrig
Henry Louis "Lou" Gehrig , nicknamed "The Iron Horse" for his durability, was an American Major League Baseball first baseman. He played his entire 17-year baseball career for the New York Yankees . Gehrig set several major league records. He holds the record for most career grand slams...
in the line up on May 2, 1939, ending Gehrig's 14-year, 2,130 consecutive game streak.
In 1941, a rumor was circulated in Major League baseball that Dahlgren smoked marijuana. After discovering the existence of the rumor in 1943, Dahlgren became the first Major League Baseball player to take a drug test
Drug test
A drug test is a technical analysis of a biological specimen – for example urine, hair, blood, sweat, or oral fluid / saliva – to determine the presence or absence of specified parent drugs or their metabolites...
for a non-performance enhancing drug. He did so voluntarily to discredit the rumors circulating at the time. The tests were all negative, refuting the charges of marijuana use. Dahlgren continued to play at the major league level until 1946, in a playing career which spanned 18 years, including all or part of twelve seasons in the majors. Dahlgren spent decades trying to uncover the source of the rumor.
A hypothesis
Hypothesis
A hypothesis is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. The term derives from the Greek, ὑποτιθέναι – hypotithenai meaning "to put under" or "to suppose". For a hypothesis to be put forward as a scientific hypothesis, the scientific method requires that one can test it...
as to who the perpetrator of the rumor was has been recently brought forth by his grandson, Matt Dahlgren, in his self published book, Rumor in Town.
Also notable during this period, the Browns returned Dahlgren to the Cubs for a contract dispute once it was learned that he had become eligible for the draft in May 1942. He was sold to the Dodgers soon after. In August 1942 he sought voluntary retirement. In early 1943, Dahlgren was notified by the draft board to report for his physical, which occurred in mid-May of that year. After passing his physical, Dahlgren was to be inducted into the military in July 1943. In July 1943, he played on the National League All-star team. In October 1943, Dahlgren was rejected for military service.
Highlights
- Had a 621 consecutive game streak with the San Francisco Missions of the Pacific Coast League from 1931–1934
- Member of the 1934 Pacific Coast League All-Star Team
- Member of the 1936 International League All-Star Team as a member of the Syracuse Chiefs
- Member of the 1937 International League All-Star Team as a member of the Newark Bears
- Member of 1938-39 World SeriesWorld SeriesThe World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
Champions - Hit the first home run of the 1939 World Series in game 2 off of Bucky Walters
- Named to 1943 National League All-Star Team
- Presided over the first American League pension plan meeting in 1946
External links
- Rumor in Town - A grandson's promise to right a wrong by Matt Dahlgren
- "Rumors of Drug Use Have Damaged for Decades," by Murray ChassMurray ChassMurray Chass is an American sportswriter and blogger who covers baseball. He previously wrote for The New York Times and before that the Associated Press on baseball and sports legal and labor relations. In 2003 the Baseball Writers Association of America honored him with the J. G. Taylor Spink...
, New York Times, November 18, 2007