Van Lingle Mungo
Encyclopedia
Van Lingle Mungo was a Major League Baseball
right-handed pitcher
known for his career with the Brooklyn Dodgers
. Mungo played for the Dodgers from to . At the end of his baseball career, he played with the New York Giants
.
Mungo averaged 16 wins per season from 1932 through 1936 and leading the National League
in strikeouts with 238 in 1936. He was named to the All-Star
team in 1934, 1936, and 1937. However, following an arm injury in 1937, he won only 13 major league games over the next six seasons. He completed his major league career with a 120-115 won-lost record over 2113 innings pitched
, with a 3.47 earned run average
.
Stories and anecdotes about Mungo tend to emphasize his reputation for combativeness, including episodes of drinking and fighting. The most widely told story concerns a visit to Cuba
where, supposedly, Mungo was caught in a compromising position with a married woman by her husband. Mungo punched the husband in the eye, leading him to attack Mungo with a butcher knife
or machete, requiring Dodgers executive Babe Hamberger to smuggle Mungo in a laundry cart to a seaplane waiting off a wharf in order to escape the country.
Mungo was largely forgotten after he retired from baseball after the 1945 season, but was brought back into considerable notoriety in 1969 because of the use of his prosodic name as the title of a novelty song
by Dave Frishberg
. The song lyrics consist entirely of the names of baseball players of the 1940s, strung together with a bossa nova
beat, but Mungo is one of only five players mentioned more than once and his name functions as a kind of refrain
. According to Frishberg, The Dick Cavett Show
arranged to have him sing the song to Mungo in person, and Mungo asked him backstage if there would ever be any financial remuneration for the use of his name in the song. Frishberg told him no, but maybe Mungo could make some money if he wrote a song called "Dave Frishberg." Ironically, today Mungo is remembered primarily because of the song.
Mungo's place of birth was Pageland
, South Carolina
, where he also died. During his retirement in Pageland, he owned and operated the Ball Theatre until it burned down in the 1950s. During its time, the theatre played such films as The Outlaw
, starring Jane Russell
, and was a popular entertainment center for the town. Since this was before integration
, Mungo provided balcony seating for the African American
population. This seating arrangement was an innovation; the other small movie theatre in town was segregated
.
The Sporting News
reported on September 13, 1961, that Van Mungo's son, Ernie Mungo, was signed as a player by the Washington Senators
organization.
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...
right-handed pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
known for his career with the 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...
. Mungo played for the Dodgers from to . At the end of his baseball career, he played with the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
.
Mungo averaged 16 wins per season from 1932 through 1936 and leading the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
in strikeouts with 238 in 1936. He was named to the All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
team in 1934, 1936, and 1937. However, following an arm injury in 1937, he won only 13 major league games over the next six seasons. He completed his major league career with a 120-115 won-lost record over 2113 innings pitched
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
, with a 3.47 earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
.
Stories and anecdotes about Mungo tend to emphasize his reputation for combativeness, including episodes of drinking and fighting. The most widely told story concerns a visit to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
where, supposedly, Mungo was caught in a compromising position with a married woman by her husband. Mungo punched the husband in the eye, leading him to attack Mungo with a butcher knife
Butcher knife
A butcher knife is a knife designed and used primarily for the butchering and/or dressing of animals.During the late 18th century to mid 1840s, the butcher knife was a key tool for mountain men. Simple, useful and cheap to produce, they were used for everything from skinning beaver, cutting food,...
or machete, requiring Dodgers executive Babe Hamberger to smuggle Mungo in a laundry cart to a seaplane waiting off a wharf in order to escape the country.
Mungo was largely forgotten after he retired from baseball after the 1945 season, but was brought back into considerable notoriety in 1969 because of the use of his prosodic name as the title of a novelty song
Novelty song
A novelty song is a comical or nonsensical song, performed principally for its comical effect. Humorous songs, or those containing humorous elements, are not necessarily novelty songs. The term arose in Tin Pan Alley to describe one of the major divisions of popular music. The other two divisions...
by Dave Frishberg
Dave Frishberg
Dave Frishberg is an American jazz pianist, vocalist and composer born in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Frishberg resisted learning classical piano as a boy, developing an interest in blues and boogie-woogie by listening to recordings by Pete Johnson and Jay McShann. As a teenager he played in the house...
. The song lyrics consist entirely of the names of baseball players of the 1940s, strung together with a bossa nova
Bossa nova
Bossa nova is a style of Brazilian music. Bossa nova acquired a large following in the 1960s, initially consisting of young musicians and college students...
beat, but Mungo is one of only five players mentioned more than once and his name functions as a kind of refrain
Refrain
A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
. According to Frishberg, The Dick Cavett Show
The Dick Cavett Show
The Dick Cavett Show has been the title of several talk shows hosted by Dick Cavett on various television networks, including:* ABC daytime ...
arranged to have him sing the song to Mungo in person, and Mungo asked him backstage if there would ever be any financial remuneration for the use of his name in the song. Frishberg told him no, but maybe Mungo could make some money if he wrote a song called "Dave Frishberg." Ironically, today Mungo is remembered primarily because of the song.
Mungo's place of birth was Pageland
Pageland, South Carolina
Pageland is a town in Chesterfield County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 2,521 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Pageland is located at ....
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, where he also died. During his retirement in Pageland, he owned and operated the Ball Theatre until it burned down in the 1950s. During its time, the theatre played such films as The Outlaw
The Outlaw
The Outlaw is a 1943 American Western film, directed by Howard Hughes and starring Jane Russell. The supporting cast includes Jack Buetel, Thomas Mitchell, and Walter Huston. Hughes also produced the film, while Howard Hawks served as an uncredited co-director...
, starring Jane Russell
Jane Russell
Jane Russell was an American film actress and was one of Hollywood's leading sex symbols in the 1940s and 1950s....
, and was a popular entertainment center for the town. Since this was before integration
Racial integration
Racial integration, or simply integration includes desegregation . In addition to desegregation, integration includes goals such as leveling barriers to association, creating equal opportunity regardless of race, and the development of a culture that draws on diverse traditions, rather than merely...
, Mungo provided balcony seating for the African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
population. This seating arrangement was an innovation; the other small movie theatre in town was segregated
Racial segregation in the United States
Racial segregation in the United States, as a general term, included the racial segregation or hypersegregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, medical care, education, employment, and transportation along racial lines...
.
The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
reported on September 13, 1961, that Van Mungo's son, Ernie Mungo, was signed as a player by the Washington Senators
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
organization.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball strikeout champions
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins
External links
- BaseballLibrary - biography and career highlights
- SI.com - statistics
- Historic Baseball - biographical note
- Lyrics to Dave Frishberg's song "Van Lingle Mungo"
- The Deadball Era