New York Yankees manager Casey Stengel (1890-1975) was known for his colorful quotations given to the baseball press. After the Yankees clinched the 1958 American League pennant, Stengel remarked: “I realize I couldn’t have done it without the players.” No manager, of course, wins without players.
The official Casey Stengel website gets both the quotation and the circumstances wrong. “I couldn’t have done it without my (sic) players” is given as the quotation. Also, the quotation was not originally made (although it might have been repeated) on winning the World Series, later in 1958, over the Milwaukee Braves.
Wikiquote: Casey Stengel
Charles Dillon “Casey” Stengel (born 30 July 1890 - died 29 September 1975) was an American baseball player and manager from the early 1910s into the 1960s. In the 1950s, sportswriters dubbed him with yet another nickname, “The Old Perfessor”, for his sharp wit and his ability to talk at length on anything baseball-related. He is regarded as one of baseball’s more colourful personalities.
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Unsourced
I couldn’t done it without my players.
Casey Stengel—The Official Site
QUOTES
By Casey
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“I couldn’t have done it without my players.”
—on winning the 1958 World Series
15 September 1958, Columbus (NE) Daily Telegram, pg. 6, col. 2:
Quote of the day—
from Old Casey
KANSAS CITY (UPI)—Quote of the day: Casey Stengel, after the Yankees clinched the American League pennant:
“I realize I couldn’t have done it without the players.”
15 September 1958, Lima (OH) News, pg. 10, col. 1:
Yanks Clinch Flag…
“I Couldn’t Have Done It
Without Players”—Casey
Win Fourth In Row At K-City
By JERE COX
United Press International
KANSAS CITY, MO., Sept. 14 (UPI)—“This was one of the earliest of them all,” said the granddaddy of all New York players, Yogi Berra, today after the Yankees wrapped up their ninth pennant in 10 years.
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“I’m very proud of the players and they should be congratulated,” Stengel added. “I realize I couldn’t have done it without the players.”
Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.
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Above, Big Apple Corner at 54th Street and Broadway in Manhattan. Google Maps. Stolen and missing, 2021-2024.
Above, John J. Fitz Gerald, from the Aug. 15, 1931, Binghamton (NY) Press, pg. 14.
Listen to Robert Emmerich introduce "The Big Apple," a hit song from 1937. Music written by Bob and performed by Tommy Dorsey's Clambake Seven with Bob on piano. Lyrics written by Buddy Bernier and sung by Edythe Wright. Audio provided by Dorothy Emmerich.
Also listen to a 1937 "The Big Apple" song by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra. See a 1929 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald and a 1931 photo of John J. Fitz Gerald.
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