CASEY STENGEL's LOST SPEECH On What It Means To Be A Yankee + Rod Dedeaux

$

225

Two Long-lost Historic Baseball Recordings: Casey Stengel Speech & Rod Dedeaux Interview.

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Museum quality National Treasures, from two baseball legends who remained friends for over 40 years. 

These recordings encompass two related events that took place in Los Angeles during the summer of 1951: 

1. A speech given by Casey Stengel at an event hosted by Dedeaux for USC players who were about to embark on their careers in the Big Leagues. 

2. An interview with USC Head Coach Rod Dedeaux and several of his former players at Bovard Field on the USC campus.

Dedeaux was a player under Stengel at the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1935 and later a scout for Stengel in the Yankee organization. The two men remained life-long friends and were also close neighbors in Glendale California, where both lived out the final years of their incredible lives. 

Provenance: These discs come directly from the estate of coach Dedeaux. It is our belief the records have been in the home since new, stored securely away for these past 60+ years! When discovered they looked quite untouched.  

Recorded on (7) 12" 78 RPM acetate discs, marked "Audiodisc", all with their original factory sleeves. All 7 records have beautiful, clean, glossy surfaces. No scuffs or scratches, no skips, overall excellent sound quality throughout. The occasional light crackle or soft pop but overall fantastic condition for their age. 

Expanded descriptions of each recording are provided here:

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1. STENGEL RECORDING: (3) discs, marked "Audiodisc 1111". Full run time approx. 20 minutes.

And now for the gem of gems, the creme de la creme of long lost Yankees memorabilia...

WHAT AN AMAZING, IMPOSSIBLY RARE PIECE OF BASEBALL HISTORY!! 

His full speech, delivered at this 1951 event hosted by Dedeaux for future Big League prospects...never before heard in public and lost to the baseball world for over half a century!  

Casey's accomplishments speak for themselves: New York Yankees Manager 1949-1960; 8-time World Champion; Member Baseball Hall Of Fame; Voted Manager of the Major League Baseball All-Time Team. 

Here is the "Greatest Manager Of All Time" entertaining, enlightening and encouraging a group of young players...complete with all the lovable humor, unbridled enthusiasm and rapid-fire genius the World has come to expect from "The Old Perfessor"! 

Our research into this event included several discussions with a representative of the Casey Stengel Baseball Foundation (a member of Casey's extended family), who surmised that this event may have taken place coincident with the one and only time the Yankees took their Spring Training in California, at what is now called Stengel Field in Glendale. 

ONLY KNOWN COPY: We have been in touch directly with the following organizations and confirmed that none of them have a copy of this recording in their archives: 

- The New York Yankees Historical Archivist
- National Baseball Hall Of Fame in Cooperstown, NY
- The Casey Stengel Baseball Center
- The University Of Southern California Archivist and Manuscripts Librarian
- The Library Of Congress
- The College Baseball Hall Of Fame   

We have also conducted extensive searches of all major search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo, AOL and others)...as well as The Smithsonian, The US Copyright Office, The New York Public Library and The National Archives...all of which turned up no mention or trace of this recording in any known archive nor out in the marketplace. 

Primary purpose of the speech is a motivational and instructional talk to young players, to introduce them to the philosophy, strategies and inner workings of Yankees baseball. Also includes lots of very interesting history of Casey's life and career, and of the Yankees organization and personnel, as well as what it means to be a Yankee. More than any other Stengel item we have encountered, this speech gives us a real insight into his intelligence and wit as an orator, the depth of his baseball knowledge and his dedication to the game and to his players.

- (Introduction, applause, Casey joking)
- Refers to coach Dedeaux by name at outset
- Purpose of these dinner events
- Anybody that played for the Yankees we’re still proud of them
- Always somebody around Yankees office that remembers what Gehrig & Ruth did for the club
- Success has to start from the top of the organization
- We started a school (to help the younger players)
- Bringing Gil McDougald forward, description of his skills
- Credits the scout who signed McDougald
- Rise of Tom Morgan, improvement as a result of Yankees’ school
- Encouraging young players on their chances to advance in the club
- Jumping notches (divisions), more rapid advancement by the Yankees in past 3 years
- Club was governed a lot by DiMaggio, Henrich and Keller in past 
- When Johnny Lindell & older players moved on other players knew they had to follow through
- Work ethic and teammate pressure to perform
- Players brought up to conduct themselves like a Yankee
- We have splendid coaching and we put in a new way
- Rundown of various coaches’ names and their duties
- You can’t play a line of bull, you gotta go out and do it
- If you can make the Yankees you’re sure to stay in the big leagues
- In years past you never had the instruction you’re getting nowadays
- Why the Yankees are what they are today
- Rise of Eddie Lopat and Tommy Morgan, pitchers
- Legacy of various Yankees managers
- Advice to hitters how to approach the game
- Role of coaches for young players
- His own early career as player at Kankakee, IL; strategies he invented
- Anecdotes about his time as manager of Brooklyn Dodgers
- What It takes to be a Yankee player and teammate

Among the Stengel interviews and videos that are available for public view, we found nothing very similar; wherein he is talking strictly baseball to a group of players at a private Yankees event. One might say this recording amounts to a "lost chapter" in both Stengel history and New York Yankees lore.

Note To Entertainment and Media Professionals: The sound quality of these recordings is most assuredly of a caliber that would translate to their being used as the centerpiece of a documentary or some other form of special programming. While I do not own the copyright to this recording, I will be happy to put you in touch with the person who does own them so that you can work with them on launching such a production; they have already expressed an interest in having a project like this done. 

IMPORTANT: You are buying a previously unknown item of major historical significance. One that has been lost to the public until now and likely will never be seen again. Once these recordings have left our possession--thus exposing them to the potential for being copied--we cannot and will not accept them back and will not refund payment for any reason. 

Be sure that you are in agreement with this and ALL conditions of this sale before attempting to purchase. By purchasing this item you are entering into a binding, legal contractual agreement that you accept the terms of this listing as spelled out by the seller. 

See our 6000+ Positive Feedback for assurance that you are getting precisely what is being described. Please contact us with any and all questions prior to purchasing. Payment is by Pay Pal only, full payment due within 48 hours of close of sale. California residents pay 9.0% sales tax.

Important Legal Notice/Disclaimer: We do not own the copyright to this material and do not claim, imply or promise that any copy, reproduction, marketing, broadcast or licensing rights, etc., to the content on these records are automatically included as a result of this sale. This sale is for the (7) physical discs only, as described in this listing. 

We intend no claim whatsoever to any such rights either during or after the completion of this sale. Nor will we make any attempt to share, distribute, sell, broadcast or disseminate any of the content from these records at any time, present or future.

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OTHER IMPORTANT DETAILS: 

PLEASE BE SURE TO HANDLE THESE RECORDS WITH GREAT CARE, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. You are buying a museum quality piece that has been lost to the public until now and cannot be replaced...and will never be seen again. While these records are in excellent condition, completely sound and very sturdy, older records require gentle handling and proper care. We recommend you play them only with a very high quality needle--such as sapphire--to preserve the playing surface. Ideally, you will want to have them recorded onto CD or MP3--using a high-quality sound system--so that the records themselves are not subjected to undue wear by overplaying.   

Please see Payment, Legal and Shipping details below. Be sure to read Entire Listing before purchasing. This is strictly a No-Return, No-Refund item.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Due to the extremely rare and exclusive nature of the content on these records, they are offered ONLY as a No-Return, No-Refund item. No exceptions. Once these recordings have left our possession--thus exposing them to the potential for being copied--we cannot and will not accept them back and will not return payment for ANY REASON.

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2. DEDEAUX RECORDING: (4) discs, marked "Audiodisc 0104". Full run time approx. 30 minutes. 

The full interview done by the Armed Forces Radio Service (AFRS) as part of their "Sports Forum" series. Title: "Does College Baseball Help The Professional Career?" Recorded live outdoors at USC's Bovard Field (complete with the sound of batting practice going on in the background), before a skirmish between the USC Trojans team and an all-star team made up of various major leaguers, including some former Trojans who were going on to the Big Leagues.

In addition to Coach Dedeaux, the players interviewed include Bill Sharman (who would later go on to a stellar career with the Los Angeles Lakers as both player and Head Coach), Johnny Berardino, Wally Hood and Jim Breitweiser. 

Some of the topics covered include: 

- Berardino starting with St. Louis Browns
- Jim Breitweiser (USC grad) now in the Yankees farm system
- Bill Sharman being in n the Brooklyn farm system at the moment
- Wally Hood starting with Yankees this year as pitcher
- Is the signing bonus important? (with answers by each player)
- Berardino: a boy should finish college before joinging big leagues
- Dedeuax will teach them everything they want to know about baseball 
- Sharman: A kid should get a college education if he can
- Berardino: a college player will grasp things a little quicker (in the pros)
- College coaches know everything there is to know about baseball and are able to teach the boys better than most minor league managers
- Hood: here at USC we played all the major and coast league clubs so I got just as much experience as if I had gone directly into pro baseball
- Breitweiser: I definitely felt I learned more in college than some of the players that had been playing 2 and 3 years knew at that time. I thought I was a little bit ahead of them.
- Dedeaux: a boy out of high school has a hard time making the state league club; has to start in Divison D, rare to be able to start in Division C
- Dedeaux: Stengel made the remark (about Hood) he would liked to have kept him with the Yankees after his first spring training
- Discussion of various minor league managers: George Selkirk,  Bill Skiff, Ray Hathaway, Jack Fournier
- Major league scouts sign an average of 25,000 kids a year
- How different MLB clubs approach the number of new recruits they will sign
- Dedeuax: we’ve had 40 players go into pro ball since 1946; average pay was $40k apiece
- Dedeuax: players are better off being able to play 3-4 times a week as we do here at USC, and the rest of the week have opportunity to work on fudamentals
- We generally play 1 or 2 MLB teams a year as part of our spring exhibitions
- Hood: 50% of Yankees’ roster now are ex-college players.
- Talk about their respective clubs: what to look for, etc., with St. Louis Browns, Dodgers, Yankees
- Sharman: discussing plans to return to dental school, and getting his PE degree now
- Still have a chance to go back to basketball, if I have a pretty good year in baseball this year I think I’ll give up basketball
- Troubles with Washington  Capitals, team folding, pay structure there, etc.
- Each player’s approach to try and get into the rotation with their respective MLB teams
- Dedeuax talks about upcoming season and players: Dave Herman. Lost some players to national guard.
- Every player on our roster has been approached by a major league team and had tough decision to make to come to college
- Closes with AFRS theme music, news of next weeks show on auto racing

About Rod Dedeuax: Raoul Martial "Rod" Dedeaux (February 17, 1914 – January 5, 2006) head baseball coach at the University of Southern California for 45 seasons, is widely recognized as among the greatest coaches in collegiate baseball's history. With Dedeuax as head coach, USC won its first national title in 1948, over Yale, captained by first baseman George H. W. Bush. His teams won 11 national titles (College World Series), including a record five straight between 1970–1974. Dedeaux was named Coach of the Year six times by the Collegiate Baseball Coaches Association and was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 1970. He was named "Coach of the Century" by Collegiate Baseball magazine, and was one of the ten initial inductees to the College Baseball Hall of Fame.

He played baseball at the University of Southern California for three seasons. Dedeaux then played professional baseball briefly in 1935, appearing in two games as a shortstop for the Brooklyn Dodgers under then mangaer Casey Stengel. At USC, Dedeaux coached dozens of future major leaguers, including Ron Fairly, Don Buford, Tom Seaver, Dave Kingman, Roy Smalley, Fred Lynn, Mark McGwire, and Randy Johnson. Throughout his USC career, he accepted a nominal salary of $1 per year, as his trucking business supplied a substantial income. He turned down numerous offers of major league coaching positions, including invitations from Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda to join his staff, always rejecting them due to his preference for the college game and his desire to remain close to his family in Glendale, California. 

He retired as the winningest coach in college baseball history with a record of 1,332–571–11. 

PAYMENT is by Pay Pal only, full payment due within 24 hours of close of sale. California residents pay 9.0% sales tax. 

SHIPPING: This item is open to USA buyers only with USA shipping only. Free expedited shipping with full insurance is included with the sale. Delivery confirmation signature will be required by actual buyer. 

WE WILL SHIP ONLY TO AN ACTUAL USA PHYSICAL STREET ADDRESS, NO P. O. BOXES, AND ONLY TO THE ADDRESS THAT IS ATTACHED TO BUYER'S EBAY ACCOUNT AT TIME OF SALE, NO EXCEPTIONS. 

Items will be shipped within 2 business days from the time payment has cleared Pay Pal (takes at least 1 day to retrieve it from safe deposit box), with full insurance included free of charge. We reserve the right to opt for a carrier other than the one specified in the shipping details, if security concerns or insurance requirements warrant such a change. Buyer will be notified of all shipping details as soon as the item has been sent. No combined shipping on this item. 

Each record will be placed in a new anti-static plastic sleeve, packed along with its original Audiodisc paper sleeve. Records will then be secured between multiple layers of stiff cardboard surrounded by plenty of extra padding then double-boxed in heavy-gauge cardboard cartons.

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