Red Munger

From BR Bullpen

George David Munger

Bats Right, Throws Right
Height 6' 2", Weight 200 lb.

Debut May 1, 1943
Final Game September 23, 1956
Born October 4, 1918 in Houston, TX USA
Died July 23, 1996 in Houston, TX USA

[edit] Biographical Information

Eighteen year old pitcher Red Munger was signed as an amateur free agent by the St. Louis Cardinals before the 1937 season. The young right-hander would spend his first year in the pros with New Iberia Cardinals of the class D Evangeline League where his 19 victories led the league. He lost 11 outings but had a solid 3.39 ERA. Red accomplished this with a team that finished dead last in an eight team circuit. He also appeared in two games with no decisions for the Houston Buffaloes of the class A Texas League.

Munger would spend five cosecutive years (1938-42) in the minors before winning 16 games with the Columbus Red Birds of the American Association in 1942. This earned him a ticket to Sportsman's Park with the St. Louis National Leaguers. He would win 9 and lose 5 his first year up and become a regular with the National League team for the next ten seasons. Munger was 11-3 with a 1.34 ERA midway through the 1944 season when he was drafted into the Army, missing out on his teams pennant and World Series victories.

After being discharged late in the 1946 season he won a couple of big games down the stretch in the Cardinals torrid pennant fight with the Brooklyn Dodgers and was the starter in game four of the World Series against the American League champion Boston Red Sox. Supported by a World Series record 20 base hits, including four by batterymate Joe Garagiola, he beat Boston 12-3 to even the series at 2-2. This would be Mungers only appearance in the series as the Cardinals would win out 4 games to three.

Munger won a career high 16 games in 1947 including six shutouts and would go 15-8 in 1949. He would win only eleven more times in the next three seasons and at age 33 in 1952 he was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates for Bill Werle. The Pirates sent him to the Hollywood Stars of the PCL for three years before returning him to Pittsburgh for one last season in 1956. The 37 year old veteran would go 3-4 in 1956 ending his major league career at 77-56 and a 3.83 ERA.

Munger had been in pro baseball from 1937 to 1958 and had spent 12 seasons in the minors where he rung up 152 wins against 118 losses with a 2.69 ERA. After baseball Munger returned to his native Houston, TX, and worked as a salesman for a brewery before becoming an inspector for the Department of Health. Munger died at home on July 23, 1996.

[edit] Notable Achievements

3-time NL All-Star (1944, 1947 & 1949)
15 Wins Seasons: 2 (1947 & 1949)
200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 1 (1947)
Won two World Series with the St. Louis Cardinals (1944 & 1946; he did not play in the 1944 World Series)