By Jeff Stuart
One of my earliest baseball memories was watching a Senators – Yankees game on Wenesday evening, August 8, 1956 at Griffith Stadium on WTTG – Channel 5 in Washington. The Yankees won 12-2. But Washington’s rookie second baseman Herb Plews had 4 hits and 3 doubles, all off Yankee fireballer Bob Turley. He raised his average to .292.Turley himself had two hits including a double of his own off the Nats’ Camilo Pascual and Mantle hit his 38th homer of the season. But no Yankee had more than 2 hits. To an 11 year old this meant something.
Plews, a left handed hitting second baseman, debuted on April 18th against the Yankees in Washington. He had a pinch hit single in his only at bat. But he had only one hit in his first 28 at bats. Though he did have five hits in an exhibition game against the Phillies in June, there was little to indicate he would finish with a .270 batting average that year and bat .382 against the Yankees.
On February 8, 1956, Plews was traded by the New York Yankees along with Lou Berberet, Dick Tettelbach, and Bob Wiesler to the Washington Senators for Mickey McDermott and Bobby Kline. The Yankees later sent Whitey Herzog to the Senators to complete the trade.
Plews had a decent season, playing third base, with Denver of the American Association in 1955. That attracted the interest of the Senators. Marv Throneberry was at first for the 55 Bears, Bobby Richardson was at second, and 18 year old Tony Kubek was at Shortstop. Future Nats teammates, Herzog and Tettlebach, were in the outfield. Ralph Houck was the manager.
Upon hearing about the trade, Plews sent the Nats traveling secretary Howie Fox the following note. “It was a happy surprise for me and I think it’s a real good chance. I’m proud to be a part of your team and I’ll guarantee it’s the most exciting news I’ve had in my life. I’m going to give it a real good try.”
Senators Vice Presdient Joe Haynes told reporters that former Yankee scout and hall of fame Catcher for Detroit, Mickey Cochrane had “personally put his ok on Lou Berberet, the catcher, and Herb Plews, the infielder. Mickey thinks they can’t miss and he says Washington made a real good trade.”
Plews finished the 56 season strong. Just a week before getting 4 hits of the Yanks, Herb tagged the Tigers for 4 hits in the second game of a doubleheader on July 29th at Detroit. Dean Stone posted a 4-1 win for Washington. And just ten days after, on August 18th, he had three hits in Boston. The Nats again won, 9-7, again behind Stone. Then, on Sept 7th, just a month later, Plews again had 4 hits against the Yankees. This time the game was at Yankee Stadium and the Nats won, 6-5. Plews got his fifth straight hit off Turley (on in relief) with a single in the 9th.
In 1958 Herb had two more 4 hit games. The first came on May 20th, in Kansas City (The Nats Lost, 7-3). And the second came on June 21st in Cleveland (The Nats won 11-7 behind Pete Ramos). After the game in Cleveland, his average stood at .325. On June 29th he had three hits in the second game of a doubleheader at Chicago. The Nats lost 12-11 after winning the opener 12-0 behing a five hit shut out by Ramos.
Herbert Eugene Plews was born on June 14, 1928 in Helena, Montana.
As a high schooler, Plews played for his high school team during their seasons, and played American Legion ball in the summers. In 1945, he was selected as the representative for the state of Montana in the Esquire game, sponsored by Esquire Magazine and played at the Polo Grounds in New York. One player was chosen from each state to play in that game. “I met Babe Ruth and Ty Cobb who were the managers for the two teams,” said Plews.
He earned a degree from the University of Illinois wnere he played college ball. He was named to the “All Big Ten” squad in 1949.
Herb played in the minor leagues in 1950 but his career was interrupted by Military Service. Stationed at Camp Drake in Japan, he played army baseball with other current and future big leaguers. Back in the minors after his service stint, Herb he hit .304 with Norfolk in 1953 and ,302 with Birmingham in 1954. He led the Southern Association in triples in ’54. A solid season with the Denver Bears in 1955 paved the way for his move up to the majors in 1956.
Herb hit only 4 big league homers. Curiously, 2 of them were off Detroit Hall of Famer Jim Bunning. The other two game off Chicago’s Bob Keegan. As a part time infielder with the nats from 1956-1959. Plews, who wore number 25, was a timely and respectably hitter, and a solid glove man. He tied a since broken record of participating in 5 double plays on Sept 26, 1958 at Boston. Herb was dealt, along with Dick Hyde, to Boston on June 11, 1959 for Billy Consolo and Murray Wall. Hyde and Wall were returned to their original teams just a few days later.
Herb and his wife, currently live in a retirement community in Boulder, Colorado quietly cheering for the new baseball team across the country in Washington, DC to win.
