The Philadelphia Phillies had a reserve 3B, who spent parts of two seasons with this ballclub, totalling just 23 MLB ABs. The years of 1954 and 1955 were the only cup of coffee Jim Command would have in the big leagues. The Grand Rapids, Michigan product passed away on August 10th at the age of 85. Over the course of 14 minor league seasons, Command played all 4 infield positions as well as catcher for the Phillies, Yankees, Braves, Cardinals and Tigers system- the majority of it in AAA. He was given the nickname "Igor" during his playing days and in the minor leagues in 1957, had a chance to catch future Hall of Famer Bob Gibson. Earlier, playing for the Miami Marlins in 1956, he caught the great Satchel Paige.
It was one doubleheader that Command would remember for his entire career in baseball playing for the Phillies in 1954. Prior to that, he was hittless in 4 pinch hitting appearances. On July 11th, manager Steve O'Neill gave him the start in the first game of a double header against the Brooklyn Dodgers. Carl Erskine was on the hill for the Bums and was cruising to a 7-3 lead when Command came to bat in the top of the 8th inning. He was 0-2 with a walk against Erskine, pushing his season and MLB career totals to 0-6 with a .143 OBP. The Phillies started the inning trailing 7-1, but had pushed two runs across the board. Smokey Burgess was on third base, Del Ennis was on second and Earl Torgeson was on first base via a walk. Erskine intentionally pitched around Torgeson because the Phillies 1B had homered off him earlier in the game.
"[Dodgers' manager] Walter Alston went to the mound to ask Erskine what the — he knew about this rookie batter, Command. When Erskine told him he didn’t know anything, Alston said 'Screw it, just pitch to him,'"[1] Command told the Grand Rapids Press in 2009.
It was one doubleheader that Command would remember for his entire career in baseball playing for the Phillies in 1954. Prior to that, he was hittless in 4 pinch hitting appearances. On July 11th, manager Steve O'Neill gave him the start in the first game of a double header against the Brooklyn Dodgers. Carl Erskine was on the hill for the Bums and was cruising to a 7-3 lead when Command came to bat in the top of the 8th inning. He was 0-2 with a walk against Erskine, pushing his season and MLB career totals to 0-6 with a .143 OBP. The Phillies started the inning trailing 7-1, but had pushed two runs across the board. Smokey Burgess was on third base, Del Ennis was on second and Earl Torgeson was on first base via a walk. Erskine intentionally pitched around Torgeson because the Phillies 1B had homered off him earlier in the game.
"[Dodgers' manager] Walter Alston went to the mound to ask Erskine what the — he knew about this rookie batter, Command. When Erskine told him he didn’t know anything, Alston said 'Screw it, just pitch to him,'"[1] Command told the Grand Rapids Press in 2009.
So, there is was, Jim Command's first major league hit, a grand slam, off Carl Erskine to tie the game at 7. For a man who spent the past 6 seasons in the minor leagues, it had to be the greatest feeling in the world. Dodgers 1B Gil Hodges would hit a 1 out HR in the bottom of the 8th inning off Jim Konstanty to give the Dodgers the lead once again at 8-7. Jim Hughes came in to pitch the 9th for Brooklyn to notch his 15th save for the Dodgers victory.
Manager O'Neill started Command for the 2nd game of the DH as well, and the 26 year old rewarded his manager with an RBI double leading the Phillies to a victory 3-1 and a split. Command would get another start, 4 days later against the Cincinnati Reds- again in the first game of a double header. He would go 2-3, driving in another run- the last RBI of his big league career. An 0-3 in the second game of the DH would be the last start of Command's big league career. After a couple more ABs in 1954, Jim would get in 5 games, batting 5 times in the 1955 season for the Phillies.
Command would join his local team, the one he grew up following, the Detroit Tigers, first as a scout in 1960 and then, briefly, as a player for the Knoxville Smokies of the South Atlantic League (A) in 1962. He spent 36 years (1960-1996) as a scout for the Tigers and had a hand in the team's World Series Championships in 1968 and 1984. While still scouting, he coached Grand Valley State University from 1971-1973. Along with President Gerald Ford, Command was inducted into the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.
Manager O'Neill started Command for the 2nd game of the DH as well, and the 26 year old rewarded his manager with an RBI double leading the Phillies to a victory 3-1 and a split. Command would get another start, 4 days later against the Cincinnati Reds- again in the first game of a double header. He would go 2-3, driving in another run- the last RBI of his big league career. An 0-3 in the second game of the DH would be the last start of Command's big league career. After a couple more ABs in 1954, Jim would get in 5 games, batting 5 times in the 1955 season for the Phillies.
Command would join his local team, the one he grew up following, the Detroit Tigers, first as a scout in 1960 and then, briefly, as a player for the Knoxville Smokies of the South Atlantic League (A) in 1962. He spent 36 years (1960-1996) as a scout for the Tigers and had a hand in the team's World Series Championships in 1968 and 1984. While still scouting, he coached Grand Valley State University from 1971-1973. Along with President Gerald Ford, Command was inducted into the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame in 1996.
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