Al Todd

Alfred Chester Todd

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 198 lb.
• School Mansfield State Teachers College
• Debut April 25, 1932
• Final Game August 24, 1943
• Born January 7, 1902 in Troy, NY USA
• Died March 8, 1985 in Elmira, NY USA

BR page

Biographical Information

"I can talk rings around that Todd any time, but I don't wanta fight him no more." - Dizzy Dean about his brawl with Al Todd in 1931, quoted in The Gashouse Gang and a Couple of Other Guys

Al Todd played eleven years in the National League, beginning at age 30. Other than two games in the outfield, he was used exclusively at catcher.

Todd's most notable year with the bat was in 1937 at age 35, when he hit 8 homers and 10 triples, driving in 86 runs for the 1937 Pirates. His RBI count was second-highest on the team behind Gus Suhr. The Pittsburgh Pirates Encyclopedia says that his RBI total remains the highest for a catcher in franchise history (book published around 2002). He was not only good with the bat: in 128 games as a catcher, he did not allow a single passed ball. This is the most games ever for a catcher without a passed ball to his name, beating out Hall of Famers Bill Dickey (125 games) and Johnny Bench (121).

He played for Dallas in 1931 before coming to the majors. The book The Human Tradition in the New South says that he and Dizzy Dean (pitching for Houston at the time) got into a brawl during which Todd decked him twice. Previously, he was with Bloomington in 1930. Much later, he played for Montreal in 1945.

The book Branch Rickey says that Al Todd headed up the new Western Carolina League in 1960, and that Todd was an old friend of Rickey.

Scouted for the Chicago Cubs, New York Mets, and New York Yankees, retiring in 1963.

Year-by-Year Managerial Record

Year	Team	League	Record	Finish	Organization	Playoffs
1944	Elmira Pioneers	Eastern League	58-80	6th	Philadelphia A's
1946	Mobile Bears	Southern Association	75-78	6th	Brooklyn Dodgers
1947	Mobile Bears	Southern Association	94-59	1st	Brooklyn Dodgers	League Champs
1948	Mobile Bears	Southern Association	75-75	4th	Brooklyn Dodgers	Lost in 1st round
1949	Memphis Chicks	Southern Association	65-88	7th	Chicago White Sox
1950	Memphis Chicks	Southern Association	81-70	4th	Chicago White Sox	Lost in 1st round
1951	Des Moines Bruins	Western League	73-78	5th	Chicago Cubs
1953	Duluth Dukes	Northern League	73-52	2nd	none	Lost League Finals