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Eccentric MLB Pitcher Van Mungo Believed His Horrible Teammates Were The Problem
One of baseball’s most memorable characters would have done his career much differently if he had a choice
Eccentricity is a common identifying factor for many players throughout baseball history. There have been numerous colorful personalities who have left a mark on the game for reasons besides what they accomplished on the diamond. A memorable example of this was pitcher Van Mungo. In addition to his interesting name, he developed quite a reputation for his volatility. However, he was also quite talented, but after he retired he didn’t hold back on discussing his regret about the teams he played on and how much his teammates held him back.
Mungo was a big right hander from South Carolina who spent 14 years in the big leagues, from 1931–1945 (He missed all of 1944 due to military service). All but his final three seasons were spent with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Although he was a talented hurler, his teams were often in the second division and well outside of pennant consideration. He was still able to accumulate a career record of 120–115 with a 3.47 ERA. In addition to 20 shutouts, he led the league in strikeouts and innings once, while earning berths on five All Star teams.
