Down Memory Lane with the Foxx Family

By David Jordan

In the summer of 1924, Connie Mack purchased from the Easton club of the Eastern Shore League the contract of a broad-shouldered, muscular 16-year-old catcher named Jimmie Foxx. Foxx, a farm boy from Sudlersville, on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, was recommended to Mack by his former Hall of Fame third baseman, Frank “Home Run” Baker, who managed the Easton team.

The young man needed further minor league seasoning in 1925 and was used sparingly by the Athletics in 1926, with Mickey Cochrane handling most of their catching. In 1927, Foxx was moved to first base and by 1928 was a regular at the position. It was not long before he became a consistent .300 hitter and a long-ball slugger of note. Jimmie Foxx was one of the stars of the great A’s pennant-winners of 1929, 1930, and 1931, averaging more than 33 home runs a year, and he batted .344 in the three World Series in which he played. By 1932, Foxx was established as the top right handed hitter in baseball, and his 58 home runs and 169 runs batted in led to his selection that year as the American League’s Most Valuable Player. The following year, Foxx won the AL Triple Crown, adding a batting title to his HR and RBI championships, and repeated as the league’s Most Valuable Player. After two more superb seasons and another home run title, Mr. Mack traded Foxx to the Boston Red Sox for a couple of players and $150,000 much-needed cash.

With Boston from 1936 to 1942, Jimmie Foxx retained his status as one of the American League’s most feared sluggers, hitting fifty homers in 1938 (picking up another MVP trophy that season) and leading the league with 35 home runs the next season.

In 1942, Foxx, in his eighteenth big league season and nearing the end of his career,was sold to the Chicago Cubs. He was out of baseball in 1943, returned briefly to the Cubs as a player-coach in 1944, and managed the Portsmouth team in the Piedmont League late in the season. In 1945, Jimmie returned to Philadelphia as a part-time player, pinch-hitter, and pitcher for the Phillies. It was the end of the line for the great right handed slugger. He managed and coached for several minor league clubs and a club in women’s baseball, was elected to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown in 1951, and died in 1967 in Miami. Old time Philadelphia fans remember Jimmie Foxx as one of the very best.

Hall of Famer Jimmie Foxx Sr is shown in this Christmas Day photograph circa 1930's holding his nephew Dell Foxx while his son Jimmie Jr enjoys a holiday treat. Dell & Jimmie Jr. were recently reunited at the Society's October Reunion. Click here for more reunion photos.

Standing: Helen Foxx, Jimmie's wife, his brother Sam Dell Foxx, Jr., Jimmie

Seated: Jimmie's parents Mr. & Mrs. Samuel Foxx, Sr.,

Sam, Sr. is holding Jimmie's son, Jimmie Foxx, Jr.

Photo circa 1933.
(Worthy of mention some 60+ years later the son of Dell, Jr., Dell Foxx, lll
would be the model for the Foxx statue that now stands in
Sudlersville, MD not too far from the Jimmie Foxx Museum.)

Twenty eight years after that 1933 photo above was taken, Jimmie Foxx, Jr.
is shown here in 1961 with his son Jon, wife Yvonne holding
their son Jimmie and daughter Patty.

These photos are from the collection of Jim Conlin whose dad was Jimmie Foxx, Jr.

Shown here left to right his wife Rebecca, son Jack, Jim's younger brother Jon, his nephew (in red) Adam,

sister Patty and her daughter Emily. Jim Conlin holding his son Sam and daughter Elizabeth.

Foxx Family Reunion meet at A's Society Reunion Shown here are: Dell Foxx (Jimmie's nephew), son Jim, Foxx Jr, Loretta Walls, Foxx Museum curator in Sudlersville, Md, Foxx grandchildren, Jim, Patti & Jon Conlin who came in from the west coast for this first ever get together.

 

Jimmie Foxx, Jr. circa 1938 in his Boston Red Sox uniform.

Jimmie Foxx, Sr. in a visit to California to see his grandson Jimmie Conlin circa mid 1950's.

 

Nanci Foxx Canaday Jimmie Foxx's daughter

Nanci Foxx Canaday Jimmie Foxx's daughter

The Foxx Family

A PEEK INTO SUDLERSVILLE, MD.

JIMMIE FOXX'S HOMETOWN

 

Bob Warrington with long time Jimmie Foxx fan, Gil Dunn. Gil operated the Kent Island Pharmacy in Queen Anne's County, Maryland. It was not unusual for Foxx to visit with Gil.   A view inside the Jimmie Foxx Museum.   Maxine Bishop, Max's daughter with her son Andrew, his wife and children. Maxine was a surprise visitor at the Queen Anne's County celebration day.   Author Mark Milliken who wrote "The Pride of Sudlersville, Jimmie Foxx," with his wife outside of the Foxx Museum.

Loretta Walls, Sudlersville resident who was instrumental with the 1997 Foxx statue dedication ceremony and has since kept the Society abreast of local events such as the Foxx Museum where she serves on the committee.   The old Sudlersville train station that now houses the Jimmie Foxx Museum.   The A's Society, Tony Risi and Harry Adams take a moment to pose at the Foxx statue.   The Jimmie Foxx statue in the center of town.

This tribute to Jimmie Foxx was donated to the Jimmie Foxx
Museum in Sudlersville, MD by the Philadelphia A's Society where
it is permanently on display.

THE CAREER OF JIMMIE FOXX IN BASEBALL CARDS