Solly Hemus – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Solomon Joseph Hemus spent 11 seasons in Major League Baseball, but he didn’t become a regular until he was 28. The gritty infielder played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies from 1949 to 1959. He earned a reputation as one of baseball’s fiercest competitors.

He got on base often and wasn’t afraid to take a hit-by-pitch, which made him valuable even though his glove work wasn’t always the best. Teams moved him around the infield because of his defensive struggles.

Hemus retired as an active player in June 1959 while acting as the St. Louis Cardinals’ player-manager. He wrapped up his playing days with a .273 batting average and 736 hits. His final season closed out a unique era in baseball history, since player-managers had become nearly extinct in the majors.

When he hung up his spikes, Hemus shifted focus to managing full time. That move ended his playing career but kicked off a managerial run that stirred up plenty of debate.

The path from Phoenix-born Navy man to big league player-manager shows how determination and grit can stretch limited talent pretty far. He went from the field to the dugout, and his leadership style sparked both success and controversy—definitely a legacy that still gets people talking.

Early Life and Background

Solomon Joseph Hemus was born April 17, 1923, in Phoenix, Arizona, to Benjamin and Emilie Hemus. He was the third of five kids.

His family moved to San Diego when he was still a toddler. There, he grew up in a working-class neighborhood and started sharpening his baseball skills at local high schools.

Family and Childhood in Phoenix, Arizona

Solly Hemus came into the world as the middle child in a family of five. His parents, Benjamin and Emilie, raised their kids Catholic in Phoenix.

The Hemus family didn’t have much money. They lived in what Solly later called a poor neighborhood after moving to San Diego during his early years.

Some people assumed he was Jewish because of his first name, Solomon, but that wasn’t the case. One sportswriter even got surprised to learn that Hemus had a sister who became a nun.

He grew up in a pretty mixed community. Solly remembered playing with white, Black, and Mexican kids in his neighborhood. They’d play ball together, but there were also the usual childhood scraps.

High School and Early Baseball Experiences

Hemus went to both St. Augustine and San Diego high schools as a teen. At 5-foot-9, he played second base for his high school teams, but pro scouts didn’t really notice him.

His high school baseball skills were nothing special by pro standards. Scouts just weren’t interested, even though he played in local leagues.

After graduating in 1941, Hemus decided to join the Navy. He was still underage, so his mom had to go with him to the recruiting station.

His high school baseball days gave him some basics, but military service and what came after would really shape his path to pro ball.

Professional Playing Career

Solomon Joseph Hemus played 11 years in the majors from 1949 to 1959, mostly as an infielder for the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies. He built a reputation for being aggressive at the plate, drawing walks, and getting hit by pitches. His career batting average landed at .273.

Debut with St. Louis Cardinals

Hemus made his MLB debut on April 27, 1949, with the St. Louis Cardinals at age 26. The team called him up from the minors after shortstop Marty Marion got hurt in August.

The Cardinals tried him at second base and moved Red Schoendienst to shortstop. In his first 20 games, Hemus hit .333 and posted a sharp .450 on-base percentage.

He didn’t lock down a regular spot until 1951. That year, Hemus won the starting shortstop job because Marion, who became player-manager, couldn’t play due to a bad knee.

As a rookie, Hemus hit .281 with a strong .395 on-base percentage and scored 105 runs while leading off for the Cardinals.

Peak Years and Notable Achievements

Hemus hit his stride in the early 1950s under manager Eddie Stanky. In 1952, he led the National League with 105 runs scored and smacked a career-high 15 home runs.

His 1953 numbers looked just as good. Hemus scored 110 runs, batted .279, and put up a .382 on-base percentage.

He always showed great discipline at the plate. Hemus ended up with a career .370 on-base percentage, getting there mostly by drawing walks and taking hit-by-pitches.

Getting hit by pitches became his trademark. He led the National League in that category three times. In 1952, pitchers hit him 20 times—a number believed to be a league record then.

Playing Style and On-Field Personality

People knew Hemus for his aggressive, fiery style, even though he wasn’t the most gifted. Cardinals GM Bing Devine once said he was “a hell-bent-for-leather, fiery ballplayer with limited talent.”

He had a knack for getting hit by pitches. Hemus wore loose uniforms to make it easier for balls to graze him, and he worked counts to draw walks.

On defense, he struggled at shortstop. His arm wasn’t strong, and his range was limited. In 1953, he led the league with 27 errors, which eventually cost him his starting job.

Manager Eddie Stanky said Hemus “plays every game like a school kid on the first day of summer vacation.” His hustle made teammates like him, but his defense kept him from being a regular later on.

Player-Manager Role and Retirement in 1959

Solly Hemus finished his playing career in 1959 while acting as player-manager for the St. Louis Cardinals. He only played in 24 games that year before focusing on managing, which ended his 11-season run as a player.

Transition to Player-Manager of St. Louis Cardinals

Solomon Joseph Hemus became the Cardinals’ player-manager in 1959 after owner Gussie Busch picked him over general manager Bing Devine’s choice. Hemus had kept in touch with Busch after getting traded to Philadelphia in 1956, letting him know he wanted back in St. Louis.

The Cardinals fired Fred Hutchinson in September 1958, opening the door for Hemus. That move made him one of the few big leaguers to serve as both player and manager.

Hemus was the last player-manager in Cardinals history. The job gave him a rare chance, but it also meant juggling playing and managing at the same time.

Final Season as a Player

Hemus got into 24 games in 1959, with just 17 at-bats. He mostly pinch-hit instead of starting.

He played his final game on June 14, 1959. After that, he pulled himself off the 25-man roster to focus on managing.

The Cardinals had a rough start that year. They dropped 15 of their first 20 games, which pushed Hemus to step away from playing.

As a hitter in 1959, Hemus batted .273 as a lefty line drive guy. His playing career, from 1949 to 1959, saw him at shortstop and second base for both the Cardinals and Phillies.

Impact and Legacy of 1959 Retirement

Hemus’s retirement as a player closed the book on player-managers for the Cardinals. No one else tried juggling both jobs after him.

The 1959 Cardinals finished in seventh place with a 71-83 record under Hemus. Even after the tough year, the team kept him on as manager through 1961.

In 1960, the Cardinals improved and finished third. But in 1961, after a terrible start—losing 16 of their first 19 games—the club replaced Hemus with coach Johnny Keane in July.

Switching from player to full-time manager in 1959 showed just how tough the dual role had become in modern baseball. Hemus’s experience pretty much proved why player-managers faded out.

Managerial and Coaching Career After Playing

Hemus moved from player to manager with the Cardinals in 1959, ending up with a 190-192 record over three seasons. After that, he took coaching jobs with the New York Mets and Cleveland Indians. His post-playing days stirred up controversy in St. Louis but also saw him help develop young talent.

St. Louis Cardinals Managerial Tenure

Solomon Joseph Hemus landed the Cardinals’ player-manager gig in 1959 after owner Gussie Busch handpicked him. Hemus had written to Busch after his trade to Philadelphia, making it clear he wanted to return.

His managerial run got off to a rough start. The Cardinals lost 15 of their first 20 games in 1959.

As a player-manager, Hemus got into 24 games that season. He took himself off the roster on June 14, 1959, to focus solely on managing.

The team kept struggling while he was in charge. In 1959, the Cardinals finished seventh with a 71-83 record and couldn’t find much consistency after that.

Hemus’s managerial style drew criticism, especially after a May 1959 game against Pittsburgh where he used racist language toward Pirates pitcher Bennie Daniels. That incident hurt his reputation with players, especially African American teammates like Bob Gibson and Curt Flood.

The Cardinals fired Hemus during the 1961 season. Johnny Keane took over as manager. Hemus finished with 190 wins and 192 losses, just under a .500 record.

Coaching with the New York Mets and Cleveland Indians

After leaving St. Louis, Hemus joined the New York Mets coaching staff in 1962. He spent two seasons helping out during the team’s rocky early years.

The Mets were an expansion team trying to find their footing in the National League. Hemus brought his experience as a former infielder and manager to the mix, working with young players.

In 1964, Hemus moved to the Cleveland Indians as a coach. He stayed there through the 1965 season, focusing on infield instruction and player development.

These coaching jobs kept Hemus in the game. He got to teach players without all the daily pressure of being the manager.

Minor League Management with Jacksonville Suns

After his big league coaching days, Hemus kept working in baseball at the minor league level. He managed the Jacksonville Suns, helping shape prospects in the Cardinals’ farm system.

His job in the minors was all about teaching the basics to young players. It was a good fit for his baseball smarts and knack for working with infielders.

With experience as both a player and manager, Hemus offered valuable advice for developing talent. He knew the technical side of baseball and could pass along lessons from his own career.

Career Statistics and Honors

Solly Hemus put up solid numbers over his 11 years in the majors. He hit .273 with 51 home runs and 263 RBIs in 961 games. His best years came in the early 1950s, when he led the National League in runs scored and getting hit by pitches multiple times.

Batting and Fielding Statistics

Hemus mostly played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies between 1949 and 1959. He finished with a career batting average of .273, which actually showed pretty solid power for a middle infielder back then.

His best years at the plate came from 1951 to 1953. In 1952, he scored 105 runs and hit .268 with 15 home runs.

That season, he also put up a .392 on-base percentage and reached 242 total bases.

In 1953, Hemus crossed home plate 110 times, batting .279 and knocking 14 home runs. He always seemed to have a good eye, wrapping up his career with a .390 career on-base percentage.

On defense, Hemus handled several infield spots, but people mostly remember him for his work at shortstop. In 1951, he posted a .965 fielding percentage at short, beating the league average of .955.

League Leader Nods and Milestones

At his peak, Hemus earned a few nods as a league leader in offense. He led the National League in runs scored once and in hit-by-pitch three times.

That 1952 season really stands out. He led the league with 105 runs and got hit by pitch 20 times, topping the charts in both categories.

His performance that year even landed him some MVP votes, finishing 31st.

Hemus led the NL in hit-by-pitch in 1952, 1953, and 1954. He never shied away from crowding the plate, willing to take a pitch to get on base.

Analysis of On-Base and Offensive Contributions

What set Hemus apart was just how often he got on base. His .390 career on-base percentage stacks up pretty well for shortstops of his generation.

Walks played a huge role in his game. He drew 456 walks and only struck out 247 times, which is pretty impressive.

His walk numbers peaked at 96 in 1952 and 86 in 1953.

He wasn’t exactly a base-stealing threat, finishing with 21 career steals. Getting on base mattered more to him than swiping bags.

Hemus hit 41 career triples, with his best year coming in 1953 when he legged out 11 of them.

His mix of gap power and hustle made him a real extra-base threat.

Personal Life and Legacy

Solomon Joseph Hemus lived a life that went well beyond baseball. He dealt with personal struggles and later found business success in Houston.

His impact on the game still sparks debate, especially because of his rocky relationships with players and the racial tensions that surfaced when he managed.

Life Outside Baseball

Hemus married Marguerite Maguire while serving in the Navy during World War II. They had a daughter named Peggy, but the marriage ended in 1959, the same year he wrapped up his playing days.

People sometimes assumed he was Jewish because of his first name, Solomon, but Hemus grew up Catholic. One sportswriter even admitted surprise when Hemus mentioned his sister was a nun, thinking they’d shared a Jewish background.

He grew up in San Diego after his family left Phoenix when he was just a toddler. Hemus remembered living in a rough neighborhood, calling it a place where “white, black, and Mexican kids played together and fought each other.”

He served in the Navy for four years during World War II. As an aviation ordnanceman, he handled arming planes on aircraft carriers.

Recognition and Influence on the Game

Hemus left a complicated mark on baseball because of how he treated Black players during his managerial years.

Both Bob Gibson and Curt Flood called him a racist. Flood wrote that “Hemus acted as if I smelled bad.”

He often got confrontational and even used racial slurs during games. In May 1959, after Pittsburgh’s Bennie Daniels hit him with a pitch, Hemus shouted, “You black bastard” at the pitcher.

Years later, Hemus tried to make things right. He sent Flood a letter admitting, “If I ever missed on evaluating a ballplayer it was you, and I admire you for all your determination, guts and pride in your work.”

Flood kept the letter but couldn’t forgive him. He wrote, “I don’t usually save letters, but I could not part with that one. Every time I look at it, I get sore.”

Retirement Years and Death

When his baseball career wrapped up, Hemus jumped into business in Houston and found real success. You’d spot him around town, usually with a big cigar and some flashy blazers—he definitely stood out in both sports and business circles.

He really showed his generous side by supporting the Baseball Assistance Team. That group steps in to help former players and their families when money gets tight.

Through his charity work, Hemus kept close ties to baseball. He also stayed busy in Houston’s business scene, and honestly, his post-baseball life made him a familiar face around the city.

Solly Hemus passed away on October 2, 2017, at age 94 in Houston. He’d been in poor health for a while before he died. At the time, people recognized him as the last living big-league manager from the 1950s.