Athlete (1943-44)( 1947-48) Alvin Dark

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In 1943 Alvin Dark starred on Louisiana's undefeated football team.
in 1944 Alvin Dark was also a member of Louisiana's Baseball team.

A proven natural leader on the football field.
Alvin Dark was sobriquet with the nickname
"SWAMP FOX"

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Alvin Dark played sports for Louisiana (SLI) from 1943 through 1944. A.D. was a tailback on the 1943-44 undefeated Oil Bowl champion team.

It was not however fooball where Alvin Dark made a real name for himself, it was baseball. He was on Louisiana's 1944 baseball team, during WWII. He came to UL with the V-12 program and though he was able to find some time to play on the baseball team, the Navy program required strict training regimines and as a result, the baseball team only saw the exact same lineup a couple of times.

Still they went 7-6 with one game called because of manditory eating times. Alvin Dark was able to play in at least 6 games that season have 26 at bats, getting 12 hits for a .462 batting average.

He may have been able to play in as many as nine games, but the batting statistics for the 3 games against the New Iberia Allstars have not been recovered. UL did win all three of those games.

Alvin Dark's 1944 baseball season at UL was cut short as he was one of 8 baseball players who were called up for duty on the Asian front for WWII.

After finishing his playing career at Louisiana, and WWII he returned home in 1946 to find a Major League contract almost greating him at the door.

With scant playing time in 1946 he returned to UL in 1947 to further his education at Louisiana's (SLI's) College of Education. He wanted to play sports for UL some more, but since he had signed a MLB contract UL would not let him. He helped coach the football team instead.

In 1948 he returned to the Majors for his true rookie season, where he hit it big so to speak, as he went on to greatness for many years in the Major Leagues.

• Unanimous (both leagues) rookie of the year in 1948.
  
• World Series as a player.
  
• World Series championship as a manager.

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As a football player Alvin Dark played Halfback at LSU for one year. That was the 1942 season when he romped 60 times for 433 yards and 7.2 yard average.

With the advent of WWII it was at the University of Louisiana where he went on to finish his football playing career. The year was 1943, and it saw Alvin Dark leading UL to an undefeated season and a triumph in the inagural Oil Bowl.

His nickname is "The Swamp Fox" or just "Swamp Fox" in part due to his heroics in mud along with a Cypress Swamp being located in the heart of Louisiana's campus. Years later, Major League Baseball would end up taking credit for the nickname after Alvin wet down the basepaths for a game as a manager. He has also been called "Blackie"

Surprisingly after a complete year off for WWII Alvin Dark was drafted (as a pro football player) in 2nd round of the 1945 draft by Philadelphia. He declined the invitation. Baseball was his first love.

As a baseball player Alvin Dark played the University of Louisiana in 1944 where his batting average was .461

After his college playing career he came back to Louisiana as a coach’s athletic assistant.

In the fall of 47 (while on break from the Major Leagues) Alvin Dark came back to the University of Louisiana (SLI) to complete work towards a degree in physical education.

He is truly one of Louisiana's all time greats.

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Alvin Dark is one of only two people to ever win the MLB Rookie of the Year Award.

After finishing his college baseball career at the University of Louisiana in the spring of 1944 and going off to China for WWII. Alvin Dark won the second ever and final Rookie of the Year award in 1948. Starting in 1949 the award was split in two AL-NL

Negro League veterans won the National League award in all but one season from 1947 through 1953

1947: Jackie Robinson (MLB RoY)
1948: Alvin Dark (MLB RoY)
1949: Don Newcombe
1950: Sam Jethroe
1951: Willie Mays
1952: Joe Black
1953: Jim Gilliam

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He was an incredible athlete.

While he was at Louisiana 1943-44 (before going to war 1945) he lettered in Football, Baseball, Track, Tennis, and even Golf.

He came back to Louisiana (SLI) in 1947 to get a degree. The next year he was rookie of the year in the Major Leagues.

(source sportswriter and SLI teammate Casey Cohlmia)

Alvin Dark Athletic Time line
1942-43
42 LSU football
43 LSU baseball

1943-44
43 Louisiana Football
44 Louisiana Basketball
44 Louisiana Track
44 Louisiana Golf
44 Louisiana BASEBALL

44-45 WWII duty overseas

1946 Signs MLB contract after the war

1946 13 at bats in MLB. Sent to minors and is Minor League rookie of year.

1947 Re-enrolls at Louisiana (SLI)

1948 Gets called back up to the majors and is Baseballs overall Rookie of the year for both leagues, an honor shared by only Alvin Dark and Jackie Robinson.

[sandra]

I like this web site very informative, unfortunatly I don't have anthing to contribute, but I do have a question. I did a search on the web and found Alvin Dark to have the nickname of Blackie and Swamp Fox. I figure Blackie comes from his name, could someone tell me how he got the nickname Swamp Fox? Is it just from being around the swamps of Louisiana?

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Nice card Paul

[LSU Bob]

In 1942 Alvin Dark was so good that LSU had the best runner in the NFL blocking for him. Steve VanBuren.

[Cajun1997]

Any more information on him, like when he died where he is buried etc...? Why is'nt he in our Hall of Fame?

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In 1956, Alvin Dark and a few other players were traded for a player named Schoendienst.

On June 14, 1956, Schoendienst was involved in a surprising trade when he was sent to the New York Giants along with outfielder Jackie Brandt, pitcher Dick Littlefield, catcher Bill Sarni and shortstop Bobby Stephenson in exchange for shortstop Alvin Dark, catcher Ray Katt, pitcher Don Liddle and outfielder Whitey Lockman.

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Alvin Dark SS

When and how did he come to the Giants?

This was Durocher’s famous trade in December of ‘49. The Giants shipped their slow-footed sluggers Marshall and Cooper (affectionately known as the “Window Breakers”) to Boston for Dark and Eddie Stanky.

What did he bring to the Giants?

He was a Giants fan as a kid. Among his credentials were the Rookie of the Year award in 1948. Durocher liked Dark’s all around skills and leadership qualities.

What kind of year did he have?

One of his best. He slugged at 454, which was good for a shortstop back then. He led the team in runs, hits, stolen bases, and led the league in doubles with 41. In the World Series, Dark hit 417 and slugged at 667 (led both teams). He also made the All-Star team in ‘51.

Of course, what managers wanted out of shortstops in those days was a good glove. Dark made his share of errors but had excellent range and could turn two. He was a leader on the field and was selected as the team captain.

Post-Playing Service Career

Managed Giants from 61 to 64. KC 66-67, Cleveland 68-70, Oak 74-75, SD 77

Coached Cubs, 65, 77

The rest of the 51 Giants story

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Games	AB	H	Pct.
6	26	12	.462

At UL's request, Alvin Dark split time from his first love baseball and was a participant on the track team.

In addition to running track, V12 duties made many players ineligible from game to game. The result was that of the 13 complete games played in 1944 (several games were called) no player participated in more than 8, Alvin Dark played in only 6.

Pro scouts that came to watch Alvin Dark play for the University of Louisiana in 1944 were.

Wid Matthews of Brooklyn, scouting for Alvin's future NY Giants manager Leo Durocher.

Eddie Goosetree of the Cubs organization specifically the Bruins.

Eddie Dyer of the Cardinals sent a scout.

The Giants sent their talent signer Frank Rickey.

Some scouts came and never got to see Alvin in a game, though they all got to see him go full speed in practice.

UL went 7-6 in 1944