Give us this day our daily Casey Stengel photo.

It is fair to state that Casey was handed the Brooklyn managerial reins under the most difficult and trying of circumstances. (1/7)

As veteran New York baseball writer and author Tom Meany so colorfully described the state of the early 1930's Dodgers: "The franchise at that time was in one of the most deplorable conditions which ever existed in the major leagues... (2/7)

... most of the major league clubs were feverishly combing the ivory marts. A notable exception was the Dodger front office, which remained as inactive as the Etruscan wing of the Metropolitan Museum." (3/7)

In other words, Brooklyn ownership was not spending nearly the money necessary to construct, let alone maintain, a consistently competitive big league club to perform on the diamond of Ebbets Field. (4/7)

The state of the club deteriorated to the point that one player, Dodger pitcher Van Lingle Mungo, actually bolted the team ("Let 'im go if he wants to," replied Casey. "I could lose with or without him.") complaining to the front office upon his return that there wasn't... (5/7)

"...a single professional to be found on the entire Dodger roster" (other than himself, of course).

Sniffed Casey,"Van must think it's like golf -- only one pro to each club." (6/7)

Thus did the Ol' Perfessor discover in Brooklyn what it felt like to have his hands tied as well as full.

(Photo taken March 9, 1936 (7/7)