The Post-Journal

Irv Noren Calls To Express Appreciation; Retiring From Baseball After This Season

“Many Thanks To Our Jamestown Friends"

"Mother and myself want our Jamestown friends to know how much we appreciated the hundreds of cards we received from our former home following the death of my father." Irv Noren told The Post-Journal today by long distance telephone. Perry Noren, Irv's father, died July 15 at Kingman, Ariz., while en route to Jamestown with Mrs. Noren to visit friends.

The elder Noren formerly operated a bakery here but they have lived in Pasadena, Calif., since 1934. Irv Noren. Major League outfielder, who has played with New York Yankees, Washington, Kansas City, the Chicago Cubs and is now with Los Angeles, was born here.

The Dodger outfielder said Mrs. Noren's brother, Earl Johnson and his wife, are still In California with her. Mrs. Noren will likely return to Jamestown with them for a short time, he added.

Questioned on his baseball career, Irv said this will very likely be his last year in baseball.

"My legs are okay, but I haven't been doing much—just pinch hitting most of the time," he explained. "I think when the season is over I’ll call it quits."

Noren owns a profitable bowling establishment in Pasadena.

Irv, who was 11 years old when the family moved to California, broke into organized baseball with Santa Barbara of the California League in 1946. He won the league batting championship with a .363 average.

Noren's booming bat was the springboard for his jump from Class D to Triple A ball, Santa Barbara to Fort Worth of the Texas League, after one season.
He batted.271 for the Cats in 1947 plus, .323 in '48 and the following year moved up a notch to Hollywood of the Triple A Pacific League. His .330 there opened the gates to Washington in 1950, completing a four-year jump from Class D to the Majors.

Irv batted .295 for Washington as a rookie but his best full season was with the Yankees, where he batted .319 over the 125-game route in 1954.

He was traded to New York by the Senators on May 3, 1952, along with infielder Tom Upton for outfielders Jackie Jensen and Archie Wilson, pitcher Frank Shea and infielder Jerry Snyder.

Noren appeared in three World Series with the Yankees, 1952-53 and 1955. His best series performance was his .300 average for four games in 1952.

Bad knees started to hamper his speed and in February 1957, he was part of a seven-man deal that sent him to Kansas City. The A's sold him to St. Louis the same year where he batted .367 in 20 games.

Noren and a former Jamestown Falcon, outfielder Chick King, were the trading material when Irv went to the Chicago Cubs in May, 1959. He was dealt to the Dodgers last spring.

Irv will take a 10-year Major League average of .284 into retirement with him if he steps down after the close of the season.

"We were amazed that so many people remembered my father." Irv said during yesterday's conversation. "That is why I wanted to call so you could let our friends there know how are appreciative we are."


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