Johnny Mize entered major league baseball in 1936, and soon took on the nickname “The Big Cat” because of the poise in his stance when he was at bat and his ease in the field.
“Did you ever see a pitcher knock him down at the plate?” Mize’s Cardinals teammate Stan Musial said. “Remember how he reacted when brushed back? He’d just lean back and on his left foot, bend his body back and let the pitch go by. Then he’d lean back into the batter’s box and resume his stance, as graceful as a big cat.”
