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Wedding bells have rung many times for interesting couples in the past year, but perhaps none so loud as the ones Thursday evening when one of Russellville’s prettiest girls became the bride of one of the sports world’s most talked about favorites. Courier Democrat 12-27-1934
First of three stories about Arkansas’ legendary Dean Baseball Family
1934 was a banner year for colorful brothers, Jay Hanna “Dizzy” Dean and his less boastful brother Paul Dee “Daffy” Dean. Born at Lucas in Logan County, the Deans were a reporter’s dream with flamboyant personalities to match their baseball accomplishments. In the “Cardinal Country” of 1930s Arkansas, the brothers were revered celebrities.
Dizzy liked the limelight. Paul was forced into it. Dizzy not only embraced his colorful nickname, but he also used it as his chosen first name. His more modest brother preferred to be called Paul rather than Daffy. Dizzy bragged and included Paul in the boasts. The more reserved Paul preferred to let his performance speak for itself, but he was often compelled by Dizzy’s notoriety to go along with the headlines Dizzy created.
Regardless of his inclination toward celebrity, or his aversion to it, Paul Dean, was an Arkansas hero in 1934. He had a dream year for the chosen team of most Arkansans and his list of accomplishments was well known by local fans. Perhaps his most significant victory of that memorable year, however, was not in a St. Louis uniform, but came when he won the hand of a striking Russellville beauty queen in late December.
Before the season, Dizzy boasted that “me and Paul will probably win 40 games.” They won 49. Paul had a rookie year beyond expectation. Even with Dizzy setting what seemed like unreachable goals, Paul responded with 19 wins, a no-hitter in September, and two wins in the World Series. 1934 was indeed the “Year of the Deans.”
Meanwhile in Russellville, Arkansas, Dorothy Sandusky was a college student who had recently been crowned Miss Russellville. Dorothy had grown up in southeast Arkansas but moved to the River Valley when she graduated from high school. Her father was a prominent local businessman, and Paul Dean had worked in the Sandusky lumber business during the baseball offseason. Paul had apparently had his eye on her for some time. “Aw, I been seeing her around since she was a skinny little kid going barefoot,” Paul confided to the press.
Regardless of their history, Paul Dean surprised both his fans and Dorothy when he proposed in mid-December and suggested they set the date for the next day, Dec. 20, 1934. A wedding that would certainly have gotten national coverage from both society writers and the sports page would come as a surprise to both.
Paul awoke on his wedding day and realized he had neglected a few details. A bridegroom needs a nice suit, a professional shave, a ring, and, of course, a marriage license. Paul headed off to Fort Smith to attend to these few minor details, and a calm and collected Dorothy was left to handle a curious press that had gotten wind of the plans. While Paul, with his new suit and other essentials, was dashing into the Franklin County courthouse just before closing time for the license, Dorothy reassured those waiting for the groom to appear for a 5 p.m. ceremony. “He’ll be here,” she said. “Paul told me to get ready,” she said laughing. “He said he would be back soon, we would get married, and start right off on our honeymoon.” Although Paul Dean had faced baseball’s best hitters in front of thousands of people, a college girl from Russellville, Arkansas was the calm one on their wedding day.
After seeing to the last minute details, Paul arrived back at the Sandusky home on 4th Street about 8:30 p.m. and, as Dorothy had predicted, the wedding began immediately. The minister, eight guests, and a handful of reporters had waited patiently. After all, according to the local paper, this was the wedding of one of Russellville’s prettiest girls and the great Daffy Dean. When one of the reporters asked Paul what he thought Dizzy’s reaction to his marriage would be, he replied, “That‘ll be alright with Diz, it’s none of his business anyhow.”
The next day The Associated Press distributed the story, and Russellville, Arkansas, was in the national headlines. Daffy Dean weds Miss Russellville, was on the front page of most big-city papers. One enterprising reporter, in a back story theme that would become the norm by the turn of the next century; found Paul’s ex-girlfriend for a comment. An Ohio State co-ed named Betty Jane, previously linked romantically to Paul, was quoted as “wishing them luck.” Chicago Tribune, 12-24-1934
Paul “Daffy” Dean would have one more outstanding year with the Cardinals before his overused arm failed him. He won 19 games again in 1935 for a St. Louis team that finished four games behind the Cubs. Dizzy Dean had more good years after 1934, but an injured toe that altered his delivery led to arm problems for him also.
Despite premature ends to promising careers, the Deans are household names in Arkansas baseball lore. Dizzy was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953, and both brothers are members of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame.
While Dizzy spent his last years in Mississippi, Paul returned to Arkansas, managed several businesses and lived out his life with his large extended family in Western Arkansas. Paul Daffy Dean and his beloved Miss Dorothy are buried in Clarksville. They were teammates for almost 47 years.
Coming in August…Dizzy Dean’s Last Game.
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7 responses to “Backroads and Ballplayers: Paul “Daffy” Dean Weds Miss Russellville”
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This is an amazing story! What a fabulous beginning to a beautiful family!
What a great story!
[…] The second of three stories about Arkansas’ legendary Dean Baseball Family […]
[…] See also Dizzy Dean’s Last Game and Daffy Dean Weds Miss Russellville. […]
Paul “I don’t mess around” Dean picked a beauty. In the photo they look like Hollywood celebrities.
I grew up in the same part of Arkansas as Dorthy Sandusky just down the road on old Highway 65 my family knew the Sandusky Family. I remember going by their house as I grew up. My Dad always kept up with the Dean Boys in Base Ball. In fact my Parents lived in Yell co for several years.
I really enjoyed your stories about Paul (and his wife) Dean. My Mother was a “Miss Russellville” of sorts in her time there and I spent a lot of time there as a kid, though we lived in Little Rock by then. My Dad was born in London in 1903, and when the Deans moved there from Lucas his family and the Deans lived on opposite sides of the tracks. Paul was born there and I guess Elmer, too. Dad was older than Diz, but they played ball on the same fields until Dad left for the Navy. Years later I was CEO of Memorial Hospital at Gulfport (MS) when Dizzy was admitted for care and I mentioned my Dad, Odell Burton, to him and he instantly recognized his name and asked about him, said Dad was a good little second baseman. Small world. I later re-opened a closed hospital in Wiggins and went to the cemetery to see the gravesite of my deceased secretary, who is buried across the pathway from Diz. I saw a real baseball sitting on top of Diz’s grave and mentioned that to a lady volunteer at the hospital. She said she puts one there every year and that even with all the visitors his grave has received that baseball had never been stolen. Dad told me that Diz disliked his given name, Jerome, and wanted to be called “J”, which became “Jay” and stuck from then on. Dad thought Jay and Paul had phenomenal arm strength and accuracy even as little boys; I guess he was right. One other thing Dad said was that the Deans moved to London because picking cotton in the Lucas area was harder and less rewarding than picking peaches in the London area.