the 1941 National League MVP and star first baseman with the Brooklyn Dodgers; spent 12 years in the majors with Dodgers, Cubs, Phillies and Red Sox; helped the Dodgers win the pennant in 1941 while hitting .285 and leading the league in home runs (34) and in RBIs (120); his son Doug was a major-league catcher with the Dodgers and Senators; of a spinal ailment