Bill Conroy (conrobi02)
From BR Bullpen
William Gordon Conroy
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 0", Weight 185 lb.
- School Illinois Wesleyan University
- Debut September 21, 1935
- Final Game October 1, 1944
- Born February 26, 1915 in Bloomington, IL USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Catcher Bill Conroy was signed out of Illinois Wesleyan University as an amateur free agent by the Philadelphia Athletics before the 1935 season and spent his first year of organized ball in a split season affair, appearing in 35 games with the Richmond Colts of the class B Piedmont League and sixteen games with the Williamsport Grays of the class A New York-Pennsylvania League, hitting at a .275 clip in 160 at-bats.
Bill was then summoned to Shibe Park by the Athletics, making his major league debut on September 21, of this same year, and appeared in his first big league outing. In his only appearance he garnered one hit in four at-bats. 1936 was almost a duplcate of his first season. He appeared in 80 games for the Houston Buffaloes of the class A Texas League and hit at a .298 average before being called up to the major league Athletics in the late season and again appeared in just one game and singled in two trips to the plate.
After spending 41 games with the Williamsport Grays in 1937 he was again called up to the Athletics where he appeared in 26 games, and had 12 base-hits in 60 at-bats for a .200 average. As things go, Conroy was sent to the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League, on November 5, 1937, completing an earlier deal that was made on October 19, of that same year. Bill would spend the next four seasons (1938-1941) with the Oakland club, averaging .258 and totaling 20 home runs, over the four year run.
Bill's steady play caught the Boston Red Sox club's attention and on September 30, 1941 the Red Sox claimed Conroy in the 1941 Rule V Draft. Bill spent three war years (1942-1944) with the Fenway Park team, appearing in a total of 141 games, hitting just below the .200 mark with five home runs. For all practical purposes this ended Bill's six season major league time and he finished out with a .199 batting average with five home runs in 169 games. Bill was called up for duty by the Military Service in 1945 and spent the year serving in the United States Navy during World War II.
Conroy was back in time for the 1946 season and joined up with the Sacramento Solons of the Pacific Coast League but hit only .212 in 264 at-bats. 1947 and '48 would find Bill with the Columbus Red Birds of the American Association where he appeared in 91 and 50 games respectfully and hit at a .229 average. At 33 years of age and with 14 seasons of organized ball under his belt, Bill left the game and ended his 10 year minor league numbers with a .253 batting average and 47 home runs in 800 games.
After baseball, Conroy made his home in Citrus Heights, CA, where he lived and worked until his death on November 13, 1997, at the age of 82.
