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Chuck Churn
From BR Bullpen
Clarence Nottingham Churn
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 3", Weight 205 lb.
- Debut April 18, 1957
- Final Game September 29, 1959
- Born February 1, 1930 in Bridgetown, VA USA
Biographical Information
Right-hander Chuck Churn was signed as an amateur free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates before the 1949 season. He joined the Uniontown Coal Barons of the class C Middle Atlantic League in '49 for his first crack at pro ball and the 19 year old didn't do so well, going 7-12 with a 6.31 ERA but he came back strong his second season out, with the Hutchinson Elks of the class C Western Association, improving to a 16-11 record and a 3.71 ERA while pitching 194 innings, for a team that finished dead last, 53 games back.
Chuck had time to get in six outings in 1951 with the Charleston Rebels of the class A South Atlantic League,and had a 1-1 record going before being called by the United States Military Service for duty during the Korean War. Churn would return to baseball in 1953 in time to get in 25 appearances with Charleston again and the New Orleans Pelicans of the Southern Association going 6-7 with a 1.97 ERA. Chuck established himself as a man to watch when he went 11-3 for the Denver Bears in 1954, helping them to the Western League pennant. Chuck kept right on mowing them down, going 13-8 for New Orleans in '55 and 9-8 again with the Pelicans in '56, pitching over 180 innings both years.
It was finally show time for the tall pitcher and he started the 1957 season with the Pittsburgh Pirates, working in five games out of the bullpen with no decisions and would finish out the year with the Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League with a 9-7 record and a 2.78 ERA. This caught the Boston Red Sox's eye, and on December 2, 1957 they drafted Chuck in the Rule V Draft. He never took the mound for the Red Sox being taken on waivers by the Cleveland Indians on March 26, 1958. Churn was with The Indians just long enough to appear in six games and was sold to the Cincinnati Redlegs on May 5, 1958. He was sent to the Pacific Coast League and went 9-11 for the Seattle Rainiers in '58 and on May 6, 1959, the Redlegs traded him to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Clarence Nottingham Churn earned a World Championship ring as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1959, his final season. Chuck, who made it into one game against the Chicago White Sox in the World Series, contributed a 3-2 record plus a save in 14 games towards the Dodgers National League pennant. Chuck earned a victory on September 11, 1959 in relief of Sandy Koufax. The victory was at the expense of Pittsburgh Pirates reliever Elroy Face. It was Face's only loss in his 18-1 1959 season. This season finished out Chuck's major league time. He had spent parts of three seasons in the show, finishing up with a 3-2 record and a 5.10 ERA while appearing in 25 games....plus he had a ring!
For whatever the reason Chuck wasn't quite ready to quit baseball just yet and would spend the next eight years, all in the minors, A to AAA, with nine different teams, finally hanging it up in 1967 at the age of 37 with a 111-82 record and a 3.90 ERA while pitching 1,781 innings. Chuck was one of the rare breed of pitchers who had a three decade record behind him, 1949-1967.
After baseball Chuck became the farm manager of Byrd Foods, Inc., in Parksley, VA and is now retired in the area.
Notable Achievement
- Won a World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1959
