Dick Bokelmann
From BR Bullpen
Richard Werner Bokelmann
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 0", Weight 180 lb.
- School Northwestern University
- Debut August 3, 1951
- Final Game May 3, 1953
- Born October 26, 1926 in Arlington Heights, IL USA
[edit] Biographical Information
The St. Louis Cardinals signed Dick Bokelmann as an amateur free agent in early 1947 and assigned the 20 year old right-hander to the Fresno Cardinals where he spent the 1947 year showing a 6-6 record with a 4.21 ERA. He would be with the class B Allentown Cardinals during the 1948 year going 15-11 with a 2.82 ERA.
Dick would be with the Omaha Cardinals the Rochester Red Wings and the Houston Buffaloes and a strong 10-2 showing with the 1951 Houston team caused the Cardinals to bring him up for a late look.
Bokelmann recalls "I was 10-2 with an ERA of under 1.00 (0.74) at Houston in the Texas League when I was called up. I came into my first game against the New York Giants in the eighth inning to retire Alvin Dark, Hank Thompson, Eddie Stanky and Whitey Lockman to save it for Harry Brecheen."
He won 3 and lost 3 but after an 0-1 start in 1952 he was sent back to the Houston Buffaloes and the Rochester Red Wings for the remainder of the year. After a 6-2 record with Houston he was given one more last try with the Cardinals in [^1953 cardinals|1953]] but had no decisions and ended his three year major league run with a 3-4 record in 34 games, pitching 68 innings for a 4.90 ERA.
Bokelmann who was a 1947 graduate of Northwestern University would spend eight years in the minor leagues. Dick would give it one more shot in 1954 where he went 10-4 with a 1.80 ERA for the Tulsa Oilers. Dick considered the situation and decided to call it a career. His minor league statistics speak for themselves. Dick posted 66 wins against 51 losses in 268 appearances, pitching 900 innings, giving up 814 base hits and 387 base on balls for a 3.79 ERA.
Bokelmann went on to become a sales representative and later a home office administrator for the Prudential Insurance company in the Chicago area, retiring after 30 years in Arlington Heights, IL.
[edit] Sources
Baseball-Reference.com
Baseball Players of the 1950s
SABR MILB Database:page
