Dick Gray
From BR Bullpen
Richard Benjamin Gray
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 5' 11", Weight 165 lb.
- School Waynesburg College
- Debut April 15, 1958
- Final Game May 22, 1960
- Born July 11, 1931 in Jefferson, PA USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Dick Gray was signed as an amateur free agent by the Brooklyn Dodgers before the 1950 season. The 18 year old infielder was assigned to the Sheboygan Indians of the Wisconsin State League, appeared in 124 games, had 11 home runs and hit for a .310 average. In 1951 he spent time with two clubs, playing 21 games for the Greenwood Dodgers and hitting at a .221 pace and appeared in 110 outings for the Valdosta Dodgers where he hit .302 and led the league in runs scored with 118 and also played third base for the All-Star team.
Dick would be called to serve in the Military Service for two years (1953-54), during the Korean War, and arrive back in time for the 1955 season with the Fort Worth Cats of the Texas League, appearing in 155 games and hitting at a .251 clip. 1956 would see him back with Fort Worth where he hit .285 and busted 24 home runs, tied for the league lead by scoring 115 runs and played third for the All-Star team. In 1957 he would appear with the St. Paul Saints, hit .297 with 16 four baggers and again make the All-Star team.
From the time the Brooklyn Dodgers moved to Los Angeles in 1958 until Ron Cey took hold of the third base position for a decade starting in 1973, over three dozen different players where used at the hot corner. But the very first one in that '58 season was 27 year old rookie Dick Gray, who arrived in the majors after his big year with St. Paul in '57. He did hit the first home run for the Dodgers in the Los Angeles Coliseum, but was sent back to St. Paul during the season. On June 15, 1959 Gray was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for Chuck Essegian and Lloyd Merritt and departed the major leagues the following year after hitting .239 in 124 games overall.
Gray would spend 1961 and '62 with the Columbus Jets of the IL hitting .264 with 12 home runs the first year but fell off to .249 and 3 homers in 1962 and decided to call it a career. Dick had spent 11 active seasons in pro baseball from (1950-62). His minor league stats show a good solid career performance, he appeared in 1,196 contests, went to bat 4,275 times, delivered 1,173 base hits (including 96 home runs) for a .274 minor league career batting average.
Gray makes his home in Anaheim, CA and retired in 1993 from the Buena Park, CA, school district maintenance department.
[edit] Sources
Baseball-Reference.com
Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: Third Edition
Baseball Players of the 1950s
SABR MILB Database:page
