Ed Bouchee
From BR Bullpen
Edward Francis Bouchee
- Bats Left, Throws Left
- Height 6' 1", Weight 205 lb.
- School Washington State University
- Debut September 19, 1956
- Final Game July 24, 1962
- Born March 7, 1933 in Livingston, MT USA
[edit] Biographical Information
A rare Montana-born major leaguer, Ed Bouchee , a left hand hitting first baseman began his career in 1952 out of Washington State University. He was with the Spokane Indians in 1952 where he hit .319 in his rookie season. After two years of service in the United States Military in the Korean conflict in 1953 and 1954 he was purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies from Spokane of the Western International League and sent to the class A Schenectady Blue Jays in 1955 where he hit .313.
These showings got him up to the IL AAA Miami Marlins where he hit .294 and was brought up to the Phillies late in the 1956 season. Ed appeared in 9 games, had 22 at bats and hit.273.
In his first full year in 1957 Bouchee was named The Sporting News National League Rookie of the Year after hitting .293 with 17 homers and 76 RBI's while playing in all 154 games. After being charged with indecent exposure with young girls Ed gave no excuses, accepted treatment and bounced back to hit .285 in 1959.
The Phillies traded him along with Don Cardwell to the Chicago Cubs on May 13, 1960 for Tony Taylor and Cal Neeman. He hit a combined .242 this season and with the Cubs in 1961 he managed only a .248 average for the year.
On October 10, 1961 he was drafted by the original New York Mets in the expansion draft where he was used sparingly in 1962, getting into only 50 games with 87 at bats and managed to hit for only a .161 average. This ended his tour in the major leagues and he wound up with a career .265 average.
Ed opted out to the International League for the remainder of 1962 and appeared in 80 games for the Syracuse Chiefs hitting .287. He was with the Buffalo Bisons for 87 games in 1963 where he hit for a .266 average and decided to call his baseball career to an end. He had played in ten active seasons from 1952 through 1963.
Bouchee was in management for Adelco in Des Plaines, IL, from the time he left baseball in 1963 until retiring to Gilbert, AZ.
[edit] Sources
Baseball-Reference.com
Baseball Players of the 1950s
SABR MILB Database:page
