George Estock

From BR Bullpen

George John Estock

Bats Right, Throws Right
Height 6' 0", Weight 185 lb.

Debut April 21, 1951
Final Game September 26, 1951
Born November 2, 1924 in Stirling, NJ USA

[edit] Biographical Information

Before the 1943 season righthander George Estock signed with the Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent. The 19 year old was assigned to the Scranton Red Sox, pitched six innings and went 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA for the season. The Red Sox then dealt him to the Philadelphia Blue Jays in an unknown transaction. He would spend 1944-45 with the class B Wilmington Blue Rocks, going 10-9 with a 3.92 ERA in '44 and 22-6 with a 2.90 ERA in 1945. George was then sent to the Pittsburgh Pirates by the Phillies in March of 1946 in a multi-player transaction.

George wound up with the class A Albany Senators in '46, posting a 7-10 record with a 3.46 ERA and before the 1947 season was sent by the Pirates to the Austin Pioneers of the class B Big State League in an unknown transaction. George would spend three years with Austin (1947-49) win 48 outings and lose 37 with a 4.15 ERA in 114 appearances.

On April 5, 1950, Estock was purchased by the Boston Braves from the Austin Pioneers in another unknown transaction and spent the season with the AA Milwaukee Brewers where he won 16 games and lost 8 with a 3.35 ERA, which earned his shot at the major leagues. George would spend one full season with the Boston Braves in 1951. He appeared in 37 games, all of them except one in relief. His only start came in the second game of a doubleheader against the Pirates. He pitched creditably enough giving up 3 runs in 8 innings, but was the loser in what would turn out to be his only big league decision when Cliff Chambers threw a no-hitter against the Braves. George would not see the major's again, finishing up with a 0-1 record with a 4.33 ERA in 37 appearances. He did manage 2 base hits in 7 trips for a 2.86 batting average.

Estock would spend 1952 with the Milwaukee Brewers, winning six and losing three with a 3.10 ERA. He would stay with baseball until 1955, spending time with the Toledo Mud Hens, Jacksonville Braves, Atlanta Crackers and finishing up with the York White Roses of the Piedmont League in 1955. Estock had spent 13 active seasons in pro baseball and was 30 years old when he chose to retire.

Minor League Career Pitching Statistics

League	Y	W	L	GP	IP	H	R	ER	BB	ERA
Minors	13	114	80	312	1,697	1,769	887	703	652	3.64

At his retirement he spoke of his introduction to a future Braves Hall of Famer. "I was pitching batting practice to a young kid who was up for a tryout during spring training in 1952. He was hitting me pretty good so I started to put a little extra on the ball, but he just kept it up. He really stood out. I asked him his name, and he answered, 'My name is Hank Aaron.'"

After baseball George spent 28 years as an area supervisor for the Du Pont Corporation in Wilmington, DE, retiring after that to Sebastian, FL.