Hy Cohen
From BR Bullpen
Hyman Cohen
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 5", Weight 220 lb.
- Debut April 17, 1955
- Final Game June 2, 1955
- Born January 29, 1931 in Brooklyn, NY USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Before the 1948 season the New York Yankees drafted Hy Cohen a 6' 5" righthander from Brooklyn, NY and assigned him to the class D LaGrange Troupers where the 17 year old went 7-5 with a 5.50 ERA in his first season in pro ball. He would go back to LaGrange in 1949, win 11 and lose 15, but have a good 3.33 ERA. These performances caused Cohen to be drafted by the Chicago Cubs in the December 5, 1949 minor league draft.
The Grand Rapids Jets would have him in 1950 and he would go 12-9 with a 3.41 ERA. In 1951 he would have the best season of his young career, going 16 and 10 while pitching 236 innings with a 2.86 ERA for the Des Moines Bruins of the Western League.
Cohen would spend 1952 and 1953 in the Military Service with the United States Army, stationed at San Antonio, Texas. He would play service ball with Don Newcombe, Gus Triandos and Bob Turley.
Cohen would have another good year with the Des Moines team in 1954, this time winning 16 but losing only 6 with an excellent 1.88 ERA. In 1955 the Chicago Cubs would bring him to Wrigley Field where he made 7 appearances with no decisions and probably unknown at the time would be his last chance at the major leagues.
Hy would come back strong in 1956 going 11-7 for the New Orleans Pelicans and 5-0 for the PCL Los Angeles Angels. In 1957 he would be with the Memphis Chickasaws, have another good year, winning 15 and losing 7 while pitching 215 innings for a 2.72 ERA.
Cohen was struck with an arm ailment in 1958, while with the Nashville Volunteers he pitched only 37 innings, winning 2 and losing 6 for a 8.51 ERA. This signified the end of his pro baseball career after nine active seasons from 1948 through 1958. His minor league career stats show that he appeared in 259 outings, winning 100 games and losing 77, pitching 1,476 innings, giving up 1,358 base hits and 570 base on balls for a career 4.62 ERA.
After baseball he settled in southern California where he earned a master's degree in education from Cal State Northridge. A longtime school teacher and baseball coach, Hy makes his home in Westlake Village, CA.
[edit] Sources
Baseball-Reference.com
Baseball Players of the 1950s
SABR MILB Database:page
