John Baumgartner
From BR Bullpen
John Edward Baumgartner
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 1", Weight 190 lb.
- School University of Alabama
- Debut April 14, 1953
- Final Game April 21, 1953
- Born May 29, 1931 in Birmingham, AL USA
[edit] Biographical Information
John Baumgartner was signed as an amateur free agent by the Detroit Tigers before the 1950 season. With a great spring training in [[1953, he surprisingly opened the season as the team's starting third baseman, replacing futire HOF George Kell (who had been traded to Boston). Unfortunately, his play was lackluster and his big league career ended after just one week.
Out of the [[University of Alabama, he was originally assigned to the Jamestown Falcons of the class D Pony League where he hit .307 and six home runs, playing as an outfielder, his first season in the pros. Baumgartner would hit .280 with nine homers his second year in the game and fall to .244 in 1952.
From 1953 to 1955, he would endure nine location (re)assignments. He was with three different teams in '53, hitting .261, suited up with Little Rock and Buffalo in '54 and hit .265 and finished out his pro baseball career in 1955 with three clubs, hitting at a .214 clip. John's minor league numbers showed a career .263 average and 42 home runs in 657 games. He had also taken a brief try on the mound, appearing in one game in 1952 with no decision and in 1955, his last year, he put together a 2-6 record with a 5.02 ERA for the Terre Haute Tigers.
Baumgartner laughed as he told the story of batting against Bob Feller of the Cleveland Indians]]. "When I was going up to the plate against him the first time, Steve Souchock told me he had nothing on his fastball. Three pitches later I was back in the dugout and everyone had a good laugh. But I did fly out against him the next three times."
Baumgartner would leave baseball after 1955 and return to his native Birmingham, AL. He was in sales for the Buxton Company, the maker of billfolds and purses. John then became a vice-president for the Tractor Trailor Company in charge of repairs, before retiring in 1993 to his 60 acre farm in Hayden, Alabama.
[edit] Sources
