Pete Appleton

From BR Bullpen

Peter William Appleton (Jake)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 180 lb.
• School University of Michigan
• Debut September 14, 1927
• Final Game September 20, 1945
• Born May 20, 1904 in Terryville, CT USA
• Died January 18, 1974 in Trenton, NJ USA

BR page

[edit] Biographical Information

Pete Appleton pitched 14 seasons in the majors, mostly as a reliever but some years as a starter.

He was born "Peter William Jablonowski". He attended the University of Michigan, where he was also a pianist and played in the band. He began pro ball with the Waterbury Brasscos in the Class A Eastern League, but did graduate from UM in 1927.

In 1927 he was with the Hartford Senators in the same league before being called up by the Cincinnati Reds and making his major league debut on September 14, 1927. He spent the next season with the Reds and in 1929 was sent to the Columbus Senators of the Class AA American Association.

Sold to the Cleveland Indians, he spent the next two seasons with them. In 1932, he was sent to the Boston Red Sox, who sent him to play for the Newark Bears in the Class AA International League. He was with the New York Yankees in 1933, then back to Newark, and finally finished the rest of the season with Baltimore Orioles of International League.

While with Baltimore, he legally changed his name to Appleton from Jablonowski (which literally translates to Appleton with Jablon being Polish for apple).

The 1934 season found him splitting the year between Baltimore and the Rochester Red Wings of the same International League. In 1935 he spent the entire season with the Montreal Royals and led the International League with 23 wins.

Drafted by the Washington Senators, he spent the next 7 seasons in the majors with them, the Chicago White Sox, and the St. Louis Browns.

In November 1942, when he was 38 years old, Appleton received a commission in the Navy and spent most of him time stationed at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, playing baseball for Navy Preflight. He was released from the Navy on June 28, 1945 with the rank of Lieutenant.

He pitched for the Browns on July 12 and then went back to the Senators for the final games of his major league career having pitched in 343 games. He continued to play in the minor leagues until 1951.

Appleton later scouted for the Washington Senators/Minnesota Twins from 1954 to 1974.

[edit] Year-by-Year Managerial Record

[edit] Related Sites