Pete Naton
From BR Bullpen
Peter Alphonsus Naton
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Height 6' 1", Weight 200 lb.
- School College of the Holy Cross
- Debut June 16, 1953
- Final Game September 19, 1953
- Born September 9, 1931 in Flushing, NY USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Catcher Pete Naton was signed out of the College of the Holy Cross as an amateur free agent by the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 12, 1953 and made it into six games with the major league club that year. His .167 hitting average came out of 2 for 12 at the plate and on September 19, his 97-day major league career at Rickey U was over. Because of the many collegians signed by General Manager Branch Rickey in the early 1950s, the Pittsburgh sportswriters had dubbed the Pirates with this name.
Naton would go on to spend six seasons in the minors, with 1954 being his best year. Pete would catch 135 games and make the All-Star team for the Burlington-Graham Pirates of the Carolina League, hitting .288 with 16 home runs, giving the Pirates some hope, but he would spend from 1955 to '58 with four different teams, not making much headway at any stop. He would finish out his pro baseball career with the Salt Lake City Bees of the Pacific Coast League in 1958 with a minor league career average of .244 and 43 home runs while appearing in 462 games.
After baseball, Naton would become a salesman for the Trico Company, before his retirement in Buffalo, NY.
