Rudy Rufer

From BR Bullpen

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 165 lb.
• School Dartmouth College, University of Oklahoma
• Debut September 22, 1949
• Final Game October 1, 1950
• Born October 28, 1926 in Ridgewood, NY USA
• Died October 25, 2010 in Lynbrook, NY USA

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[edit] Biographical Information

Rudy Rufer was a young man with four years of higher education, two at Dartmouth College and two more at the University of Oklahoma. He decided in in 1948 that he wanted to be a professional baseball player, so he signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies.

They assigned the young shortstop to the Wilmington Blue Rocks of the class B Interstate League. Rudy hit .264 his first year in pro ball, fielded his position like a veteran and on November 15, 1948 the 22 year old was drafted by the New York Giants in the Rule V Draft.

The Giants didn't waste any time and Rudy would be the everyday shortstop for the Jersey City Giants of the International League in 1949. After hitting at a .266 clip and fielding at a .930 percentage in 128 games, Rudy's name would show up in the September 22, 1949 box score of the New York Giants.

He appeared in seven games at the end of 1949, but would come north with the big leaguers in 1950. He hit just .077 (2-for-26) in trials at the Polo Grounds in 1949 and 1950. Deuces were wild for Rudy with the Giants as he picked up two base hits, walked twice, scored two runs, and knocked in a pair of runs in 22 games. Needless to say this was Rufer's complete line in the big leagues.

Rudy would be with the Minneapolis Millers of the American Association in 1951, hitting just .233 in 137 games. On April 28, 1952 the Giants sold him to the Cincinnati Reds. Rudy got into 17 games with the Oakland Oaks for the Reds, hit for a .188 number and on June 9, of this season they traded him with cash to the Brooklyn Dodgers for Cal Abrams.

Rudy spent the next three seasons with five clubs, not playing much and when he did, it wasn't up to par. He took over as manager of the Thomasville Dodgers of the class D Georgia-Florida League for the next three years (1956-1958), playing in 38 games in '56 and 86 in '57 and managing only in 1958. He ended his active playing days, after nine seasons in the minors, with a .258 hitting average in 898 games.

After his managing days were over, Rudy became a special assignment scout for the Dodgers through 1977. He died in 2010, three days shy of his 84th birthday.

[edit] Sources

• Baseball Players of the 1950s
  
• Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball
  

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