Claude Arthur Crocker (July 20, 1924 – December 19, 2002) was a Major League Baseball pitcher for the

Brooklyn Dodgers The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Association (19th century), American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the ...

in 1944 and 1945. The , right-hander was a native of

Caroleen, North Carolina Caroleen is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in southeastern Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States. Its population was 652 as of the 2010 census. Caroleen has a post office with ZIP code 28019. U.S. Route ...

. Crocker is one of many ballplayers who only appeared in the major leagues during World War II. He pitched a total of three games, all in relief, and his last one was his best. On September 30, 1945, the last day of the season, Crocker pitched two scoreless

innings An innings is one of the divisions of a cricket match during which one team takes its turn to bat. Innings also means the period in which an individual player bats (acts as either striker or nonstriker). Innings, in cricket, and rounders, is bot ...

to earn a save in a 4–1 victory over the

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...

at Shibe Park. Totals for his brief career include 2 games finished, 4 earned runs allowed in 5 innings pitched, and an

ERA An era is a span of time defined for the purposes of chronology or historiography, as in the regnal eras in the history of a given monarchy, a calendar era used for a given calendar, or the geological eras defined for the history of Earth. Compa ...

of 6.75. He was perfect at the plate and on defense, going 1-for-1 (1.000) and recording 1 assist without making an error. Crocker was also the head basketball coach at Presbyterian College for one year during the 1949–50 season. He coached the Blue Hose to a 14–15 record. Crocker died at the age of 78 in Clinton, South Carolina.

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Historic Baseball
Major League Baseball pitchers Baseball players from Rutherford County, North Carolina Basketball coaches from North Carolina Brooklyn Dodgers players Presbyterian Blue Hose men's basketball coaches Richmond Colts players Burlington Bees (Carolina League) players Asheville Tourists players Mobile Bears players 1924 births 2002 deaths People from Caroleen, North Carolina People from Clinton, South Carolina {{US-baseball-pitcher-1920s-stub