Nicholas Nicholie Koback (July 19, 1935 – January 23, 2015) was a Russian American
professional baseball
Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world.
Mod ...
player whose career spanned eight seasons, three of which were spent with the
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB)
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
(1953–55). At the age of 17, Koback signed with the Pirates as a
bonus baby out of
Hartford Public High School
Hartford Public High School, in Hartford, Connecticut, was founded in 1638. It is the second-oldest public secondary school in the United States, after the Boston Latin School. It is part of the Hartford Public Schools district.
Notable alumn ...
. He made his MLB debut
without ever playing in the minor leagues. At the time, he was the youngest Pittsburgh Pirates player ever. During his first career
start
Start can refer to multiple topics:
*Takeoff, the phase of flight where an aircraft transitions from moving along the ground to flying through the air
* Starting lineup in sports
*Standing start, and rolling start, in an auto race
Acronyms
*St ...
, Koback
caught
Caught is a method of dismissing a batsman in cricket. A batsman is out caught if the batsman hits the ball, from a legitimate delivery, with the bat, and the ball is caught by the bowler or a fielder before it hits the ground.
If the ball h ...
a
complete game
In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
shutout
In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball.
Shutouts are usuall ...
by Pirates
pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
Murry Dickson
Murry Monroe Dickson (August 21, 1916 – September 21, 1989) was an American professional baseball right-handed pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) during the 1940s and 1950s. He was known for his vast array of pitches and delive ...
. Most of Koback's time with Pittsburgh was spent as a
bullpen catcher
The bullpen catcher is a member of a baseball team's staff, often a former professional player, who catches the ball for relief pitchers warming up before entering a game and starting pitchers before games. A bullpen catcher differentiates from a ...
. Over his three-year MLB career, Koback compiled a .121
batting average
Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic.
Cricket
In cricket, a player's batting average is ...
with one
run scored
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls ...
, four
hits
Hits or H.I.T.S. may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Music
* ''H.I.T.S.'', 1991 album by New Kids on the Block
* ''...Hits'' (Phil Collins album), 1998
* ''Hits'' (compilation series), 1984–2006; 2014 - a British compilation album se ...
, one
triple
Triple is used in several contexts to mean "threefold" or a " treble":
Sports
* Triple (baseball), a three-base hit
* A basketball three-point field goal
* A figure skating jump with three rotations
* In bowling terms, three strikes in a row
* ...
and one
base on balls
A base on balls (BB), also known as a walk, occurs in baseball when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls '' balls'', and is in turn awarded first base without the possibility of being called out. The base on balls is defined in Se ...
in 16
games played
Games played (GP) is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated (in any capacity); the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.
Basebal ...
. The majority of his playing career was spent in the
minor leagues
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nor ...
with the
Lincoln Chiefs
Lincoln most commonly refers to:
* Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the sixteenth president of the United States
* Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England
* Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S.
* Lincol ...
(1955, 1958),
Williamsport Grays
The Williamsport Grays were a minor league baseball team in Williamsport, Pennsylvania between 1923 and 1962. The club began play in 1923 in the New York–Pennsylvania League and were a charter member of the Eastern League in 1938. The team was ...
(1956),
Hollywood Stars
The Hollywood Stars were a Minor League Baseball team that played in the Pacific Coast League during the early- and mid-20th century. They were the arch-rivals of the other Los Angeles-based PCL team, the Los Angeles Angels.
Hollywood Stars (192 ...
(1956–57),
New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division and play their hom ...
(1956–57),
Columbus/Gastonia Pirates (1958) and
Charleston Senators
The Charleston Senators were an American minor league baseball team based in Charleston, West Virginia. They were the first professional baseball team to play in Charleston, beginning play in 1910. The team was inactive during a few periods, playin ...
(1960). He batted and threw right-handed. During his career, he weighed and stood at . After retiring from baseball, Koback played
pro–am
Pro–am (or pro/am, pro am, ProAm; a contraction of professional–amateur) refers to a sporting event where both professional career athletes and amateurs compete. It could also refer to a collaboration between professionals and amateu ...
golf
Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible.
Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...
in
Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
.
Early life
Nicholas Nicholie "Nick" Koback was born on July 19, 1935 in
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...
, to Nickolai Koback, who was a
naturalized citizen
Naturalization (or naturalisation) is the legal act or process by which a non-citizen of a country may acquire citizenship or nationality of that country. It may be done automatically by a statute, i.e., without any effort on the part of the in ...
of the United States originally from Russia. He worked at the Hartford Machine Screw Company.
Nick Koback attended
Hartford Public High School
Hartford Public High School, in Hartford, Connecticut, was founded in 1638. It is the second-oldest public secondary school in the United States, after the Boston Latin School. It is part of the Hartford Public Schools district.
Notable alumn ...
where he played
baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding tea ...
. During his
sophomore
In the United States, a sophomore ( or ) is a person in the second year at an educational institution; usually at a secondary school or at the college and university level, but also in other forms of post-secondary educational institutions. In ...
season, his school's team won the Triangular League championship.
In May 1952, Koback missed playing time for his high school team due to a broken finger. He also played
guard
Guard or guards may refer to:
Professional occupations
* Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault
* Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street
* Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning
* Prison ...
on the school's
basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
team. Koback graduated from Hartford Public High School in June 1953.
Baseball career
Pittsburgh Pirates (1953–55)
On July 9, 1953, after being
scouted by Ed McCarrick, Koback was signed by the
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...
(MLB)
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
out of high school.
Koback received contract offers from the Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...
, 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 ...
, Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is located ...
and New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
who wanted to start him out in the minor leagues
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nor ...
, but he declined after Pittsburgh offered the most money.[ Koback later said in an interview with '']The Pittsburgh Press
''The Pittsburgh Press'' (formerly ''The Pittsburg Press'' and originally ''The Evening Penny Press'') was a major afternoon daily newspaper published in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1884 to 1992. At one time, the ''Press'' was the second larg ...
'' that "Money looks awful big to an 18-year-old".[ Koback was signed under the Bonus Rule which at the time stated that he had to be on the Pirates roster for two years.]
To fit Koback on the roster, Pirates general manager
A general manager (GM) is an executive who has overall responsibility for managing both the revenue and cost elements of a company's income statement, known as profit & loss (P&L) responsibility. A general manager usually oversees most or all of ...
Branch Rickey
Wesley Branch Rickey (December 20, 1881 – December 9, 1965) was an American baseball player and sports executive. Rickey was instrumental in breaking Major League Baseball's color barrier by signing black player Jackie Robinson. He also creat ...
released pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...
Bob Schultz
Robert Duffy Schultz (November 27, 1923 – March 31, 1979) was an American professional baseball player. A left-handed pitcher, his career extended for 11 seasons (1946–56), including a full season (1952) and parts of three others in Major Lea ...
.[ The official sum of his contract was not initially disclosed. However, his contract was later valued at US$20,000. Upon joining the Pittsburgh club, Koback went through a three-day training program with Pirates ]coaches
Coach may refer to:
Guidance/instruction
* Coach (sport), a director of athletes' training and activities
* Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process
** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers
Transportation
* Coac ...
.[ He made his MLB debut on July 29, without ever playing in the minor leagues, as a ]pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute Batting (baseball), batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the dead ball (baseball), ball is dead (not in active play); the manager (baseball), manager may use any player who has not yet ...
for catcher
Catcher is a Baseball positions, position in baseball and softball. When a Batter (baseball), batter takes their at bat, turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the (home plate, home) Umpire (baseball), umpire, and recei ...
Mike Sandlock
Michael Joseph Sandlock (October 17, 1915 – April 4, 2016) was an American professional baseball utility player who played in Major League Baseball from 1942 to 1953. He played for the Boston Braves (baseball), Boston Braves, Brooklyn Dodgers a ...
against the St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals hav ...
at Busch Stadium
Busch Stadium (also referred to informally as "New Busch Stadium" or "Busch Stadium III") is a baseball stadium located in St. Louis, Missouri. The stadium serves as the home of the St. Louis Cardinals, the city's Major League Baseball (MLB) f ...
. In both of his at-bat
In baseball, an at bat (AB) or time at bat is a batter's turn batting against a pitcher. An at bat is different from a plate appearance. A batter is credited with a plate appearance regardless of what happens during their turn at bat, but a bat ...
s he had over the night, Koback went hitless against St. Louis pitcher Harvey Haddix
Harvey Haddix, Jr. (September 18, 1925 – January 8, 1994) was an American professional baseball left-handed pitcher and pitching coach, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals (1952–1956), Philadelphia Phillies ...
.[ Koback was the youngest Pittsburgh player ever at 18 years and 10 days old when he made his MLB debut. He got the first start of his career on July 31, against the Chicago Cubs at ]Wrigley Field
Wrigley Field is a Major League Baseball (MLB) stadium on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois. It is the home of the Chicago Cubs, one of the city's two MLB franchises. It first opened in 1914 as Weeghman Park for Charles Weeghman's Chicago Wh ...
. During that game, Koback caught the entire game, which was a complete game
In baseball, a complete game (CG) is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher. A pitcher who meets this criterion will be credited with a complete game regardless of the number of innings played—pitche ...
shutout
In team sports, a shutout ( US) or clean sheet ( UK) is a game in which one team prevents the other from scoring any points. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball.
Shutouts are usuall ...
by Pirates pitcher Murry Dickson
Murry Monroe Dickson (August 21, 1916 – September 21, 1989) was an American professional baseball right-handed pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) during the 1940s and 1950s. He was known for his vast array of pitches and delive ...
.[ Koback got his first MLB hit that game against Cubs pitcher ]Paul Minner
Paul Edison Minner (July 30, 1923 – March 28, 2006), was a Major League pitcher from 1946 to 1956. He played for the Chicago Cubs and Brooklyn Dodgers. Born in New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, he was listed at and .
Minner was signed by the ...
.[ In his next game on August 1, against the Cubs, Koback got his first career ]sacrifice hit
In baseball, a sacrifice bunt (also called a sacrifice hit) is a batter's act of deliberately bunting the ball, before there are two outs, in a manner that allows a baserunner to advance to another base. The batter is almost always put out, and ...
.[ In mid-August, Pirates ]manager
Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business.
Management includes the activities o ...
Fred Haney
Fred Girard Haney (April 25, 1896 – November 9, 1977) was an American third baseman, manager, coach and executive in Major League Baseball (MLB). As a manager, he won two pennants and a world championship with the Milwaukee Braves. He later se ...
stated that Koback "is a good receiver but he's only a kid". During the first game of a doubleheader against the Milwaukee Braves
The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in Bost ...
on August 30, Koback served as a pinch hitter for pitcher Roger Bowman
Roger Clinton Bowman (August 18, 1927 – July 21, 1997) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played for the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Baseball career
Bowman was signed by the New York Giants before the 1946 season. ...
when he got his first career MLB triple
Triple is used in several contexts to mean "threefold" or a " treble":
Sports
* Triple (baseball), a three-base hit
* A basketball three-point field goal
* A figure skating jump with three rotations
* In bowling terms, three strikes in a row
* ...
off pitcher Johnny Antonelli
John August Antonelli (April 12, 1930 – February 28, 2020) was an American professional baseball player, a left-handed starting pitcher who played for the Boston / Milwaukee Braves, New York / San Francisco Giants, and Cleveland Indians betw ...
. Koback's final game of the season came on September 26, against the New York Giants at Forbes Field
Forbes Field was a baseball park in the Oakland (Pittsburgh), Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from 1909 to June 28, 1970. It was the third home of the Pittsburgh Pirates Major League Baseball (MLB) team, and the first home of t ...
.[ In that game, he started as the catcher going hitless in three at-bats.
After the 1953 season, Koback played amateur baseball on pitcher ]Spec Shea
Francis Joseph "Spec" Shea (October 2, 1920 – July 19, 2002) was a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1947 to 1955. He played for the New York Yankees from 1947 to 1951 and the Washington Senators from 1952 to 1955. He was known as "The Naugat ...
's traveling team. After returning to his home-town from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...
, Kocack was asked if he felt any homesickness
Homesickness is the distress caused by being away from home.Kerns, Brumariu, Abraham. Kathryn A., Laura E., Michelle M.(2009/04/13). Homesickness at summer camp. Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, 54. Its cognitive hallmark is preoccupying thoughts of home ...
during the season, to which he replied, "Homesick? I was too busy and too excited to be homesick". While in Hartford for the off-season, Koback was the guest of honor at a Hartford Public High School sports rally. He gave a speech to local fire fighter
A firefighter is a first responder and rescuer extensively trained in firefighting, primarily to extinguish conflagration, hazardous fires that threaten life, property, and the environment as well as to rescue people and in some cases or jurisd ...
s, which was received positively according to ''The Hartford Courant
The ''Hartford Courant'' is the largest daily newspaper in the U.S. state of Connecticut, and is considered to be the oldest continuously published newspaper in the United States. A morning newspaper serving most of the state north of New Haven ...
''. In mid-January 1954, the Pittsburgh Pirates held a workout for incoming rookies and younger players, in which Koback took part. The 1954 season would be the last year he would be protected by the Bonus Rule. Before the start of the season, United Press International
United Press International (UPI) is an American international news agency whose newswires, photo, news film, and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations for most of the 20th ...
stated that Koback and his teammate Vic Janowicz
Victor Felix Janowicz (February 26, 1930 – February 27, 1996) was an American football halfback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins. He played college football at Ohio State University and was drafted in the seve ...
were a problem for the Pirates because "neither ereready for full-time duty".
Koback made his season debut on July 11, as a pinch hitter for catcher Toby Atwell
Maurice Dailey "Toby" Atwell (March 8, 1924 – January 25, 2003) was an American professional baseball player who was a catcher in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs (–), Pittsburgh Pirates (–) and Milwaukee Braves (). Atwell, listed ...
in a game against the New York Giants. Koback's second game of the season came on July 17, as a pinch hitter for catcher Jack Shepard in a game against the Chicago Cubs.[ On July 25, the ''Sunday Herald's'' sports editor Sam Cohen wrote a scathing critique of the Bonus Rule, which he stated " he rulewe feel hampers rather than aids the costly prospects' development, because in practically every case, they see so little action".] Cohen went on to use Koback as an example of how the rule is "detrimental" to the development of young players.[ During his third game on September 22, against 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 ...
, Koback started as the catcher going hitless in three at-bats.[ On September 26, Koback made his final appearance of the season against the Brooklyn Dodgers, where in three at-bats he went hitless.][ In four games that season, he went hitless in 10 at-bats. Defensively, Koback played all of his four games as catcher. Of those four games, two were starts. He made 14 putouts.
Koback re-signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates on January 15, 1955. He made his season debut on May 17, against the ]Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
at Crosley Field
Crosley Field was a Major League Baseball park in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was the home field of the National League's Cincinnati Reds from 1912 through June 24, 1970, and the original Cincinnati Bengals football team, members of the second (1937) an ...
. During his appearance, which was as a pinch hitter for pitcher Nellie King
Nelson Joseph "Nellie" King (March 15, 1928 – August 11, 2010) was an American professional baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, and later a member of the Pirates' radio announcing team with Bob Prince. Listed at in height, and weighin ...
, Koback got one hit, a single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
, in one at-bat against Reds pitcher Joe Nuxhall
Joseph Henry Nuxhall (; July 30, 1928 – November 15, 2007) was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, primarily for the Cincinnati Reds. Immediately after retiring as a player, he became a radio broadcaster for the Reds f ...
.[
Koback recalled a conversation he had with then-rookie ]Roberto Clemente
Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker (; August 18, 1934 – December 31, 1972) was a Puerto Rican professional baseball right fielder who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates. After his early death, he was pos ...
during the 1955 season, saying, "Sometimes lementewould come out on the field and bullshit with me. He'd say, 'Hey you—strong guy!'" On June 5, Koback played both games of a doubleheader against Cincinnati.[ In the first game, he appeared as a defensive replacement as the catcher.] In his only at-bat that game, which was against Reds pitcher Johnny Klippstein
John Calvin Klippstein (October 17, 1927 – October 10, 2003) was an American professional baseball pitcher (mostly a reliever), who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for a number of teams, over an 18-season career. The most prominent portio ...
, Koback flied out
In baseball, the baseball rules, rules state that a batted ball is considered in flight when it has not yet touched any object other than a fielder or his equipment. Such a ball can be caught by a fielder to put the batter out (baseball), out.
O ...
.[ Koback started the second game of the doubleheader.]
During his second at-bat of the game, Koback hit a single off Reds pitcher Jackie Collum
John Dean Collum (June 21, 1927 – August 29, 2009) was a pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) who played for eight different teams between the 1951 and 1962 seasons. Listed at , , Collum batted and threw left-handed. He was born in Victor, I ...
, which would later prove to be the last hit of Koback's MLB career.[ Koback's fourth appearance of the season came on June 19, against the Cincinnati Reds.][ During that game, he served as a pinch-hitter for pitcher ]Dick Littlefield
Richard Bernard Littlefield (March 18, 1926 – November 20, 1997) was an American Major League Baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox, Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, St. Louis Browns / Baltimore Orioles, Pittsburgh Pirates, St. Louis Card ...
in the seventh inning. Koback's final MLB appearance came on July 4, against the New York Giants.[ In that game, he served as a pinch hitter for pitcher ]Lino Donoso
Lino Donoso Galata (September 23, 1922 – October 13, 1990) was a Cuban professional baseball player who pitched in Major League Baseball for the Pittsburgh Pirates in and . He also had a lengthy career in the Mexican League, and was elected ...
and struck-out in one at-bat. Over his career with the Pirates, Koback primarily served as a bullpen catcher
The bullpen catcher is a member of a baseball team's staff, often a former professional player, who catches the ball for relief pitchers warming up before entering a game and starting pitchers before games. A bullpen catcher differentiates from a ...
. In his five games that season, he batted .286 with two hits in seven at-bats. Behind the plate
Plate may refer to:
Cooking
* Plate (dishware), a broad, mainly flat vessel commonly used to serve food
* Plates, tableware, dishes or dishware used for setting a table, serving food and dining
* Plate, the content of such a plate (for example: ...
, Koback made no errors, one assist and four putouts.
Later career (1955–1960)
On July 12, 1955, the Pittsburgh Pirates sold Koback to the minor league Lincoln Chiefs
Lincoln most commonly refers to:
* Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), the sixteenth president of the United States
* Lincoln, England, cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England
* Lincoln, Nebraska, the capital of Nebraska, U.S.
* Lincol ...
of the Class-A Western League. The Chiefs, who represented Lincoln, Nebraska
Lincoln is the capital city of the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Lancaster County. The city covers with a population of 292,657 in 2021. It is the second-most populous city in Nebraska and the 73rd-largest in the United Sta ...
, were managed by former St. Louis Browns and Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Bill Burwell
William Edwin Burwell (March 27, 1895 – June 11, 1973) was an American professional baseball player, manager and coach.
Early life
Burwell was born in Jarbalo, Kansas.He won 239 minor league games during a 22-year playing career. He pitched ...
. His teammates featured past and future MLB players Bill Bell, Joe Christopher
Joseph O'Neal Christopher (born December 13, 1935) is a former professional baseball outfielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from through . Listed at 5' 10", 175 lbs., he batted and threw right-handed.
Christopher reached the big ...
, Bennie Daniels
Bennie Daniels Jr. (born June 17, 1932), is an American former professional baseball pitcher, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates (–) and Washington Senators (–). During his playing days, Daniels stood , wei ...
, Dick Hall, Cholly Naranjo
Lázaro Ramón Gonzalo Naranjo ah-RAHN-ho(25 November 1934 – 13 January 2022) was a Cuban baseball player who was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. Listed at , , he batted left-handed and threw right-handed.
Biography
A native of Havana, C ...
, Earl Smith, Jim Waugh and George Witt.[ With the Lincoln club that season, Koback batted .223 with 23 hits, five doubles and two triples in 38 games played. In November 1955, Koback was assigned to the minor league ]Hollywood Stars
The Hollywood Stars were a Minor League Baseball team that played in the Pacific Coast League during the early- and mid-20th century. They were the arch-rivals of the other Los Angeles-based PCL team, the Los Angeles Angels.
Hollywood Stars (192 ...
of the Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...
, which was to be under an open classification in 1956. His manager with the Stars was long-time minor league player and manager Clay Hopper
Robert Clay Hopper (October 3, 1902 – April 17, 1976) was an American professional baseball player and manager in minor league baseball. Hopper played from 1926 through 1941 and continued managing through 1956.
Managing the Montreal Royals ...
. Most of Koback's teammates on the Stars had major league experience one time or another over their careers.[ He played with Hollywood during their season opener on April 10, 1956. With the Starts that season, Koback batted .176 with three hits and three ]runs batted in
A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the bat ...
(RBIs) in 10 games played. Defensively, Koback had a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in 42 total chances
In baseball statistics, total chances (TC), also called ''chances offered'', represents the number of plays in which a defensive player has participated. It is the sum of putouts plus assists plus errors. ''Chances accepted'' refers to the total ...
. In early-May, Koback was farmed
Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people t ...
out to the minor league New Orleans Pelicans
The New Orleans Pelicans are an American professional basketball team based in New Orleans. The Pelicans compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division and play their hom ...
of the Double-A Southern Association
The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A (1902–1935), Cl ...
. In five games played with the Pelicans under the management of Andy Cohen
Andrew Joseph Cohen (born June 2, 1968) is an American radio and television talk show host, producer, and writer.
Cohen is the host and executive producer of Bravo's late night talk show, '' Watch What Happens Live!'' He also has a pop culture ...
, Koback accumulated one hit. Later in May, he was again sent to another team, this time it was the Williamsport Grays
The Williamsport Grays were a minor league baseball team in Williamsport, Pennsylvania between 1923 and 1962. The club began play in 1923 in the New York–Pennsylvania League and were a charter member of the Eastern League in 1938. The team was ...
of the Class-A Eastern League. The manager of Williamsport was John Fitzpatrick, a long-time minor league player and manager. With the Grays that season, Koback batted .313 with 62 hits, 16 doubles and two home run
In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...
s in 68 games played.
In October 1956, Koback joined the Venados de Mazatlán
Venados de Mazatlán ( en, Mazatlán Deer) are a professional baseball team in the Mexican Pacific League based in Mazatlan, Sinaloa.
In 2016, the team won the Mexican Pacific League Championship and went on to win their second Caribbean Series ...
of the Mexican Pacific League
The Mexican Pacific League (), known as Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacífico for sponsorship reasons or simply LMP for its acronym in Spanish, is a professional baseball winter league based in Northern Mexico. The ten-team regular season schedule run ...
. On March 1, 1957, Koback played a charity game as a member of the Hartford, Connecticut Young Democrats against the Hartford Young Republicans
The Young Republican National Federation, commonly referred to as the Young Republicans or YRNF, is a 527 organization for members of the Republican Party of the United States between the ages of 18 and 40. It has both a national organization ...
. Koback began the 1957 season with the Hollywood Stars. Koback batted .167 with five hits, one of which was a double, in 11 games played. In the field, he had a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in 52 total chances. In May, Koback was farmed out to the Mobile Bears
The Mobile Bears were an American minor league baseball team based in Mobile, Alabama. The franchise was a member of the old Southern Association, a high-level circuit that folded after the 1961 season. Mobile joined the SA in 1908 as the ''Sea Gu ...
of the Double-A Southern Association. He later joined the New Orleans Pelicans, also of the Southern Association. Koback batted .230 with 28 hits, six of which were doubles, in 41 games played. Before the start of the 1958 season, Koback joined the minor league Salt Lake City Bees
The Salt Lake City Bees was a primary moniker of the minor league baseball teams, based in Salt Lake City, Utah between 1911 and 1970 under various names. After minor league baseball first began in Salt Lake City in 1900, the Bees were long-time ...
of the Pacific Coast League. However, before the start of the regular season
In an organized sports league, a typical season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session: for example, in Major League Baseball the season lasts approximately from the last week of March to the last week of Se ...
, Koback broke his finger.[ By May, Koback was played for the minor league Lincoln Chiefs of the Class-A Western League. ]Monty Basgall
Romanus "Monty" Basgall (February 8, 1922 – September 22, 2005) was an American professional baseball baseball player, player, manager (baseball), manager, coach (baseball), coach and scout (sports), scout. A former second baseman who appea ...
, a former MLB player, was Koback's manager that season. On the season, he batted .240 with 54 hits, four doubles, four triples and three home runs in 68 games played.
After the 1958 season, Koback enlisted in the Nebraska National Guard
The Nebraska National Guard consists of the:
*Nebraska Army National Guard
*Nebraska Air National Guard
See also
*Nebraska State Guard
References
External linksBibliography of Nebraska Army National Guard Historycompiled by the United States ...
and took up primary residence in that state. He spent the entire 1959 season with the minor league Pirates who represented Columbus, Georgia
Columbus is a consolidated city-county located on the west-central border of the U.S. state of Georgia. Columbus lies on the Chattahoochee River directly across from Phenix City, Alabama. It is the county seat of Muscogee County, with which it ...
, and Gastonia, North Carolina
Gastonia is the largest city in and county seat of Gaston County, North Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest satellite city of the Charlotte area, behind Concord. The population was 80,411 at the 2020 census, up from 71,741 in 2010 ...
. The Pirates, who were members of the Class-A South Atlantic League
The South Atlantic League, often informally called the Sally League, is a Minor League Baseball league with teams predominantly in states along the Atlantic coast of the United States from New York to Georgia. A Class A league for most of its ...
, were managed by former MLB pitcher Ray Hathaway.[ On the season, Koback batted .226 with 18 ]runs scored
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls ...
, 30 hits, six doubles, two triples, three home runs and 30 RBIs in 50 games played. Defensively, he made four errors, had 21 assists and 188 putouts. In April, Koback was traded by the Salt Lake City Bees, who still owned his contract, to the minor league Charleston Senators
The Charleston Senators were an American minor league baseball team based in Charleston, West Virginia. They were the first professional baseball team to play in Charleston, beginning play in 1910. The team was inactive during a few periods, playin ...
in exchange for outfielder
An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to cat ...
Chick King
Charles Gilbert King (November 10, 1930 – July 9, 2012) was a Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the Detroit Tigers (1954–1956), Chicago Cubs (1958–1959), and St. Louis Cardinals (1959).
Biography
Born in Paris, Tennessee, Kin ...
. The Senators, who were members of the Triple-A American Association American Association may refer to:
Baseball
* American Association (1882–1891), a major league active from 1882 to 1891
* American Association (1902–1997), a minor league active from 1902 to 1962 and 1969 to 1997
* American Association of Profe ...
, were managed by Del Wilber
Delbert Quentin Wilber (February 24, 1919 – July 18, 2002), was an American professional baseball player, manager, coach and scout. A catcher, he appeared in 299 Major League games for the St. Louis Cardinals (1946–49), Philadelphia Phill ...
, a former MLB player. Koback played five games with the Senators that season. In those games, he went hitless in four at-bats. That season would later prove to be his final in professional baseball.
Later life
After his baseball career was over, Koback took up golf
Golf is a club-and-ball sport in which players use various clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a course in as few strokes as possible.
Golf, unlike most ball games, cannot and does not use a standardized playing area, and coping wi ...
. In 1965, he began to work as a golf instructor at Goodwin Park in Hartford, Connecticut.[ Koback participated in the Keney Park Invitation in May 1966. He served as the assistant to Harry Nettelblatt at the Golf Club of Avon.] Koback won a pro–am
Pro–am (or pro/am, pro am, ProAm; a contraction of professional–amateur) refers to a sporting event where both professional career athletes and amateurs compete. It could also refer to a collaboration between professionals and amateu ...
tournament at Cliffside Country Club in Hartford, Connecticut in June 1969. In 1970, Koback was named the assistant to Bud Cordone at the Pequot Golf Club.[ Koback was inducted in the Hartford Public High School Athletic ]Hall of Fame
A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or Wiktionary:fame, fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actu ...
in 2004 for his contributions to the school's baseball team in the early 1950s. By 2006, Koback was living in .
Koback died January 23, 2015, aged 79.
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Koback, Nick
1935 births
2015 deaths
American male golfers
Baseball players from Hartford, Connecticut
Charleston Senators players
Connecticut Democrats
Gastonia Pirates players
Golfers from Connecticut
Hollywood Stars players
Lincoln Chiefs players
Major League Baseball bullpen catchers
Major League Baseball catchers
National Guard (United States) officers
Nebraska National Guard personnel
New Orleans Pelicans (baseball) players
Pittsburgh Pirates players
Sportspeople from Hartford, Connecticut
Williamsport Grays players