Steve Souchock

Infobox MLB retired
name = Steve Souchock


width =
caption =
position = Outfielder, first baseman
birthdate = birth date|1919|3|3
deathdate = death date and age|mf=yes|2002|7|28|1919|3|3
bats = Right
throws = Right
debutdate = May 25
debutyear = 1946
debutteam = New York Yankees
finaldate = April 15
finalyear = 1955
finalteam = Detroit Tigers
stat1label = Hits
stat1value = 313
stat2label = Batting average
stat2value = .255
stat3label = Home runs
stat3value = 50
teams =
* New York Yankees (by|1946 by|1948)
* Chicago White Sox (by|1949)
* Detroit Tigers (by|1951-by|1955)

Stephen "Steve" Souchock (March 3, 1919 – July 28, 2002) is a former Major League Baseball outfielder and first basemen and a former veteran who served for the military during World War II.cite web|url=http://www.historicbaseball.com/players/s/souchock_steve.html|title=Was a player and a veteran of World War II|publisher= historicbaseball.com|accessdate=2008-09-30] His Major League Baseball career lasted a total of eight years, having served in the military for three years. Born in Yatesboro, Pennsylvania, Souchock worked on the assembly line at the Ford factory during his early life. He also played semi-pro football for the Dearborn Club in 1938. During his baseball career, he batted and threw right-handed.

Career

Minor League Baseball

New York Yankees’ scout Bill Skiff had scouted Steve Souchock, and eventually signed with the New York Yankees in June of 1939, before the 1939 baseball season.cite web|url=http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/souchst01.shtml#TRANS|title=Transactions|publisher=Baseball-Reference.com|accessdate=2008-09-30] From 1939–1942, Souchock played baseball in the New York Yankees organization. In 1942, Souchock was the Eastern League Most Valuable Player and won the league batting title with a batting average of .315.

Military service

In 1943, The New York Yankees were possibly going call-up and use Souchock as a replacement for Buddy Hassett as first baseman in Major League Baseball, but he instead entered military service in January of that year.cite web|url=http://www.baseballinwartime.co.uk/player_biographies/souchock_steve.htm|title=Steve Souchock's baseball career and military service|publisher=baseballinwartime.co.uk|accessdate=2008-09-30] In the military, served in the 691st Tank Destroyer Battalion of the 87th Infantry Division, US Army. He served in the European Theater of Operations. Serving the military for three years, he eventually earned the rank of First Sergeant. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge.cite web|url=http://www.baseballlibrary.com/ballplayers/player.php?name=Steve_Souchock_1919|title=The Ballplayers: Steve SouChock|publisher=baseballlibrary.com|accessdate=2008-09-30] His unit was attached to Patton's 3rd Army. Toward the end of his military service, Souchock earned a Bronze Star in Europe as commander of a five-man gun crew. He returned home with five battle stars in late 1945, Souchock said, "The war cost me three important years, as it did many ballplayers." On December 6, 1945, at Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, Souchock had been discharged from military service.

Major League Baseball

The following year on May 25, 1946, Souchock made his major league debut with the New York Yankees. That year, he played 47 games and batted .302 with two home runs. He had been listed at 6-02½ in height, and 203 lb. in weight. He played two baseball seasons with the New York Yankees, until being traded on December 14, 1948 by the New York Yankees to the Chicago White Sox for outfielder Jim Delsing. He played in 84 games with the Chicago White Sox, hitting seven home runs. On November 16, 1950, Souchock was drafted by the Detroit Tigers from the Chicago White Sox in the 1950 rule 5 draft. For the last five years of his Major League Baseball career, Souchock played with the Detroit Tigers. He broke his wrist in 1954, which ended his effectiveness. His last game was played on April 15, 1955.

Death

Souchock passed away on July 28, 2002 in Plantation, Florida at the age of 83.

References

External links

* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/s/souchst01.shtml Steve Souchock] at Baseball-Reference.com
* [http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=souchst01 Steve Souchock at Baseball-Almanac.com]
* [http://www.thebaseballcube.com/players/S/steve-souchock.shtml Steve Shouchock at The Baseball Cube]
* [http://www.baseball-stars.com/player/steve-souchock-a.aspx Steve Souchock at baseball-stars.com]

* [http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1012290&position=1B/OF Steve Souchock at fangraphs.com]