Vern Hoscheit

Vernard Arthur Hoscheit (born April 1, 1922, Brunswick, Nebraska; died June 11, 2007, Pierce, Nebraska) was a coach on four World Series championship baseball teams with the Oakland Athletics and the New York Mets. Hoscheit was the Mets' bullpen coach from 1984-1987, which included their World Series run in 1986. During that season's Spring Training, Hoscheit accurately predicted that the team would clinch the National League East Division title on September 17th, long before any regular season game was even played.

Playing career

Hoscheit originally signed with the New York Yankees and was a catcher in their farm system for 12 seasons starting in 1941. He missed the 1943-1945 seasons because of World War II, but returned and hung on in the Minor Leagues until 1955, his best season being 1951, when he hit .354 with 11 home runs and 109 RBIs for the McAlester, OK Rockets in the Sooner State League.

Post-Playing Career

Upon the end of his playing career, Hoscheit became a general manager for the Quincy, IL (1955-1956), Peoria, IL (1957), and Greensboro, NC (1958-1959) clubs, and then became president of the Three-I League in 1960. [ [http://www.boston.com/news/globe/obituaries/articles/2007/06/13/vern_hoscheit_won_won_4_world_series_as_a_coach_at_85/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+Obituaries AP via "Boston Globe" "Vern Hoscheit; won 4 World Series as a coach; at 85" June 13 2007] ]

Hoscheit joined the Baltimore Orioles and was a scout and minor league coordinator (1962-1967) and coach (1968). He switched to Oakland and was a coach from 1969-1974, earning World Series rings in his final three seasons. [ [http://www.boston.com/news/globe/obituaries/articles/2007/06/13/vern_hoscheit_won_won_4_world_series_as_a_coach_at_85/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+Obituaries AP via "Boston Globe" "Vern Hoscheit; won 4 World Series as a coach; at 85" June 13 2007] ]

He coached for the California Angels (1976) and was the Mets' Gulf Coast League manager in 1983. With the parent team, he served as bullpen coach when New York won the World Series in 1986. He became a minor league catching instructor for the Mets in 1988. [ [http://www.boston.com/news/globe/obituaries/articles/2007/06/13/vern_hoscheit_won_won_4_world_series_as_a_coach_at_85/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+Obituaries AP via "Boston Globe" "Vern Hoscheit; won 4 World Series as a coach; at 85" June 13 2007] ]

Retirement

In retirement, Hoscheit returned to his native Nebraska, where he coached American Legion teams in Plainview, NE for many years. On June 11, 2007, it was reported by Jay Horwitz, Mets vice president for media relations, that Hoscheit died at the Pierce Manor nursing home following a long illness.

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