Eddie Bockman

Eddie Bockman (born July 26, 1920) is a former major league third baseman from Santa Ana, California. He played for the New York Yankees (1946), Cleveland Indians (1947), and the
Pittsburgh Pirates (1948 "-" 1949). He threw and batted righthanded. His height is 5'9" and his playing weight was 175 pounds. He batted .230 over four major league seasons. He collected 109 hits, achieved an on base percentage of .299, and a slugging average of .350. ["Eddie Bockman", http://www.baseball-reference.com, Players.]

Bockman was a triple-threat back for Woodrow Wilson Classical High School in Long Beach, California, in 1937. ["Wilson High Optimistic", Los Angeles Times, September 18, 1937, Page A11.]

Playing second base, Bockman hit ahome run for the Fullerton, California All-Stars to help lead them to a 16-4 victory over Fort Rosecrans, in August 1943. ["Fullerton All-Stars Rout Soldier Nine", Los Angeles Times, August 30, 1943, Page A10.] Bockman played third base fora Pacific Coast League All-Star team which featured Cleveland Indians pitcher Bob Feller. The All-Stars opposed the Kansas City Monarchs at Wrigley Field (Los Angeles), on October2, 1945. Satchel Paige pitched for the Monarchs.

Allie Reynolds was traded by Cleveland to the Yankees in 1946 for Joe Gordon and Bockman. ["Cleveland Alumni Now Hound Tribe", Los Angeles Times, July 18, 1954, Page B6.]

Bockman reported to the Pittsburgh Pirates west coast spring training site, in Santa Monica, California, in February 1948. ["Buc Brigade Set To Open Local Training", Los Angeles Times, February 22, 1948, Page 17.] In the second game of an April 1949 doubleheader Bockman hit two home runs to give thePirates a 3-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at Forbes Field. His two-run homer in the 4th inning scored Danny Murtaugh, who had walked. ["Bucs Bag Nightcap To Divy With Reds", Los Angeles Times, April 25, 1949, Page C2.]

He played third base and hit .245 for the Indianapolis Indians of the American Association in 1950. Bockman was purchased by the Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League in February 1951. ["Portland Buys Eddie Bockman", Los Angeles Times, February 18, 1951, Page B11.]

Bockman managed the Visalia Oaks in 1956. ["Sportraits",Los Angeles Times, February 20, 1956, Page C2.] In 1957 he became a player-manager for the Amarillo Gold Sox of the Western League (defunct minor league). ["The Bull Pen", Los Angeles Times, January 31, 1957, Page C6.]

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