Bobby Prescott
Encyclopedia
George Bertrand "Bobby" Prescott (born March 27, 1931, at Colón, Panama
) is a former professional baseball
player, an outfielder
, first baseman
and third baseman
who had a 19-year career, from 1952–1970, in North America
n minor league baseball
and a brief trial with the Kansas City Athletics
of the Major Leagues
. He was a prolific home run
hitter during his minor league career, smashing 398 round-trippers in 7,482 at bats, eclipsing the 30-home run mark five times, and twice leading the Mexican League in that category.
Prescott batted and threw right-handed, stood 5 in 11 in (1.8 m) tall and weighed 180 pounds (81.6 kg). He initially signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates
in 1952, and led the Class A Western League
in runs scored (137) in 1954. He played in 143 games for the 1955 Hollywood Stars
of the Open-Classification Pacific Coast League
, then was drafted by the New York Giants
. Prescott played five years at the Class A, Double-A and Triple-A levels of the Giants' farm system, and batted
over .300 for the 1958–1959 Phoenix Giants before being acquired by the Athletics prior to the 1961 season.
In 1961, Prescott put up his best Triple-A season, batting .301 with 32 homers and 101 runs batted in for the Hawaii Islanders
. The season was also marked by Prescott's only MLB service. Recalled by the Athletics in June, he appeared in ten games
, starting two games in left field, pinch hitting
in seven, and appearing in one contest as a pinch runner
. On June 27, Prescott recorded his only Major League hit
, a single
off Billy Hoeft
of the Baltimore Orioles
in a pinch-hitting role.
Prescott returned to the PCL for the balance of 1961 and all of 1962, then spent the final eight seasons of his playing career in the Mexican League, belting 37, 39, 41, 32 and 26 home runs in consecutive seasons (1964–1968).
Colón, Panama
Colón is a sea port on the Caribbean Sea coast of Panama. The city lies near the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. It is capital of Panama's Colón Province and has traditionally been known as Panama's second city....
) is a former professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
player, an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
, first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
and third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
who had a 19-year career, from 1952–1970, in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
n minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
and a brief trial with the Kansas City Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
of the Major Leagues
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. He was a prolific home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
hitter during his minor league career, smashing 398 round-trippers in 7,482 at bats, eclipsing the 30-home run mark five times, and twice leading the Mexican League in that category.
Prescott batted and threw right-handed, stood 5 in 11 in (1.8 m) tall and weighed 180 pounds (81.6 kg). He initially signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
in 1952, and led the Class A Western League
Western League (defunct minor league)
The Western League is a name given to several circuits in American minor league baseball. Its earliest progenitor, which existed from 1885 to 1899, was the predecessor of the American League...
in runs scored (137) in 1954. He played in 143 games for the 1955 Hollywood Stars
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 :...
of the Open-Classification Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
, then was drafted by the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. Prescott played five years at the Class A, Double-A and Triple-A levels of the Giants' farm system, and batted
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
over .300 for the 1958–1959 Phoenix Giants before being acquired by the Athletics prior to the 1961 season.
In 1961, Prescott put up his best Triple-A season, batting .301 with 32 homers and 101 runs batted in for the Hawaii Islanders
Hawaii Islanders
The Hawaii Islanders were a AAA minor league baseball team, based in Honolulu, Hawaii, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1961 through 1987. The Islanders were originally an affiliate of the Kansas City Athletics. They played their home games at Honolulu Stadium, Honolulu's Aloha Stadium...
. The season was also marked by Prescott's only MLB service. Recalled by the Athletics in June, he appeared in ten games
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
, starting two games in left field, pinch hitting
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
in seven, and appearing in one contest as a pinch runner
Pinch runner
A pinch runner is a baseball player substituted for the specific purpose of replacing a player on base. In the typical case, the pinch runner is faster or otherwise more skilled at base-running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been substituted...
. On June 27, Prescott recorded his only Major League hit
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, a single
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
off Billy Hoeft
Billy Hoeft
William Frederick Hoeft was a pitcher in Major League Baseball whose career spanned 15 seasons with the Detroit Tigers, Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Milwaukee Braves, Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants. He was born in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.-Detroit Tigers :Hoeft was signed by the Detroit...
of the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
in a pinch-hitting role.
Prescott returned to the PCL for the balance of 1961 and all of 1962, then spent the final eight seasons of his playing career in the Mexican League, belting 37, 39, 41, 32 and 26 home runs in consecutive seasons (1964–1968).