Dick Hoover (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Richard Lloyd Hoover was an American
relief pitcher
in Major League Baseball
who played for the Boston Braves
during the 1952
season. Listed at 6' 0", 170 lb., he batted and threw left-handed.
Born in Columbus, Ohio
, the 17-year-old Dick Hoover was signed by the New York Giants
as an amateur free agent prior to the start of the 1943 season. He was assigned to the Appalachian League
, where he finished 11-1 to led the league in winning percentage (.917) while helping lead the Bristol Twins
to a 74-35 pennant-winning record. But his baseball career was interrupted in 1944 after he entered service in the United States Navy during World War II
.
Following his discharge in 1946, Hoover was part of successive transactions between the Giants, Cubs
and Pirates
organizations, playing for six different teams in a span of three years. Before the 1949 season, Hoover was sent by the Giants along with Gary Gearhart and cash consideration to the Atlanta Crackers
of the Southern Association
in exchange for Davey Williams
. By then, the Crackers were a Class AA affiliate of the Boston Braves, a period during which they won more games than any other league team. .
Hoover had two solid years with the Crackers, after going 11-11 with a 3.97 ERA
in 1949 and 16-7, 3.35 in 1950. He was promoted to Triple A Milwaukee Brewers
of the American Association
in 1951, ending with a 5-4 record and a 3.14 ERA in 27 games, basically as a middle reliever
and spot starter
.
Hoover opened 1952 with the Boston Braves, pitching for them from April 16 through April 23. He made two relief appearances, allowing four runs
on eight hits
and three walks
while striking out
one batter in 4⅔ innings of work. He did not have a decision, but gained notoriety by serving up the home run
ball hit by future Hall of Famer
Hoyt Wilhelm
in his first Major League at bat
. It would be the only homer Wilhelm would hit in his 20-year major league career.
Following his brief stint in the majors, Hoover returned to Milwaukee for the rest of the 1952 season. He went 10-5 while leading the pitching staff with a 2.60 ERA. He finished his career with Triple A Columbus Jets
in 1955. His career highlight came on August 14, when he hurled a no-hitter
against the Richmond Virginians
.
In an 11-season, minors career Hoover posted a 89-72 record and a 3.44 ERA in 313 pitching appearances.
After baseball retirement in 1955, Hoover worked as a police sergeant in his native Columbus. He died in a traffic collision in Lake Placid, Florida
at the age of 55 years, while making a vacation trip.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
in Major League Baseball
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...
who played for the Boston Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
during the 1952
1952 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Brooklyn Dodgers *All-Star Game, July 8 at Shibe Park: National League, 3-2 -Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: La Habana *College World Series: Holy Cross...
season. Listed at 6' 0", 170 lb., he batted and threw left-handed.
Born in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, the 17-year-old Dick Hoover was signed 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....
as an amateur free agent prior to the start of the 1943 season. He was assigned to the Appalachian League
Appalachian League
The Appalachian League is a Rookie-class minor league that began play in 1937 with one year of inactivity in 1956. From 1937 to 1962, it was a Class D League. Teams are located in the Appalachian regions of Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Tennessee...
, where he finished 11-1 to led the league in winning percentage (.917) while helping lead the Bristol Twins
Bristol Twins
The Bristol Twins were a Minor league baseball team that operated in the Class D Appalachian League between the and seasons.The Twins were an affiliate team of the New York Giants , Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Yankees Major League organizations...
to a 74-35 pennant-winning record. But his baseball career was interrupted in 1944 after he entered service in the United States Navy during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Following his discharge in 1946, Hoover was part of successive transactions between the Giants, Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
and 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...
organizations, playing for six different teams in a span of three years. Before the 1949 season, Hoover was sent by the Giants along with Gary Gearhart and cash consideration to the Atlanta Crackers
Atlanta Crackers
The Atlanta Crackers were minor league baseball teams based in Atlanta, Georgia, between 1901 and 1965. The Crackers were Atlanta's home team until the Atlanta Braves moved from Milwaukee in 1966....
of the Southern Association
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 , Class A1 and Class AA...
in exchange for Davey Williams
Davey Williams
David Carlous Williams was an All-Star second baseman who played his entire career for the New York Giants of the National League. Listed at 5' 10", 160 lb., Williams batted and threw right-handed...
. By then, the Crackers were a Class AA affiliate of the Boston Braves, a period during which they won more games than any other league team. .
Hoover had two solid years with the Crackers, after going 11-11 with a 3.97 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
in 1949 and 16-7, 3.35 in 1950. He was promoted to Triple A Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers (minor league baseball team)
The Milwaukee Brewers were a Minor League Baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They played in the American Association from 1902 through 1952.-A Milwaukee Tradition:...
of the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
in 1951, ending with a 5-4 record and a 3.14 ERA in 27 games, basically as a middle reliever
Middle relief pitcher
In baseball, middle relief pitchers are relief pitchers who commonly pitch in the 6th or 7th innings or in situations where several innings worth of work is required . In the National League, a middle reliever often comes in after the starting pitcher has been pulled for a pinch hitter...
and spot starter
Long reliever
A Long reliever is a type of relief pitcher in baseball.Long relievers traditionally enter early in a game when the starting pitcher cannot continue, whether due to ineffective pitching, lack of endurance, rain delays, injury, or ejection...
.
Hoover opened 1952 with the Boston Braves, pitching for them from April 16 through April 23. He made two relief appearances, allowing four runs
Run (baseball)
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 are met or assured...
on eight hits
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....
and three walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
while striking out
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
one batter in 4⅔ innings of work. He did not have a decision, but gained notoriety by serving up the 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...
ball hit by future Hall of Famer
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
Hoyt Wilhelm
Hoyt Wilhelm
James Hoyt Wilhelm was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985....
in his first Major League at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
. It would be the only homer Wilhelm would hit in his 20-year major league career.
Following his brief stint in the majors, Hoover returned to Milwaukee for the rest of the 1952 season. He went 10-5 while leading the pitching staff with a 2.60 ERA. He finished his career with Triple A Columbus Jets
Columbus Jets
The Columbus Jets were a Minor League baseball team that played in Columbus, Ohio from 1955 to 1970. The team moved from Ottawa, Canada where they were known as the Ottawa Athletics. The Jets were a member of the International League. From 1955-56 they were the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City...
in 1955. His career highlight came on August 14, when he hurled a no-hitter
No-hitter
A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...
against the Richmond Virginians
Richmond Virginians
The Richmond Virginians was the name of a minor league baseball Class AAA International League franchise that played in Richmond, Virginia, from 1954 through 1964....
.
In an 11-season, minors career Hoover posted a 89-72 record and a 3.44 ERA in 313 pitching appearances.
After baseball retirement in 1955, Hoover worked as a police sergeant in his native Columbus. He died in a traffic collision in Lake Placid, Florida
Lake Placid, Florida
Lake Placid is a town in Highlands County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the town's population as 1,878 on 1 July 2007...
at the age of 55 years, while making a vacation trip.