Jackie Collum
Encyclopedia
John Dean Collum was a pitcher
in Major League Baseball
who played for eight different teams between the and seasons. Listed at 5' 7", 163 lb., Collum batted and threw left-handed. He was born in Victor, Iowa
.
Collum was one of four children of John Edward Collum and Sophia Louise Lohman and the youngest of three brothers. He was raised in Newburg, Iowa, near Grinnell
, and graduated from Newburg High School, where he played in the Iowa State Baseball Tournament.
He served in World War II
with the United States Air Force
in the Pacific Theatre of Operations, where he was stationed in the Philippines
. Following the war he returned home and married Betty Belles on February 28, 1948. He pursue his major league dreams after going 24-2 in 1948 for Class-A St. Joseph team of the Western League.
Basically a reliever
, Collum also served in starting
roles. He entered the major leagues in 1951 with the St. Louis Cardinals
, playing for them until the 1953 midseason before joining the Cincinnati Reds/Redlegs
from 1953 to 1955. After spending two years out of baseball, he rejoined the Cardinals in 1956 and also pitched with the Chicago Cubs
in 1957 and for two Dodgers
teams; in 1957, when they were leaving his hometown of Brooklyn
for the sunny skies of Los Angeles
starting the 1958 season.
His most productive season came with Cincinnati in 1955, when he recorded career-numbers in wins
(9), earned run average
(3.63) and complete game
s (5), while pitching 134 innings
. His highlight of the season came on July 18, when he pitched a three-hit shutout
against the Philadelphia Phillies
and Jim Konstanty
, silencing a powerful lineup that included Richie Ashburn
, Eddie Waitkus
, Del Ennis
, Stan Lopata
, Willie Jones
and Granny Hamner
.
Collum also had stints with the Minnesota Twins
and Cleveland Indians
in 1962, his last major league season.
In a nine-season career, Collum posted a 32-28 record with a .533 ERA in 171 appearances, including 37 starts, 11 complete games, two shutouts, 12 saves
, 171 strikeout
s and 173 walks
in 464.0 innings of work.
He also helped himself with the bat, hitting a .246 average
(29-for-118) with one home run
, 15 runs
, 13 RBI
, five doubles
, and a .321 on-base percentage.
Following his baseball career, Collum worked in the automotive business in Grinnell, Iowa
and was owner of Grinnel Pioneer Oil. He was inducted into the Iowa Baseball Hall of Fame and was also a member of the Major League Baseball Alumni Association and the Grinnell Eagles Lodge.
Collum died in the Mayflower Health Care Center in Grinnell at the age of 82. He was buried at Rock Creek Cemetery of Grinnell.
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
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 eight different teams between the and seasons. Listed at 5' 7", 163 lb., Collum batted and threw left-handed. He was born in Victor, Iowa
Victor, Iowa
Victor is a city in Poweshiek and Iowa Counties in the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 893 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 952 population in the 2000 census.-History:-Geography:Victor is located at ....
.
Collum was one of four children of John Edward Collum and Sophia Louise Lohman and the youngest of three brothers. He was raised in Newburg, Iowa, near Grinnell
Grinnell, Iowa
Grinnell is a city in Poweshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,218 at the 2010 census. Grinnell was named after Josiah Bushnell Grinnell and is the home of Grinnell College.- History :...
, and graduated from Newburg High School, where he played in the Iowa State Baseball Tournament.
He served in 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...
with the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
in the Pacific Theatre of Operations, where he was stationed in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. Following the war he returned home and married Betty Belles on February 28, 1948. He pursue his major league dreams after going 24-2 in 1948 for Class-A St. Joseph team of the Western League.
Basically a reliever
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...
, Collum also served in starting
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
roles. He entered the major leagues in 1951 with the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
, playing for them until the 1953 midseason before joining the Cincinnati Reds/Redlegs
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
from 1953 to 1955. After spending two years out of baseball, he rejoined the Cardinals in 1956 and also pitched with the Chicago 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...
in 1957 and for two Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
teams; in 1957, when they were leaving his hometown of Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
for the sunny skies of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
starting the 1958 season.
His most productive season came with Cincinnati in 1955, when he recorded career-numbers in wins
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
(9), earned run average
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...
(3.63) and complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
s (5), while pitching 134 innings
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
. His highlight of the season came on July 18, when he pitched a three-hit shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
against the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
and Jim Konstanty
Jim Konstanty
Casimir James "Jim" Konstanty was an American relief pitcher in Major League Baseball and National League Most Valuable Player of 1950. He played for the Cincinnati Reds , Boston Braves , Philadelphia Phillies , New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals...
, silencing a powerful lineup that included Richie Ashburn
Richie Ashburn
Don Richard "Richie" Ashburn , also known by the nicknames, "Putt-Putt", "The Tilden Flash", and "Whitey" due to his light-blond hair, was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball. He was born in Tilden, Nebraska...
, Eddie Waitkus
Eddie Waitkus
Edward Stephen Waitkus was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who had an 11-year career . He played for the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies in the National League and for the Baltimore Orioles of the American League...
, Del Ennis
Del Ennis
Delmer Ennis was an American left and right fielder in Major League Baseball who played most of his career for the Philadelphia Phillies. From 1949 to 1957, Ennis accumulated more runs batted in than anyone besides Stan Musial and was 8th in the National League in home runs...
, Stan Lopata
Stan Lopata
Stanley Edward Lopata was an American professional baseball player. Lopata played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for parts of 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Braves...
, Willie Jones
Willie Jones (baseball)
Willie Edward Jones , nicknamed "Puddin' Head", was a Major League Baseball third baseman who played for the Philadelphia Phillies , Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds...
and Granny Hamner
Granny Hamner
Granville Wilbur Hamner was an American shortstop and second baseman in Major League Baseball. Hamner was one of the key players on the "Whiz Kids", the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies...
.
Collum also had stints with the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
and Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
in 1962, his last major league season.
In a nine-season career, Collum posted a 32-28 record with a .533 ERA in 171 appearances, including 37 starts, 11 complete games, two shutouts, 12 saves
Save (sport)
In baseball, a save is credited to a pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under certain prescribed circumstances. The number of saves, or percentage of save opportunities successfully converted, is an oft-cited statistic of relief pitchers...
, 171 strikeout
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....
s and 173 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...
in 464.0 innings of work.
He also helped himself with the bat, hitting a .246 average
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 :...
(29-for-118) with one 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...
, 15 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...
, 13 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
, five doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, and a .321 on-base percentage.
Following his baseball career, Collum worked in the automotive business in Grinnell, Iowa
Grinnell, Iowa
Grinnell is a city in Poweshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,218 at the 2010 census. Grinnell was named after Josiah Bushnell Grinnell and is the home of Grinnell College.- History :...
and was owner of Grinnel Pioneer Oil. He was inducted into the Iowa Baseball Hall of Fame and was also a member of the Major League Baseball Alumni Association and the Grinnell Eagles Lodge.
Collum died in the Mayflower Health Care Center in Grinnell at the age of 82. He was buried at Rock Creek Cemetery of Grinnell.