Leo Burke (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Leo Patrick Burke is a retired American
utility player
in Major League Baseball
. The graduate of Virginia Tech played two full seasons and parts of five others in MLB as a rightfielder, second baseman
and third baseman
for the Baltimore Orioles
, Los Angeles Angels
, St. Louis Cardinals
and Chicago Cubs
(1958–1959; 1961–1965). He threw and batted right-handed, stood 5 in 11 in (1.8 m) and weighed 185 pounds (83.9 kg).
Despite his relatively brief career, Burke was involved in a noteworthy waiver deal between the Cardinals and Cubs on June 24, 1963, when he was sent to Chicago for relief pitcher
Barney Schultz
, who would play a key role in the Cardinals' 1964 pennant-winning season
. Burke played 98 of his 165 MLB games
in a Cub uniform.
During his Major League career, Burke batted
.239 with 72 hits
, nine home runs and 45 runs batted in.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
utility player
Utility player
In sport, a utility player is one who can play several positions competently, a sort of jack of all trades. Sports in which the term is often used include association football , baseball, rugby, rugby league, water polo and softball....
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...
. The graduate of Virginia Tech played two full seasons and parts of five others in MLB as a rightfielder, second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
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...
for 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...
, Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
, 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...
and 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...
(1958–1959; 1961–1965). He threw and batted right-handed, stood 5 in 11 in (1.8 m) and weighed 185 pounds (83.9 kg).
Despite his relatively brief career, Burke was involved in a noteworthy waiver deal between the Cardinals and Cubs on June 24, 1963, when he was sent to Chicago for 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...
Barney Schultz
Barney Schultz
George Warren "Barney" Schultz , was a professional baseball player. He was signed by the Philadelphia Phillies in 1944. He was a pitcher in the Major Leagues from 1955-1965. He would play for the St. Louis Cardinals, Detroit Tigers, and Chicago Cubs...
, who would play a key role in the Cardinals' 1964 pennant-winning season
1964 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals season was the team's 83rd season in St. Louis, Missouri and its 73rd season in the National League. The Cardinals went 93-69 during the season and finished first in the National League, edging the co-runner-ups Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies by one game each on...
. Burke played 98 of his 165 MLB 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,...
in a Cub uniform.
During his Major League career, Burke 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 :...
.239 with 72 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....
, nine home runs and 45 runs batted in.