Ray Berres
Encyclopedia
Raymond Frederick Berres (August 31, 1907 - February 1, 2007) was an American
catcher
and pitching coach
in Major League Baseball
who played for the Brooklyn Dodgers
(1934, 1936), Pittsburgh Pirates
(1937–1940), Boston Bees/Braves
(1940–1941) and New York Giants
(1942–1945). He batted and threw right-handed.
Born in Kenosha, Wisconsin
, Berres was a 5'9" 170-lb, light-hitting catcher who, thanks to his fine glove, managed to play in 11 major league seasons for four National League
teams, usually in a backup role. He provided fine catching, quality game-calling, and a respectable throwing arm. Drafted by the Brooklyn Dodgers from the Birmingham Barons
(Southern Association
) in the 1933 Rule 5 draft
, he debuted with Brooklyn in , backing up Al Lopez
behind the plate.
He returned to the minor leagues in 1935, but became Brooklyn's starting catcher when Lopez was traded to Boston in December 1935. His most productive season came as a rookie, when he posted career highs in batting average
(.240), hits
(64) and doubles
(10). The Pittsburgh Pirates, short of catching, signed him a year later.
Before the 1940 season, Berres was traded by Pittsburgh to the Boston Bees in exchange for Lopez. He played in part of two seasons with the Boston franchise, including their first year as the Braves in , when he appeared in a career-high 120 games while hitting .201(56-for-279); he also led the NL in fielding percentage
with a .995 mark. After backing up a series of Giants catchers for four seasons, he finished his career with that team in . In an 11-season career, Berres was a .216 hitter with three home run
s and 78 runs batted in
in 561 games played
.
He was the pitching coach for the Chicago White Sox
for nearly two decades (1949–66; midseason of 1968 through 1969), primarily under manager Lopez, including the American League
champions.
Berres died in his hometown of Kenosha from pneumonia
at the age of 99.
Berres was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame
in 1999.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
and pitching coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
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 Brooklyn 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...
(1934, 1936), 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...
(1937–1940), Boston Bees/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....
(1940–1941) and 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....
(1942–1945). He batted and threw right-handed.
Born in Kenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha, Wisconsin
Kenosha is a city and the county seat of Kenosha County in the State of Wisconsin in United States. With a population of 99,218 as of May 2011, Kenosha is the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Kenosha is also the fourth-largest city on the western shore of Lake Michigan, following Chicago,...
, Berres was a 5'9" 170-lb, light-hitting catcher who, thanks to his fine glove, managed to play in 11 major league seasons for four National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
teams, usually in a backup role. He provided fine catching, quality game-calling, and a respectable throwing arm. Drafted by the Brooklyn Dodgers from the Birmingham Barons
Birmingham Barons
The Birmingham Barons are a minor league baseball team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox major-league club....
(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 the 1933 Rule 5 draft
Rule 5 draft
The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor league affiliate teams when other teams would be willing to...
, he debuted with Brooklyn in , backing up Al Lopez
Al Lopez
Alfonso Ramon "Al" Lopez was an American catcher and manager in Major League Baseball, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977....
behind the plate.
He returned to the minor leagues in 1935, but became Brooklyn's starting catcher when Lopez was traded to Boston in December 1935. His most productive season came as a rookie, when he posted career highs in batting 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 :...
(.240), 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....
(64) and 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....
(10). The Pittsburgh Pirates, short of catching, signed him a year later.
Before the 1940 season, Berres was traded by Pittsburgh to the Boston Bees in exchange for Lopez. He played in part of two seasons with the Boston franchise, including their first year as the Braves in , when he appeared in a career-high 120 games while hitting .201(56-for-279); he also led the NL in fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
with a .995 mark. After backing up a series of Giants catchers for four seasons, he finished his career with that team in . In an 11-season career, Berres was a .216 hitter with three 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...
s and 78 runs batted in
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...
in 561 games played
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,...
.
He was the pitching coach for the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
for nearly two decades (1949–66; midseason of 1968 through 1969), primarily under manager Lopez, including the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
champions.
Berres died in his hometown of Kenosha from pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
at the age of 99.
Berres was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame
Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame
The Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame is a promenade in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, dedicated to honoring distinguished members of Wisconsin's sports history. New members are honored at a biennial banquet.-History:...
in 1999.
External links
- Interview with Ray Berres
- Baseball Almanac
- Retrosheet
- Encyclopedia of Baseball Catchers
- 1959 Chicago White Sox
- Ex-Sox pitching coach Berres dies
- Ray Berres at Find a GraveFind A GraveFind a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...