Joe Dobson
Joe Dobson | |
---|---|
Pitcher | |
Born: Durant, Oklahoma,U.S. | January 20, 1917|
Died:June 23, 1994 Jacksonville, Florida,U.S. | (aged 77)|
Batted:Right Threw:Right | |
MLB debut | |
April 26, 1939, for the Cleveland Indians | |
Last MLB appearance | |
April 30, 1954, for the Boston Red Sox | |
MLB statistics | |
Win–loss record | 137–103 |
Earned run average | 3.62 |
Strikeouts | 992 |
Teams | |
Career highlights and awards | |
Joseph Gordon Dobson(January 20, 1917 – June 23, 1994) was an Americanprofessional baseballplayer,a right-handedpitcherwho appeared inMajor League Baseballfor theCleveland Indians(1939–40),Boston Red Sox(1941–43; 1946–50; 1954) andChicago White Sox(1951–53). After his playing career, Dobson was the pitching coach for the Red Sox for a season and a general manager in the Red Sox minor league system.
Early life
[edit]Dobson was born inDurant, Oklahoma.At the age of nine, he lost his left thumb and forefinger playing with adynamitecap. Dobson entered professional baseball in 1937, pitching for theTroy Trojansof theAlabama–Florida League,winning 19 games and striking out 200 batters in 270 innings. The next season, he pitched for theNew Orleans Pelicansof theSouthern Association,finishing with an 11–7 win–loss record and making the case that he was ready for the major leagues.[1]
MLB career
[edit]After playing his first two MLB seasons for Cleveland in 1939 and 1940, Dobson was sent to Boston in a six-player trade that includedJim Bagby, Jr.Dobson enjoyed his best years with the Red Sox. Between 1941 and 1950 (excepting 1944–45, when he served in theUnited States Armyduring World War II),[2]hewon106 games for the Red Sox. Dobson won a game as a starting pitcher in the1946 World Series,and he also appeared as a relief pitcher twice during that series. His best MLB season came in 1947, when he finished with an 18–8 win–loss record.[3]In September of that season, Dobson threw aone-hitter.[4]He was anAll-Starin 1948.
Dobson pitched for the Chicago White Sox between 1951 and 1953. The White Sox released Dobson in August 1953, and he did not pitch for the rest of the season. He was signed as a free agent by the Red Sox before the 1954 season; the team released him in May of that season after he made two relief appearances.[5]
In a 14-season career, Dobson compiled a 137–103recordwith 992strikeouts,a 3.62ERA,112complete games,22shutouts,18saves,and 2,170inningsin 414games pitched(273 as astarter).
Later life
[edit]Dobson became the pitching coach for the Red Sox.[6]He later served as general manager of theWinter Haven Red Soxof theFlorida State League.[7]He died in 1994 inJacksonville, Florida,at the age of 77.[3]He is buried atEvergreen Cemeteryin Jacksonville. In 2012, he was inducted into theBoston Red Sox Hall of Fame.
References
[edit]- ^McNeil, William F. (2017).Red Sox Roll Call: 200 Memorable Players, 1901-2011.McFarland.ISBN978-0-7864-8704-2.
- ^Baseball in Wartime
- ^abEx-sox pitcher Joe Dobson dies.Chicago Tribune.June 26, 1994.
- ^Lundquist, Carl (September 18, 1947)."Dodger pilot, 'nice old guy', gambles and wins".Knoxville News-Sentinel.
- ^"Joe Dobson Stats".Baseball-Reference.RetrievedJuly 18,2020.
- ^Holbrook, Bob (May 19, 1954)."Mrs. Dobson worries less now Joe is coach".The Boston Globe.
- ^Lewis, Steve (February 28, 1978)."Play ball? Well, maybe".The Tampa Tribune.
External links
[edit]- Career statistics and player information fromMLB,orBaseball Reference,orBaseball Reference (Minors)
- 1949 Boston Red Sox, atBaseball Historian
- Joe Dobson at SABR BioProject
- Joe DobsonatFind a Grave
- 1917 births
- 1994 deaths
- American League All-Stars
- United States Army personnel of World War II
- Baseball players from Oklahoma
- Boston Red Sox coaches
- Boston Red Sox players
- Chicago White Sox players
- Cleveland Indians players
- Major League Baseball pitchers
- Major League Baseball pitching coaches
- New Orleans Pelicans (baseball) players
- People from Durant, Oklahoma
- Troy Trojans (NL) players
- People from Cheshire County, New Hampshire