Bill Steinecke
Encyclopedia
William Robert Steinecke (February 7, 1907 — July 20, 1986) was an American
professional baseball
catcher
and manager
. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio
, who attended DePaul University
, Steinecke spent almost 40 years in uniform, but only four games in Major League Baseball
(with the Pittsburgh Pirates
). He threw and batted right-handed, stood 5'8" (173 cm) tall and weighed 175 pounds (79 kg) as an active player.
Steinecke's playing career began in with the Lawrence Merry Macks of the Class B New England League
. After batting
.361 for the Binghamton Triplets
of the Class B New York-Pennsylvania League
— and being elected the loop's all-star catcher for 1931 — Steinecke received his Pittsburgh trial. In four games and four at bats between September 16 and September 24, 1931, he went hitless. By the opening of the season, he was back at Binghamton. Steinecke achieved his most sustained success in the New York-Penn League of the 1930s (now the Eastern League), batting over .300 in six different seasons. In his best campaign, for the Williamsport Grays
, Steinecke batted .349 with 110 runs batted in in 132 games played. All told, he appeared in 1,907 minor league
games over 21 different seasons, batting .297 with 57 home runs and 855 RBI.
Steinecke's long minor-league managerial career began in in the Class B Sally League
, and from 1946-64 he skippered clubs in the lower minors. He joined the Milwaukee Braves
farm system in and continued with the Braves through the middle of . (As manager of the Class D McCook Braves of the Nebraska State League
, he was a figure in former bonus-baby pitcher
Pat Jordan
's memoir, A False Spring.) He then served as a scout for the Braves and Montreal Expos
. Steinecke died at age 79 in Saint Augustine, Florida.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
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 manager
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, who attended DePaul University
DePaul University
DePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
, Steinecke spent almost 40 years in uniform, but only four games 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...
(with the Pittsburgh Pirates
1931 Pittsburgh Pirates season
- Offseason :* November 6, 1930: Dick Bartell was traded by the Pirates to the Philadelphia Phillies for Tommy Thevenow and Claude Willoughby.- Notable transactions :* June 13, 1931: Rollie Hemsley was traded by the Pirates to the Chicago Cubs for Earl Grace....
). He threw and batted right-handed, stood 5'8" (173 cm) tall and weighed 175 pounds (79 kg) as an active player.
Steinecke's playing career began in with the Lawrence Merry Macks of the Class B New England League
New England League
The New England League was a mid-level league in American minor league baseball that played sporadically in five of the six New England states between 1886 and 1949. After 1901, it existed in the shadow of two Major League Baseball clubs in Boston and alongside stronger, higher-classification...
. After batting
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 :...
.361 for the Binghamton Triplets
Binghamton Triplets
The Binghamton Triplets were a minor league baseball team in Binghamton, New York, affiliated with the New York Yankees ; the team also had brief affiliations with the Kansas City Athletics and the Milwaukee Braves...
of the Class B New York-Pennsylvania League
New York-Pennsylvania League (early 20th century)
The New York-Pennsylvania League of 1923 through 1937 was an American minor league baseball circuit.The forerunner to the modern Class AA Eastern League, it was a Class B circuit through 1932 and upgraded to Class A for the final five seasons of its existence. It is actually the second of three...
— and being elected the loop's all-star catcher for 1931 — Steinecke received his Pittsburgh trial. In four games and four at bats between September 16 and September 24, 1931, he went hitless. By the opening of the season, he was back at Binghamton. Steinecke achieved his most sustained success in the New York-Penn League of the 1930s (now the Eastern League), batting over .300 in six different seasons. In his best campaign, for the Williamsport Grays
Williamsport Grays
*Location: Williamsport, Pennsylvania*League: New York-Penn League 1924-1937; Eastern League 1938-1942, 1944–1946, 1950, 1954–1956, 1958–1962...
, Steinecke batted .349 with 110 runs batted in in 132 games played. All told, he appeared in 1,907 minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
games over 21 different seasons, batting .297 with 57 home runs and 855 RBI.
Steinecke's long minor-league managerial career began in in the Class B Sally League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
, and from 1946-64 he skippered clubs in the lower minors. He joined the Milwaukee 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....
farm system in and continued with the Braves through the middle of . (As manager of the Class D McCook Braves of the Nebraska State League
Nebraska State League
The Nebraska State League was an American professional baseball league with five incarnations. At least, the name was adopted five times: in 1892, from 1910 to 1915, from 1922 to 1923, from 1928 to 1938 and from 1956 to 1959....
, he was a figure in former bonus-baby pitcher
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...
Pat Jordan
Pat Jordan (author)
Pat Jordan is a leading sports writer with his work included in the Best American Sports Writing anthology series seven times. He is also the acclaimed author of A False Spring, a bittersweet memoir about his minor league baseball career, which is ranked #37 on Sports Illustrated's Top 100 Sports...
's memoir, A False Spring.) He then served as a scout for the Braves and Montreal Expos
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...
. Steinecke died at age 79 in Saint Augustine, Florida.