Bob Zupcic
Encyclopedia
Robert "Bob" Zupcic is a former outfielder
in Major League Baseball
who played for the Boston Red Sox
(1991–1994) and Chicago White Sox
(1994). He batted and threw right-handed.
In a four-season career, Zupcic posted a .250 batting average
with seven HR
and 80 RBI
in 319 games played
. Despite only hitting seven home runs in his career, Zupcic's greatest accomplishment may have been hitting two grand slams during his rookie season of . The only other Red Sox players to have accomplished this feat are Ellis Burks
and Ryan Kalish
(in and respectively).
Alphabetically, Zupcic appears last on the all-time list of Boston Red Sox players. For the Chicago White Sox, only outfielder Dutch Zwilling
appears after Zupcic.
and Oral Roberts University
. In , Zupcic was awarded Baseball America
's Summer Player of the Year Award after playing for the Liberal
BeeJays in the Jayhawk League, a summer collegiate league in Kansas
and Missouri
.
(32nd pick overall). Over the next few years, Zupcic slowly made his way up the ranks of the Red Sox farm system, with stops at Elmira
, Lynchburg, New Britain, and Pawtucket
.
In , Zupcic was a late season callup for the Red Sox. He made his major league debut at Fenway Park
on September 7, 1991, as a pinch runner and defensive replacement in a win against the Seattle Mariners
. Two weeks later, he hit his first home run, against the New York Yankees
. Zupcic wore #16 during this stint.
In , under new Red Sox manager Butch Hobson
, Zupcic made the team in spring training
. For the rest of his Boston career he would wear #28. Injuries to starting outfielders Burks, Mike Greenwell
, and other key players resulted in the Red Sox finishing in last place in the AL East. However, it did give Zupcic the opportunity to start regularly. He made the most of the chance, hitting .276, and started at all three outfield positions, collecting 11 outfield assists in 124 games.
Zupcic's defensive abilities caught the attention of longtime Boston Globe sportswriter Bob Ryan
. On September 13, 1992, Zupcic climbed the bullpen
railing in center field and robbed Baltimore Orioles
catcher Mickey Tettleton
of a home run. Ryan called the play "as good a CF grab as I've seen in 41 years of Fenway watching."
In , Zupcic continued to make starts at all the outfield spots. However, he proved not to be an offensive threat, and Zupcic shared playing time with a number of other players. He finished the year at .241 with only two home runs and 26 RBI.
The next season, Zupcic could not find a spot on the team. After making just four appearances in the first month, Zupcic was placed on waivers by the Red Sox. The Chicago White Sox claimed him on May 5, 1994. Zupcic made his White Sox debut on May 14 with a pinch-hit RBI single against the Texas Rangers
. Over the next couple of months, Zupcic made occasional outfield starts in place of regulars Tim Raines
and Darrin Jackson
. He also made his first major league appearances at first base and third base
. He wore #43 that season.
Zupcic played his final game on August 4, 1994, and the Major League Baseball strike resulted in the cancellation of the remainder of the season, the playoffs, and World Series
.
and White Sox, the Charlotte Knights
and the Nashville Sounds
. He hit a combined .291 for the three teams with 14 home runs. In 1996, Zupcic played in 44 games with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons
, the Triple A team for the Philadelphia Phillies
before playing four games with the Kansas City Royals
Triple A Omaha Royals
. He hit .230 for the two teams in 48 combined games with two home runs. Zupcic attended Spring Training with the Pittsburgh Pirates
in 1997 but was released before opening day.
Zupcic moved to the independent Northeast League in 1997, playing for and coaching the Bangor Blue Ox
. Zupcic played in only 25 of the team's 83 games, batting .195 and hitting three home runs. He retired after suffering a back injury.
.
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
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 Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(1991–1994) and 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...
(1994). He batted and threw right-handed.
In a four-season career, Zupcic posted a .250 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 :...
with seven HR
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...
and 80 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...
in 319 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,...
. Despite only hitting seven home runs in his career, Zupcic's greatest accomplishment may have been hitting two grand slams during his rookie season of . The only other Red Sox players to have accomplished this feat are Ellis Burks
Ellis Burks
Ellis Rena Burks is a former outfielder and designated hitter who played in Major League Baseball for 18 seasons...
and Ryan Kalish
Ryan Kalish
Ryan Michael Kalish is an American professional baseball outfielder in the Boston Red Sox organization.A standout high school baseball and football player, he was drafted by the Red Sox in 2006...
(in and respectively).
Alphabetically, Zupcic appears last on the all-time list of Boston Red Sox players. For the Chicago White Sox, only outfielder Dutch Zwilling
Dutch Zwilling
Edward Harrison "Dutch" Zwilling , was a professional baseball player who played outfield in the major leagues from -...
appears after Zupcic.
Pre-professional
Zupcic attended Bishop Egan (now Conwell-Egan) High School in Fairless Hills, PennsylvaniaFairless Hills, Pennsylvania
Fairless Hills is a census-designated place in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,466 at the 2010 census.-History:...
and Oral Roberts University
Oral Roberts University
Oral Roberts University , based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the United States, is an interdenominational, Charismatic Christian, comprehensive university with an enrollment of about 3,790 students from 49 U.S. states along with a significant number of international students from 70 countries...
. In , Zupcic was awarded Baseball America
Baseball America
Baseball America is a magazine which covers baseball at every level, with a particular focus on up-and-coming players in high school, college, Japan, and the minor leagues. It is currently published in the form of a bi-weekly newspaper, five annual reference book titles, a weekly podcast, and a...
's Summer Player of the Year Award after playing for the Liberal
Liberal, Kansas
Liberal is the county seat of Seward County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 20,525.- History :S.S. Rogers built the first house in what would become Liberal in 1872. Rogers became famous in the region for giving water to weary travelers...
BeeJays in the Jayhawk League, a summer collegiate league in Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
and Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
.
Major League Baseball
The Boston Red Sox selected Zupcic in the first round of the 1987 amateur draft1987 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1987 Major League Baseball draft.-Supplemental First Round Selections:-External links:*...
(32nd pick overall). Over the next few years, Zupcic slowly made his way up the ranks of the Red Sox farm system, with stops at Elmira
Elmira Pioneers
The Elmira Pioneers are an amateur baseball team based in Elmira, New York. They currently compete in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League, a wood bat collegiate summer baseball league. Prior to the 2006 baseball season, the team was a professional ballclub with a rich history of league...
, Lynchburg, New Britain, and Pawtucket
Pawtucket Red Sox
The Pawtucket Red Sox are the minor league baseball Triple-A affiliates of the Boston Red Sox and belong to the International League...
.
In , Zupcic was a late season callup for the Red Sox. He made his major league debut at Fenway Park
Fenway Park
Fenway Park is a baseball park near Kenmore Square in Boston, Massachusetts. Located at 4 Yawkey Way, it has served as the home ballpark of the Boston Red Sox baseball club since it opened in 1912, and is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium currently in use. It is one of two "classic"...
on September 7, 1991, as a pinch runner and defensive replacement in a win against the Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners
The Seattle Mariners are a professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. Enfranchised in , the Mariners are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Safeco Field has been the Mariners' home ballpark since July...
. Two weeks later, he hit his first home run, against the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. Zupcic wore #16 during this stint.
In , under new Red Sox manager Butch Hobson
Butch Hobson
Clell Lavern "Butch" Hobson, Jr. is a former third baseman and manager in Major League Baseball. Hobson played for the Boston Red Sox , California Angels and New York Yankees . He batted and threw right-handed.After retiring, he managed the Pawtucket Red Sox and the Boston Red Sox...
, Zupcic made the team in spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
. For the rest of his Boston career he would wear #28. Injuries to starting outfielders Burks, Mike Greenwell
Mike Greenwell
Michael Lewis Greenwell is a former left fielder in Major League Baseball who played his entire MLB career with the Boston Red Sox . He briefly played a few games for the Hanshin Tigers in Japan , before retiring. Greenwell was nicknamed "The Gator." He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
, and other key players resulted in the Red Sox finishing in last place in the AL East. However, it did give Zupcic the opportunity to start regularly. He made the most of the chance, hitting .276, and started at all three outfield positions, collecting 11 outfield assists in 124 games.
Zupcic's defensive abilities caught the attention of longtime Boston Globe sportswriter Bob Ryan
Bob Ryan
Bob Ryan is an American sportswriter for The Boston Globe. He has been described as "the quintessential American sportswriter" and a basketball guru and is well known for his coverage of the sport including his famous stories covering the Boston Celtics in the 1970s. After graduating from Boston...
. On September 13, 1992, Zupcic climbed the bullpen
Bullpen
In baseball, the bullpen is the area where relief pitchers warm-up before entering a game. Depending on the ballpark, it may be situated in foul territory along the baselines or just beyond the outfield fence. Also, a team's roster of relief pitchers is metonymically referred to as "the bullpen"...
railing in center field and robbed 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...
catcher Mickey Tettleton
Mickey Tettleton
Mickey Lee Tettleton , is a former American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball for the Oakland Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, and Texas Rangers...
of a home run. Ryan called the play "as good a CF grab as I've seen in 41 years of Fenway watching."
In , Zupcic continued to make starts at all the outfield spots. However, he proved not to be an offensive threat, and Zupcic shared playing time with a number of other players. He finished the year at .241 with only two home runs and 26 RBI.
The next season, Zupcic could not find a spot on the team. After making just four appearances in the first month, Zupcic was placed on waivers by the Red Sox. The Chicago White Sox claimed him on May 5, 1994. Zupcic made his White Sox debut on May 14 with a pinch-hit RBI single against the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
. Over the next couple of months, Zupcic made occasional outfield starts in place of regulars Tim Raines
Tim Raines
Timothy Raines , nicknamed "Rock", is a former American professional baseball player. He played as a left fielder in Major League Baseball for six teams from 1979 to 2002 and was best known for his 13 seasons with the Montreal Expos...
and Darrin Jackson
Darrin Jackson
Darrin "D. J." Jay Jackson is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played 12 years for the Chicago Cubs , San Diego Padres , Toronto Blue Jays , New York Mets , Chicago White Sox , Minnesota Twins and Milwaukee Brewers...
. He also made his first major league appearances at first base and third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
. He wore #43 that season.
Zupcic played his final game on August 4, 1994, and the Major League Baseball strike resulted in the cancellation of the remainder of the season, the playoffs, and World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
.
Later years
In 1995, Zupcic was released by the White Sox. He started the 1995 season playing with the Independent Northern League's Duluth-Superior Dukes, then moved to Triple A affiliates of the Florida MarlinsFlorida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
and White Sox, the Charlotte Knights
Charlotte Knights
The Charlotte Knights are a minor league baseball team representing Charlotte, North Carolina. The team, which plays in the International League, is the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox of the American League...
and the Nashville Sounds
Nashville Sounds
The Nashville Sounds are a minor league baseball team of the Pacific Coast League , and the Triple-A affiliate of the Milwaukee Brewers. They are located in Nashville, Tennessee, and are named for the city's association with the music industry...
. He hit a combined .291 for the three teams with 14 home runs. In 1996, Zupcic played in 44 games with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons
The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees are a professional minor league baseball club located based in the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre area. They currently play in the International League's Northern Division and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees Major League Baseball club...
, the Triple A team for 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...
before playing four games with the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
Triple A Omaha Royals
Omaha Royals
The Omaha Storm Chasers are a United States minor league baseball team currently based in the Omaha suburb of Papillion, Nebraska. The team is the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals major league club and has been a member of the expanded Pacific Coast League since 1998. From 1969 to 1997,...
. He hit .230 for the two teams in 48 combined games with two home runs. Zupcic attended Spring Training with the 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...
in 1997 but was released before opening day.
Zupcic moved to the independent Northeast League in 1997, playing for and coaching the Bangor Blue Ox
Bangor Blue Ox
The Bangor Blue Ox were a minor league baseball team based in Bangor, Maine. The team played in the Northeast League . The Northeast League was an independent baseball league and as such none of its teams had an affiliation with Major League Baseball...
. Zupcic played in only 25 of the team's 83 games, batting .195 and hitting three home runs. He retired after suffering a back injury.
Personal
Zupcic is married with four children and lives in North CarolinaNorth Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.