Clarence Pickrel
Encyclopedia
Clarence Douglas Pickrel (March 28, 1911 – April 11, 1983) was a professional baseball
player. In a 12-year professional career, Pickrel played two seasons as a Major League Baseball
pitcher: in 1933 with the Philadelphia Phillies
; and in 1934 with the Boston Braves
. He was officially listed as standing 6 in 1 in (185.42 cm) and weighing 180 pounds (81.6 kg).
for the A-level Durham Bulls
in North Carolina
; his 12 wins
and 14 losses were the second-highest totals on the team in both categories. He led the club with 232 innings pitched
and 118 walks
. As a hitter, he posted a .153 batting average
, including one double
and one triple
. He moved up to the Texas League
, at the double-A level, the following season, posting his first professional winning season for the Fort Worth Cats
with a 6–4 win–loss record. His earned run average
(ERA) was 4.17 (50 earned run
s allowed in 108 innings), and he worked primarily out of the bullpen, making only 7 starts in 31 appearances.
Pickrel played for three teams in 1933, including the Harrisburg Senators
of the New York – Penn League, where he went 1–6 for the Boston-affiliated club with a 5.47 ERA in 51 innings, and the Baltimore Orioles
of the International League
, a double-A club, where he won one game and lost one in three appearances. Pickrel also appeared in nine contests for the Philadelphia Phillies
, making his major league debut with a scoreless inning on April 22, when he allowed two baserunners via a hit and a walk. He allowed two runs on May 27 in relief of Phil Collins
, when the starter permitted the St. Louis Cardinals
to score eight runs on fourteen hits in four innings. On June 2, Pickrel allowed four runs (three earned) to the New York Giants
on four hits without recording an out, but followed that with two scoreless outings on June 4 and 15. He gave up a run on four hits to the Boston Braves
in the first game of a June 17 doubleheader, and finished the 1933 season with three scoreless outings.
In April 1934, Pickrel opened that season with the Braves, pitching three scoreless innings against the Brooklyn Dodgers
, walking one batter and striking out two. In his next appearance against the Dodgers, Pickrel started the game, allowing 4 runs on 5 hits in innings. He allowed runs in four consecutive appearances, the second of which came against the Chicago Cubs
on May 4, when he gave up two runs in a single inning. After allowing lone runs to the Cincinnati Reds
and the Giants, Pickrel posted three consecutive scoreless appearances before completing his Boston tenure with a one-inning, one-run contest against the Cardinals on June 12. For the major league portion of the season, he struck out nine batters and walked seven, allowing nine runs. He also played for the Syracuse Chiefs of the International League during that year, posting a 9–11 record and a 5.03 ERA in 154 innings.
Pickrel played with the Seattle Indians of the Pacific Coast League
—one of that organization's founding member teams—in 1935. He amassed a 6–16 record while appearing in 44 games, the team's third-highest total. His 5.16 ERA was collected in 176 innings, in which he walked 75 batters. In 1936, he played a portion of the year with Seattle, winning three games and losing one in ten games, but made 32 appearances for the Tulsa Oilers, collecting a 9–8 record and a 5.03 ERA. The following two seasons were spent entirely with Seattle; in 1937, Pickrel posted career highs in wins (16) and losses (17), pitching 266 innings. His 165 runs (129 earned) and 52 games were career highs, and his 281 hits allowed were second only to his first professional season. The following year, his 8–8 record was accompanied by a 4.47 ERA and 65 walks in 32 games.
In 1939, Pickrel split time between Seattle and the Portland Beavers
, posting a 7–10 record on the season with a 4.74 ERA. He returned to Tulsa in 1940, losing two games and winning none with a 6.23 ERA. He also played a short time with Portland, losing one of his seven appearances. Pickrel's final season was 1941, and he played for the Petersburg Rebels of the Virginia League
, where he collected a .250 winning percentage
by earning one victory and three defeats; he posted a 4.50 ERA in 40 innings.
, and was interred in Gretna Burial Park in his hometown.
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...
player. In a 12-year professional career, Pickrel played two seasons as a 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...
pitcher: in 1933 with 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...
; and in 1934 with the Boston 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....
. He was officially listed as standing 6 in 1 in (185.42 cm) and weighing 180 pounds (81.6 kg).
Playing career
In 1931, Pickrel began his professional baseball career pitchingPitcher
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...
for the A-level Durham Bulls
Durham Bulls
The Durham Bulls are a minor league baseball team that currently plays in the International League. The Bulls play their home games at Durham Bulls Athletic Park located in the downtown area of Durham, North Carolina. Durham Bulls Athletic Park is often called the "DBAP" or "D-Bap". The Bulls are...
in North Carolina
North 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...
; his 12 wins
Win (baseball)
In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
and 14 losses were the second-highest totals on the team in both categories. He led the club with 232 innings pitched
Innings pitched
In baseball, innings pitched are the number of innings a pitcher has completed, measured by the number of batters and baserunners that are put out while the pitcher on the pitching mound in a game. Three outs made is equal to one inning pitched. One out counts as one-third of an inning, and two...
and 118 walks
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
. As a hitter, he posted a .153 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 :...
, including one double
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....
and one triple
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
. He moved up to the Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
, at the double-A level, the following season, posting his first professional winning season for the Fort Worth Cats
Fort Worth Cats
The Fort Worth Cats are a professional baseball team based in Fort Worth, Texas, in the United States. The Cats are a member of the South Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball. Since the 2002 season the Cats...
with a 6–4 win–loss record. His earned run average
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
(ERA) was 4.17 (50 earned run
Earned run
In baseball, an earned run is any run for which the pitcher is held accountable . Any runner who tags his base and reaches home plate is scored against the pitcher as an earned run...
s allowed in 108 innings), and he worked primarily out of the bullpen, making only 7 starts in 31 appearances.
Pickrel played for three teams in 1933, including the Harrisburg Senators
Harrisburg Senators
The Harrisburg Senators are a minor league baseball team based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals....
of the New York – Penn League, where he went 1–6 for the Boston-affiliated club with a 5.47 ERA in 51 innings, and the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles (minor league)
The city of Baltimore, Maryland has been home to two minor league baseball teams called the Baltimore Orioles.-Name history:"Orioles" is a traditional name for baseball clubs in Baltimore . It was used by major league teams from 1882 through 1899 in the American Association/National League and by...
of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
, a double-A club, where he won one game and lost one in three appearances. Pickrel also appeared in nine contests 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...
, making his major league debut with a scoreless inning on April 22, when he allowed two baserunners via a hit and a walk. He allowed two runs on May 27 in relief of Phil Collins
Phil Collins (baseball)
Philip Eugene Collins was a former professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher over parts of eight seasons with the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals...
, when the starter permitted the 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...
to score eight runs on fourteen hits in four innings. On June 2, Pickrel allowed four runs (three earned) to the 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....
on four hits without recording an out, but followed that with two scoreless outings on June 4 and 15. He gave up a run on four hits to the Boston 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....
in the first game of a June 17 doubleheader, and finished the 1933 season with three scoreless outings.
In April 1934, Pickrel opened that season with the Braves, pitching three scoreless innings against 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...
, walking one batter and striking out two. In his next appearance against the Dodgers, Pickrel started the game, allowing 4 runs on 5 hits in innings. He allowed runs in four consecutive appearances, the second of which came against the 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...
on May 4, when he gave up two runs in a single inning. After allowing lone runs to the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
and the Giants, Pickrel posted three consecutive scoreless appearances before completing his Boston tenure with a one-inning, one-run contest against the Cardinals on June 12. For the major league portion of the season, he struck out nine batters and walked seven, allowing nine runs. He also played for the Syracuse Chiefs of the International League during that year, posting a 9–11 record and a 5.03 ERA in 154 innings.
Pickrel played with the Seattle Indians of the Pacific Coast League
Pacific Coast League
The Pacific Coast League is a minor-league baseball league operating in the Western, Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Along with the International League and the Mexican League, it is one of three leagues playing at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball.The...
—one of that organization's founding member teams—in 1935. He amassed a 6–16 record while appearing in 44 games, the team's third-highest total. His 5.16 ERA was collected in 176 innings, in which he walked 75 batters. In 1936, he played a portion of the year with Seattle, winning three games and losing one in ten games, but made 32 appearances for the Tulsa Oilers, collecting a 9–8 record and a 5.03 ERA. The following two seasons were spent entirely with Seattle; in 1937, Pickrel posted career highs in wins (16) and losses (17), pitching 266 innings. His 165 runs (129 earned) and 52 games were career highs, and his 281 hits allowed were second only to his first professional season. The following year, his 8–8 record was accompanied by a 4.47 ERA and 65 walks in 32 games.
In 1939, Pickrel split time between Seattle and the Portland Beavers
Portland Beavers
The Tucson Padres are a minor league baseball team, representing Tucson, Arizona, in the Pacific Coast League . They are the Triple-A affiliate for the San Diego Padres. The team was formerly known as the Portland Beavers and played its last home game at PGE Park on September 6, 2010...
, posting a 7–10 record on the season with a 4.74 ERA. He returned to Tulsa in 1940, losing two games and winning none with a 6.23 ERA. He also played a short time with Portland, losing one of his seven appearances. Pickrel's final season was 1941, and he played for the Petersburg Rebels of the Virginia League
Virginia League
The Virginia League was a minor league baseball affiliation which operated in Virginia and North Carolina from 1906 to 1928. It was classified as a "C" league from 1906 to 1919 and as a "B" league from 1920 to 1928....
, where he collected a .250 winning percentage
Winning percentage
In sports, a winning percentage is the fraction of games or matches a team or individual has won. It is defined as wins divided by wins plus losses . Ties count as a ½ loss and a ½ win...
by earning one victory and three defeats; he posted a 4.50 ERA in 40 innings.
After baseball
Pickrel died on November 4, 1983, in Rocky Mount, VirginiaRocky Mount, Virginia
Rocky Mount is the county seat of Franklin County, Virginia, United States. The town is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area, and had a population of 4,066 at the 2000 census. It is located in the Roanoke Region of Virginia-History:...
, and was interred in Gretna Burial Park in his hometown.