Curt Kaufman
Encyclopedia
Curt Gerard Kaufman was a Major League Baseball
relief pitcher
for the New York Yankees
and the California Angels
in the 1980s.
Growing up in the small farm community of Harlan, Iowa kept Kaufman from receiving attention as a prospect for college baseball and even the possibility of a professional career. He soon drew attention from Iowa State University
by setting the record for strikeout
s at Harlan Community High School.
After graduating from high school, Kaufman received an athletic scholarship
to Iowa State University, where he attended for three years, but was drafted by the Yankees before he could finish his bachelor's degree
. He then worked his way through the minor
s with ease, even setting the International League
record for save
s in a season (25). He was then recognized for his efforts by the Yankees, who called him up in 1982. He remained a Yankee through the 1983 season, but was traded to the California Angels after the season for infielder
Tim Foli
. He only played one season with the Angels; his career was cut short by a career ending elbow surgery
. He retired after the surgery with a career ERA
of 4.48, 50 strikeouts, a save, and an overall record of 3-3.
Kaufman now lives in Glenwood, Iowa
, about an hour away from his birthplace in Harlan. He married Lisa Stogdill in 1987 and now has five children: Ryan, Josh, Taylor, Matthew, and Katherine.
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...
relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
for 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...
and the California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
in the 1980s.
Growing up in the small farm community of Harlan, Iowa kept Kaufman from receiving attention as a prospect for college baseball and even the possibility of a professional career. He soon drew attention from Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
by setting the record for strikeout
Strikeout
In baseball or softball, a strikeout or strike-out occurs when a batter receives three strikes during his time at bat. A strikeout is a statistic recorded for both pitchers and batters....
s at Harlan Community High School.
After graduating from high school, Kaufman received an athletic scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
to Iowa State University, where he attended for three years, but was drafted by the Yankees before he could finish his bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
. He then worked his way through the minor
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...
s with ease, even setting 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...
record for save
Save (sport)
In baseball, a save is credited to a pitcher who finishes a game for the winning team under certain prescribed circumstances. The number of saves, or percentage of save opportunities successfully converted, is an oft-cited statistic of relief pitchers...
s in a season (25). He was then recognized for his efforts by the Yankees, who called him up in 1982. He remained a Yankee through the 1983 season, but was traded to the California Angels after the season for infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
Tim Foli
Tim Foli
Timothy John Foli , nicknamed Crazy Horse, is a former shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Montreal Expos, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, California Angels and New York Yankees from to...
. He only played one season with the Angels; his career was cut short by a career ending elbow surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
. He retired after the surgery with a career ERA
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...
of 4.48, 50 strikeouts, a save, and an overall record of 3-3.
Kaufman now lives in Glenwood, Iowa
Glenwood, Iowa
Glenwood is a city in and the county seat of Mills County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,269 in the 2010 census, a decline from 5,358 in the 2000 census. -History:...
, about an hour away from his birthplace in Harlan. He married Lisa Stogdill in 1987 and now has five children: Ryan, Josh, Taylor, Matthew, and Katherine.
Sources
- Kaufman, Curt G. Personal interview. 8 Oct. 2005.
- Baseball Reference. 8 October 2005