Don Bosch
Encyclopedia
Donald John "Don" Bosch (born July 15, 1942 in San Francisco, California
) was a Major League Baseball
player and minor league baseball
all-star
.
Bosch was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates
as an amateur free agent in 1960. He made it to the major league club in 1966. In between, Bosch made stops in Kingsport, Batavia, Grand Forks, Kinston, Asheville, and Columbus
. While with the Kinston Eagles, in 1963, he was named to the Carolina League
all-star team and in 1966 while a member of the Columbus Jets
he made the International League
all-star team.
Following the 1966 season, Bosch was traded by the Pirates with Don Cardwell
to the New York Mets
for Dennis Ribant
and Gary Kolb
. He played in 94 big league games for the Mets during 1967 and 1968. He also spent some time during both years in the International League.
After the 1968 campaign, Bosch was purchased by the Montreal Expos
from the Mets. The Expos brought him up to the big leagues for 49 games in 1969.
During the 1970 season, Bosch was traded by the Expos to the Houston Astros
for Mike Marshall. Bosch spent the season in Oklahoma City and Buffalo-Winnipeg before leaving professional baseball. His combined major league record was a .164 batting average
, 52 hits, 6 doubles, a triple and four home runs in 146 games - all as an outfielder.
Bosch scored the very first run in a major league regular season game in Canada
. In the Expos' inaugural home game against the St. Louis Cardinals
at Jarry Park
on April 14, 1969, he singled off Nelson Briles
leading off the bottom of the first; he and Rusty Staub
would score on a three-run home run by Mack Jones
—the first-ever home run in a MLB game in Canada.
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
) was 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...
player and minor league baseball
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...
all-star
All-star
All-star is a term designating an individual as having a high level of performance in their field. Originating in sports, it has since drifted into vernacular and been borrowed heavily by the entertainment industry...
.
Bosch was signed by 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...
as an amateur free agent in 1960. He made it to the major league club in 1966. In between, Bosch made stops in Kingsport, Batavia, Grand Forks, Kinston, Asheville, and Columbus
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. While with the Kinston Eagles, in 1963, he was named to the Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
all-star team and in 1966 while a member of the Columbus Jets
Columbus Jets
The Columbus Jets were a Minor League baseball team that played in Columbus, Ohio from 1955 to 1970. The team moved from Ottawa, Canada where they were known as the Ottawa Athletics. The Jets were a member of the International League. From 1955-56 they were the Triple-A affiliate of the Kansas City...
he made 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...
all-star team.
Following the 1966 season, Bosch was traded by the Pirates with Don Cardwell
Don Cardwell
Donald Eugene Cardwell was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for five National League teams from 1957 to 1970...
to the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
for Dennis Ribant
Dennis Ribant
Dennis Joseph Ribant is a former pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, and Cincinnati Reds.-References:...
and Gary Kolb
Gary Kolb
Gary Alan Kolb is a retired American professional baseball player. An outfielder and utilityman, Kolb played all or parts of seven seasons of Major League Baseball with the St. Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Braves, New York Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates...
. He played in 94 big league games for the Mets during 1967 and 1968. He also spent some time during both years in the International League.
After the 1968 campaign, Bosch was purchased by the Montreal Expos
Montreal Expos
The Montreal Expos were a Major League Baseball team located in Montreal, Quebec from 1969 through 2004, holding the first MLB franchise awarded outside the United States. After the 2004 season, MLB moved the Expos to Washington, D.C. and renamed them the Nationals.Named after the Expo 67 World's...
from the Mets. The Expos brought him up to the big leagues for 49 games in 1969.
During the 1970 season, Bosch was traded by the Expos to the Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...
for Mike Marshall. Bosch spent the season in Oklahoma City and Buffalo-Winnipeg before leaving professional baseball. His combined major league record was a .164 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 :...
, 52 hits, 6 doubles, a triple and four home runs in 146 games - all as an outfielder.
Bosch scored the very first run in a major league regular season game in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. In the Expos' inaugural home game against 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...
at Jarry Park
Jarry Park Stadium
Jarry Park Stadium is a former baseball stadium in Montreal which served as home to the Montreal Expos, Major League Baseball's first Canadian franchise, from 1969–1976. It served as a temporary home until the domed Olympic Stadium was finished and made available to the Expos...
on April 14, 1969, he singled off Nelson Briles
Nelson Briles
Nelson Kelley "Nellie" Briles was a pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the St. Louis Cardinals , Pittsburgh Pirates , Kansas City Royals , Texas Rangers and Baltimore Orioles...
leading off the bottom of the first; he and Rusty Staub
Rusty Staub
Daniel Joseph "Rusty" Staub is an American former Major League Baseball right fielder, designated hitter, and first baseman. He enjoyed a 23-year baseball career with 5 different teams...
would score on a three-run home run by Mack Jones
Mack Jones
Mack F. Jones , nicknamed "Mack The Knife", was a Major League Baseball left fielder who played for the Milwaukee & Atlanta Braves , Cincinnati Reds and Montreal Expos . He batted left-handed and threw right-handed.A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Jones was signed by the Milwaukee Braves as a...
—the first-ever home run in a MLB game in Canada.