Frank Carswell
Encyclopedia
Frank Willis Carswell was an American
third baseman
, first baseman
, outfielder
, manager
and scout in professional baseball
. Although he played only 16 Major League
games in his career, for the 1953
Detroit Tigers
, Carswell was one of the top minor league
hitters of the post-World War II
era.
Carswell was born in Palestine, Texas
, and attended Rice University
. He threw and batted right-handed, and stood 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and weighed 195 pounds (88.5 kg). He signed with the Tigers in , and batted
a stalwart .338 in 275 at bats for the Jamestown Falcons
of the Class D PONY League. But the U.S. entered World War II after that season, and Carswell lost four years while in military service. By the time he returned to pick up his baseball career, he was 26 years old and his prospects for MLB stardom had been dimmed. After spending the season with the Dallas Rebels of the Class AA Texas League
, Carswell was demoted to lower minor leagues for much of 1947–50, where he put up prodigious batting numbers. With the 1947 Paris Red Peppers of the Class B Big State League
, Carswell earned All-Star third baseman honors, batting a lusty .364 with 36 home runs and 145 runs batted in. Two years later, with the Texarkana Bears of the same circuit, Carswell led the league in RBI (145) and batting average (.386).
But Carswell's slugging was not confined to the mid-minor leagues. The parent Tigers promoted him, at age 31, to the Buffalo Bisons
of the Triple-A International League
in , and Carswell batted .302. In , he led the International League in homers (30) and batting average (.344), and in 1953 he once again batted over .300 for Buffalo and, at 33, had his "cup of coffee" in the American League
for the Tigers. In an MLB career that lasted six weeks, Carswell appeared in 16 games and batted 15 times with four hits
, all singles
, and two RBI for a .267 batting mark. He then returned to Buffalo to hit over .300 for the remainder of 1953 and all of . All told, Carswell played 13 minor league seasons, compiled a lifetime batting average of .337 and slugged 209 home runs.
His managing career began in early under difficult circumstances when, still an active player, he was interim manager of the Portland Beavers
of the Pacific Coast League
after the sudden death from a heart attack
of skipper Bill Sweeney
on April 18. The following season, he rejoined the Detroit farm system as a full-time manager, working his way up from Class D to Class AAA (including assignments with the Syracuse Chiefs and the Toledo Mud Hens
) over the next 13 years (1958-70).
Carswell died at age 78 in Houston, Texas
. He was named to the International League Hall of Fame
in 2010.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
, first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
, outfielder
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...
, 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...
and scout in 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...
. Although he played only 16 Major League
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...
games in his career, for the 1953
1953 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: New York Yankees over Brooklyn Dodgers *All-Star Game, July 14 at Crosley Field: National League, 5-1-Other champions:*Caribbean World Series: Cangrejeros de Santurce *College World Series: Michigan...
Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
, Carswell was one of the top 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...
hitters of the post-World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
era.
Carswell was born in Palestine, Texas
Palestine, Texas
Palestine is a city in Anderson County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 17,598, and 18,458 in the 2009 estimate. It is the county seat of Anderson County and is situated in East Texas...
, and attended Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
. He threw and batted right-handed, and stood 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and weighed 195 pounds (88.5 kg). He signed with the Tigers in , and batted
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 :...
a stalwart .338 in 275 at bats for the Jamestown Falcons
Jamestown Falcons
The Jamestown Falcons were a minor league baseball team that existed on-and-off from 1940 to 1972. They played in the PONY League from 1940 to 1956, and in the New York-Penn League in 1957 and from 1968 to 1972. Based in Jamestown, New York, they were affiliated with the Detroit Tigers from 1941 to...
of the Class D PONY League. But the U.S. entered World War II after that season, and Carswell lost four years while in military service. By the time he returned to pick up his baseball career, he was 26 years old and his prospects for MLB stardom had been dimmed. After spending the season with the Dallas Rebels of the Class AA 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...
, Carswell was demoted to lower minor leagues for much of 1947–50, where he put up prodigious batting numbers. With the 1947 Paris Red Peppers of the Class B Big State League
Big State League
The Big State League was a mid-level, Class B circuit in American minor league baseball that played for 11 seasons, from 1947 through 1957. Its member clubs were exclusively based in Texas. It saw a lot of transition in its 11-year lifetime, with no team serving as a member in every single season....
, Carswell earned All-Star third baseman honors, batting a lusty .364 with 36 home runs and 145 runs batted in. Two years later, with the Texarkana Bears of the same circuit, Carswell led the league in RBI (145) and batting average (.386).
But Carswell's slugging was not confined to the mid-minor leagues. The parent Tigers promoted him, at age 31, to the Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
of the Triple-A 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...
in , and Carswell batted .302. In , he led the International League in homers (30) and batting average (.344), and in 1953 he once again batted over .300 for Buffalo and, at 33, had his "cup of coffee" in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
for the Tigers. In an MLB career that lasted six weeks, Carswell appeared in 16 games and batted 15 times with four hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, all singles
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
, and two RBI for a .267 batting mark. He then returned to Buffalo to hit over .300 for the remainder of 1953 and all of . All told, Carswell played 13 minor league seasons, compiled a lifetime batting average of .337 and slugged 209 home runs.
His managing career began in early under difficult circumstances when, still an active player, he was interim manager of 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...
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...
after the sudden death from a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
of skipper Bill Sweeney
Bill Sweeney (first baseman)
William Joseph Sweeney was an American first baseman and coach in Major League Baseball and a longtime manager at the minor league level...
on April 18. The following season, he rejoined the Detroit farm system as a full-time manager, working his way up from Class D to Class AAA (including assignments with the Syracuse Chiefs and the Toledo Mud Hens
Toledo Mud Hens
The Toledo Mud Hens are a minor league baseball team located in Toledo, Ohio. The Mud Hens play in the International League, and are affiliated with the major league baseball team the Detroit Tigers, based approximately 50 miles to the north of Toledo. The current team is one of several...
) over the next 13 years (1958-70).
Carswell died at age 78 in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
. He was named to the International League Hall of Fame
International League Hall of Fame
The International League Hall of Fame honors the best players, managers and executives from the International League. The hall began in 1947 and ran with yearly elections until 1963. The selections for the Hall of Fame were made by the International League Baseball Writers Association...
in 2010.