Jack Urban
Encyclopedia
Jack Elmer Urban is a former right-handed Major League Baseball
pitcher who played from 1957 to 1959 for the Kansas City Athletics
and St. Louis Cardinals
.
Originally signed by the New York Yankees
before the 1949 season, Urban was sent to the Athletics in a trade involving 13 players. The Yankees sent Irv Noren
, Milt Graff
, Mickey McDermott
, Tom Morgan
, Rip Coleman
, Billy Hunter
and Urban (as a player to be named later) to the Athletics for Art Ditmar
, Bobby Shantz
, Jack McMahan
, Wayne Belardi
and two players to be named later, who would end up being Curt Roberts
and Clete Boyer
.
Although not much is known about his minor league career, it is known that in 1954, he tossed a no-hitter for the Birmingham Barons
of the Southern League
.
He made his big league debut on June 13, 1957 at the age of 28 and came into the league with a bang. Facing the Washington Senators
, he tossed a complete, allowing only two runs and five hits. Although the team as a whole finished 59-94 on the year, Urban did exceptionally well compared to that, finishing with a 7-4 record and a 3.34 ERA in 129.1 innings of work. He allowed only 111 hits and 45 walks as well.
Experiencing a sophomore slump
, his 1958 season was not so impressive, however. In 30 games - 24 of which were starts - he went 8-11 with a 5.93 ERA. In 132 innings of work, he allowed 150 hits and 51 walks.
He was traded back to the Yankees on April 8, 1959 for Mark Freeman
. Urban never appeared in a Yankees uniform however, as he was purchased by the Cardinals in May of that year. Appearing in only eight games for the Cardinals, Urban allowed 18 hits, seven walks and 11 earned runs in 10 2/3 innings for a 9.28 ERA. He played his final game on August 6, 1959 against the Pittsburgh Pirates
. Although he entered the league with a bang, he left with a disappointing game - in only 1/3 of an inning, he allowed a total of five runs.
Overall, in his three year career Urban went 15-15 with a 4.83 ERA. In 272 innings, he allowed 279 hits, 103 walks, and he also had 113 strikeouts. A respectable hitter (for a pitcher), he hit .208 in 86 career at-bats.
After his death in 2006, he was cremated.
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 who played from 1957 to 1959 for the Kansas City Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
and 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...
.
Originally signed by 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...
before the 1949 season, Urban was sent to the Athletics in a trade involving 13 players. The Yankees sent Irv Noren
Irv Noren
Irving Arnold Noren is a retired American professional baseball and basketball player. He played outfield in the Major Leagues from 1950-1960. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Washington Senators, New York Yankees, Kansas City Athletics, Chicago Cubs, and Los Angeles Dodgers...
, Milt Graff
Milt Graff
Milton Edward Graff was a Major League Baseball second baseman. He was born on Tuesday, December 30, 1930 in Jefferson Center, Pennsylvania. He was listed at a height of 5'7" and a weight of 158 pounds. Graff attended Butler Senior High School and then attended Pennsylvania State University and...
, Mickey McDermott
Mickey McDermott
Maurice Joseph "Mickey" McDermott Jr. was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball.-Pre-professional career:...
, Tom Morgan
Tom Morgan (baseball)
Tom Stephen Morgan was a Major League Baseball pitcher. A native of El Monte, California, the 6'2", 195 lb. right-hander was signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free agent before the 1949 season...
, Rip Coleman
Rip Coleman
Walter Gary "Rip" Coleman is a former left-handed Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1955 to 1957 and 1959 to 1960 for the New York Yankees, Kansas City Athletics and Baltimore Orioles....
, Billy Hunter
Billy Hunter (baseball)
Gordon William Hunter is a retired American shortstop, coach and manager in Major League Baseball.A slick-fielding, light-hitting shortstop from Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, the right-handed-batting Hunter was originally signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers. With his path to the majors blocked by Pee Wee...
and Urban (as a player to be named later) to the Athletics for Art Ditmar
Art Ditmar
Arthur John Ditmar is a former starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Athletics and the New York Yankees . He batted and threw right-handed.A finesse control pitcher, Ditmar divided his career between the Athletics and Yankees...
, Bobby Shantz
Bobby Shantz
Robert Clayton Shantz was a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Athletics , Kansas City Athletics , New York Yankees , Pittsburgh Pirates , Houston Colt .45's , St...
, Jack McMahan
Jack McMahan
Jack Wally McMahan is a former right-handed batting, left-handed throwing Major League Baseball pitcher who played in 1956 for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Athletics....
, Wayne Belardi
Wayne Belardi
Carroll Wayne Belardi played baseball at Bellarmine College Preparatory where he graduated in 1948. He then went on to play First Baseman in Major League Baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers and Detroit Tigers. He played from 1950–56 and appeared in the 1953 World Series for the Dodgers.- External...
and two players to be named later, who would end up being Curt Roberts
Curt Roberts
Curtis Benjamin Roberts was a Major League Baseball second baseman. He was signed by the Boston Braves as an amateur free agent before the 1951 season, and played for the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1954 to 1956. A native of Pineland, Texas, he stood 5'8" and weighed...
and Clete Boyer
Clete Boyer
Cletis Leroy "Clete" Boyer was a Major League Baseball player.A third baseman who also played shortstop and second base occasionally, Boyer played for the Kansas City Athletics , New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves...
.
Although not much is known about his minor league career, it is known that in 1954, he tossed a no-hitter for the Birmingham Barons
Birmingham Barons
The Birmingham Barons are a minor league baseball team based in Birmingham, Alabama. The team, which plays in the Southern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox major-league club....
of the Southern League
Southern League (baseball)
The Southern League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the Southern United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The original league was formed in , and shut down in . A new league, the Southern Association, was formed in , consisting of twelve teams...
.
He made his big league debut on June 13, 1957 at the age of 28 and came into the league with a bang. Facing the Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
, he tossed a complete, allowing only two runs and five hits. Although the team as a whole finished 59-94 on the year, Urban did exceptionally well compared to that, finishing with a 7-4 record and a 3.34 ERA in 129.1 innings of work. He allowed only 111 hits and 45 walks as well.
Experiencing a sophomore slump
Sophomore slump
A sophomore slump or sophomore jinx refers to an instance in which a second, or sophomore, effort fails to live up to the standards of the first effort...
, his 1958 season was not so impressive, however. In 30 games - 24 of which were starts - he went 8-11 with a 5.93 ERA. In 132 innings of work, he allowed 150 hits and 51 walks.
He was traded back to the Yankees on April 8, 1959 for Mark Freeman
Mark Freeman (baseball)
Mark Price Freeman was a right-handed baseball pitcher who played professionally from 1952 to 1954 and from 1956 to 1960, and in the major leagues from to . He was originally signed by the New York Yankees as an amateur free-agent in 1952...
. Urban never appeared in a Yankees uniform however, as he was purchased by the Cardinals in May of that year. Appearing in only eight games for the Cardinals, Urban allowed 18 hits, seven walks and 11 earned runs in 10 2/3 innings for a 9.28 ERA. He played his final game on August 6, 1959 against 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...
. Although he entered the league with a bang, he left with a disappointing game - in only 1/3 of an inning, he allowed a total of five runs.
Overall, in his three year career Urban went 15-15 with a 4.83 ERA. In 272 innings, he allowed 279 hits, 103 walks, and he also had 113 strikeouts. A respectable hitter (for a pitcher), he hit .208 in 86 career at-bats.
After his death in 2006, he was cremated.