Jess Dobernic
Encyclopedia
Andrew Joseph "Jess" Dobernic (November 20, 1917 – July 16, 1998) was a former professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher
over parts of three seasons (1939, 1948–49) with the Chicago White Sox
, Chicago Cubs
, and Cincinnati Reds
. For his career, he compiled a 7-3 record, with a 5.21 earned run average
, and 55 strikeout
s in 109 innings pitched.
n family in Mount Olive, Illinois
. His first organized baseball was for Rayne, Louisiana
in the Evangeline Baseball League
in 1937. For the next four years, he was in the Chicago White Sox
system including the St. Paul Saints
, Waterloo Hawks
and the major league team. But difficulty controlling his pitches largely kept him out of the major leagues. During World War II
, he spent three years in the United States Army Air Forces
including Africa
and Italy
. He returned in the summer of 1945 and pitched for an Army team in Texas
, winning 19 consecutive games despite his continued wild pitching. Lee Grissom
and Burgess Whitehead
suggested changes in his pitching style which helped, and his Los Angeles Angels
manager
Bill Sweeney
made him a relief pitcher
. In a 1945 game against the San Francisco Seals, Dobernic entered the game with the bases loaded
and none out
in the 1st inning
and pitched nine innings while allowing no hit
s. In 1947, new Angels manager Bill Kelly
credited Dobernic with saving 26 games and said the Angels would have finished in the second division rather than winning the Pacific Coast League
championship. Excluding two poor games, Dobernic had a 2.93 earned run average
in 1947.
Dobernic died in St. Louis, Missouri
at the age of 80.
Pitcher
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...
over parts of three seasons (1939, 1948–49) with the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
, 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...
, and 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....
. For his career, he compiled a 7-3 record, with a 5.21 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...
, and 55 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 in 109 innings pitched.
Life and career
Dobernic was born in a YugoslaviaYugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
n family in Mount Olive, Illinois
Mount Olive, Illinois
Mount Olive is a city in Macoupin County, Illinois, United States. The population was 2,150 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mount Olive is located at ....
. His first organized baseball was for Rayne, Louisiana
Rayne, Louisiana
Rayne is a city in Acadia Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 8,552 at the 2000 census. It is nicknamed the "Frog Capital of the World", as well as the "Louisiana City of Murals".Rayne is part of the Crowley Micropolitan Statistical Area....
in the Evangeline Baseball League
Evangeline Baseball League
The Evangeline Baseball League began in 1934 as a six-team Class-D minor league in and around Louisiana, United States. The following season, the league was expanded to eight teams and ceased operations in 1942, with six teams, during World War II. It resumed activities in 1946, getting promoted to...
in 1937. For the next four years, he was in the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
system including the St. Paul Saints
St. Paul Saints
The St. Paul Saints are a professional baseball team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota, in the United States. The Saints are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
, Waterloo Hawks
Waterloo Hawks (baseball)
The Waterloo Hawks were a minor league team that existed on-and-off from 1922 to 1969. From 1922 to 1932, they played in the Mississippi Valley League and in 1932 they were affiliated with the Chicago White Sox. They played in the Western League in 1936 and from 1940 to 1942 they played in the...
and the major league team. But difficulty controlling his pitches largely kept him out of the major leagues. During 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...
, he spent three years in the United States Army Air Forces
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
including Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. He returned in the summer of 1945 and pitched for an Army team in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, winning 19 consecutive games despite his continued wild pitching. Lee Grissom
Lee Grissom
Lee Theo Grissom was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1934-1941 for the Cincinnati Reds, New York Yankees, Brooklyn Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies. His brother Marv was also a professional baseball player...
and Burgess Whitehead
Burgess Whitehead
Burgess Urquhart "Whitey" Whitehead was a Major League Baseball second baseman from 1933 to 1946. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants, and Pittsburgh Pirates.-Biography:...
suggested changes in his pitching style which helped, and his Los Angeles Angels
Los Angeles Angels (PCL)
The Los Angeles Angels were a team based in Los Angeles, California that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1903 through 1957, after which they transferred to Spokane, Washington to become the Spokane Indians. Los Angeles would later become the host city to a Major League Baseball team, the...
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...
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...
made him a 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...
. In a 1945 game against the San Francisco Seals, Dobernic entered the game with the bases loaded
Bases loaded
In the sport of baseball, the bases are loaded when there is a runner on each base . This presents a great scoring opportunity for the batting team, but it also presents an easy double play opportunity for the defense. Causing the bases to become loaded is called loading the bases...
and none out
Out (baseball)
In baseball, an out occurs when the defensive, or fielding, team effects any of a number of different events, and the umpire rules a batter or baserunner out. When a player is called out, he is said to be retired...
in the 1st inning
Inning
Inning is a municipality in the district of Erding in Bavaria in Germany....
and pitched nine innings while allowing no hit
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....
s. In 1947, new Angels manager Bill Kelly
Bill Kelly (first baseman)
William Henry Kelly was an American first baseman and scout in Major League Baseball, and a star power-hitter, umpire and manager in minor league baseball...
credited Dobernic with saving 26 games and said the Angels would have finished in the second division rather than winning 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...
championship. Excluding two poor games, Dobernic had a 2.93 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...
in 1947.
Dobernic died in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
at the age of 80.