Johnny Schaive
Encyclopedia
John Edward Schaive was a backup second
and third baseman
who played in Major League Baseball
between the and seasons. Listed at 5' 8", 175 lb., Schaive batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Springfield, Illinois
.
Schaive spent 14 years in baseball as a player, manager
, coach
and scout
. He signed with the Chicago White Sox
in 1952 and started his career in their minor league
system. In 1955, he led a Class-D league in four offensive categories. The next season he attended spring training
with the Sox big league camp, but he had to spend two seasons in military service.
When Schaive got back to baseball, he contended he was not the player he once had been and was released by Chicago. Nevertheless, he spent five seasons in the American League
, playing from 1958 through 1960 with the original Washington Senators
and for the expansion franchise Washington Senators
in 1962 and 1963.
In a five-season career, Schaive was a .232 hitter (75-for-323) with seven home run
s and 32 RBI
in 114 games, including 25 runs
, 18 doubles
, and one triple
without stolen base
s.
Following his majors career, Schaive played and managed for the Chattanooga Lookouts
of the Southern Association
(1956, 1958–1959) and the York White Roses
of the Eastern League (1963).
A .291 hitter in more than 1,100 minor league games, Schaive hit .293 on the Class AA level and .282 in five Triple-A seasons. Schaive even did some pitching. He was 2-3 in 13 appearances as a 20-year-old for the Decatur Commodores
of the Mississippi-Ohio Valley League
in 1954. Then in 1963 with the aforementioned York, he was 2-1 in eight appearances.
Eventually injuries caught up with Schaive, who ended his career in 1966 as a player-manager for the Sultanes de Monterrey of the Mexican League.
When his playing days were over, Schaive came back to Springfield, where he helped raise his family. He coached the Springfield Caps
of the Central Illinois Collegiate League
in the 1970s and became the head coach
when Sangamon State University
fielded a baseball team.
Although he never officially worked as a scout for any professional organization, Schaive served as an area scout for his many friends in baseball. He also was one of the founding fathers of the Springfield Sports Hall of Fame and a charter member in 1991.
Scheive died in his homeland of Springfield at the age of 75.
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
and 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...
who played in 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...
between the and seasons. Listed at 5' 8", 175 lb., Schaive batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Springfield, Illinois
Springfield, Illinois
Springfield is the third and current capital of the US state of Illinois and the county seat of Sangamon County with a population of 117,400 , making it the sixth most populated city in the state and the second most populated Illinois city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area...
.
Schaive spent 14 years in baseball as a player, 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...
, coach
Coach (baseball)
In baseball, a number of coaches assist in the smooth functioning of a team. They are assistants to the manager, or head coach, who determines the lineup and decides how to substitute players during the game...
and scout
Scout (sport)
In professional sports, scouts are trained talent evaluators who travel extensively for the purposes of watching athletes play their chosen sports and determining whether their set of skills and talents represent what is needed by the scout's organization...
. He signed 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...
in 1952 and started his career in their 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...
system. In 1955, he led a Class-D league in four offensive categories. The next season he attended spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
with the Sox big league camp, but he had to spend two seasons in military service.
When Schaive got back to baseball, he contended he was not the player he once had been and was released by Chicago. Nevertheless, he spent five seasons 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...
, playing from 1958 through 1960 with the original 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...
and for the expansion franchise Washington Senators
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
in 1962 and 1963.
In a five-season career, Schaive was a .232 hitter (75-for-323) with seven home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s and 32 RBI
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
in 114 games, including 25 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
, 18 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, and one triple
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
without stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s.
Following his majors career, Schaive played and managed for the Chattanooga Lookouts
Chattanooga Lookouts
The Chattanooga Lookouts are a minor league baseball team based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. They are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team, which plays in the Southern League, has been a Double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers major-league club since the 2009 season. The Lookouts...
of the Southern Association
Southern Association
The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A , Class A1 and Class AA...
(1956, 1958–1959) and the York White Roses
York White Roses
The York White Roses was the name of a minor league baseball team in the city of York, Pennsylvania, USA, that existed from 1894–1969.-Early years:...
of the Eastern League (1963).
A .291 hitter in more than 1,100 minor league games, Schaive hit .293 on the Class AA level and .282 in five Triple-A seasons. Schaive even did some pitching. He was 2-3 in 13 appearances as a 20-year-old for the Decatur Commodores
Decatur Commodores
The Decatur Commodores were a professional minor league baseball team based in Decatur, Illinois. They played, with sporadic interruptions, from 1900 to 1974 in a variety of minor leagues, but spent the majority of their existence in the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League , later joining the...
of the Mississippi-Ohio Valley League
Mississippi-Ohio Valley League
The Mississippi-Ohio Valley League was an American minor league baseball league. It operated from 1949 through 1955.-1949:Teams from Belleville, Illinois, Centralia, Illinois, Marion, Illinois, Mattoon, Illinois, Mount Vernon, Illinois, and West Frankfort, Illinois moved from the Illinois State...
in 1954. Then in 1963 with the aforementioned York, he was 2-1 in eight appearances.
Eventually injuries caught up with Schaive, who ended his career in 1966 as a player-manager for the Sultanes de Monterrey of the Mexican League.
When his playing days were over, Schaive came back to Springfield, where he helped raise his family. He coached the Springfield Caps
Springfield Sliders
The Springfield Sliders are a collegiate summer league baseball team in the Prospect League. They play at Robin Roberts Field at Lanphier Park and are based in the city of Springfield, Illinois. The Sliders formed in November 2007 and were an expansion franchise for the 2008 season...
of the Central Illinois Collegiate League
Central Illinois Collegiate League
The CICL was a collegiate wooden bat summer baseball league. It was composed of five teams from Illinois and Indiana.The CICL was founded in 1963 as a charter member of National Collegiate Athletic Association certified summer baseball...
in the 1970s and became the head coach
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...
when Sangamon State University
University of Illinois at Springfield
The University of Illinois at Springfield is a public university in Springfield, Illinois. The University was established in 1969 as Sangamon State University by the Illinois General Assembly and became a part of the University of Illinois system on July 1, 1995.The University of Illinois at...
fielded a baseball team.
Although he never officially worked as a scout for any professional organization, Schaive served as an area scout for his many friends in baseball. He also was one of the founding fathers of the Springfield Sports Hall of Fame and a charter member in 1991.
Scheive died in his homeland of Springfield at the age of 75.
Fact
- Schaive was only one of seven players to donning the uniform of both the original and expansion Washington Senators teams, the others being Don MincherDon Mincher-External links:***...
, Camilo PascualCamilo PascualCamilo Alberto Pascual is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher. During an 18-year baseball career , he played for the Washington Senators , the second Washington Senators franchise, Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Cleveland Indians...
, Pedro RamosPedro RamosPedro Ramos Guerra was a Major League pitcher with a 15-year career from 1955 to 1967, and again from 1969 to 1970...
, Roy SieversRoy SieversRoy Edward Sievers is a former first baseman/left fielder in Major League Baseball. From through , Sievers played for the St. Louis Browns , the original Washington Senators , Chicago White Sox , Philadelphia Phillies , and finally the new Senators...
, Zoilo VersallesZoilo VersallesZoilo Casanova Versalles Rodriguez , nicknamed "Zorro", was a Cuban shortstop in Major League Baseball, who was considered a solid leadoff man, and a good baserunner whose speed helped him to cover a huge area at shortstop...
and Hal WoodeshickHal WoodeshickHarold Joseph Woodeshick was an American left-handed pitcher who spent eleven seasons in Major League Baseball with the Detroit Tigers , Cleveland Indians , both Washington Senators , Houston Colt .45s/Astros and St. Louis Cardinals...
.