Ken Trinkle
Encyclopedia
Kenneth Wayne "Ken" Trinkle (December 15, 1919 – May 10, 1976) is a former relief pitcher
in Major League Baseball
who served for the military
in World War II
during his career. He was born in Paoli
, Indiana
in the United States
. He played Major League Baseball with the New York Giants
from –, and the Philadelphia Phillies
in . As a relief specialist in Major League Baseball, he led the National League
in appearances in and . He threw and batted right-handed during his baseball career.
Minor League Baseball
team in 1939 after playing baseball as pitcher in high-school. As a Minor League Baseball player, Trinkle played baseball in the Baltimore Orioles
organization of the International League
from to , and was 15–11 during his last year with the Orioles before being purchased by the New York Giants.
Trinkle made his major league debut with the New York Giants on April 25, 1943 at age 23. He made 11 appearances with the Giants. Despite a respectable 3.74 earned run average
(ERA), he went 1–5 when he got farmed out to Jersey City, New Jersey
.
during World War II. In 1944, he was stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, where he played with the Fort Riley baseball team. He played alongside Pete Reiser
, Harry Walker
, Joe Gantenbein
, Al Brazle
, Murry Dickson
and Joe Garagiola.
Trinkle, Dickson and Gantenbein were later shipped to France
. They eventually had been separated upon arrival. Trinkle went to the replacement center and served for the 9th Armored Division military unit. He fought during the Battle of the Bulge
and was awarded a Bronze Star for his service. “I was a scout in a reconnaissance outfit,” he told The Sporting News
on June 4, 1947. “We would go out in front of the infantry to report if anything was there. If you didn’t come back, they knew there was something out there.”
After the German
surrender in May 1945, Trinkle teamed up with Ralph Houk
for the 9th Armored Division baseball team. They made it to the play-offs of the 1945 ETO World Series
. Another teammate was a Minor League Baseball player, Ed Musial, who was Stan's younger brother. After the cease of hostilities in Europe
, Trinkle played for the 71st Infantry Division Red Circlers baseball team. The team featured players such as Ewell Blackwell
, Ancil Moore, Johnny Wyrostek
, Garland Lawing
, Ewell Blackwell
, Russ Kern, Milt Ticco, Herb Bremer
and Bill Ayers
. The team eventually lost the World Series.
Mel Ott
made his last appearance as a player when he pinch hit
for Trinkle in the New York Giants' 8–7 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates
when he popped the ball to shortstop
. He made a further 53 appearances in 1948, but Trinkle was purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies on December 14. In 1949, his only season with Philadelphia and his last in Major League Baseball, Trinkle pitched in 42 games and recorded his highest major league earned run average
(ERA) at 4.00. Trinkle pitched for the Toronto Maple Leafs
of the International League in , and was back with Baltimore for the and baseball seasons.
Ken Trinkle died on May 10, 1976 in his hometown of Paoli, Indiana at age 55.
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 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...
who served for the military
Military service
Military service, in its simplest sense, is service by an individual or group in an army or other militia, whether as a chosen job or as a result of an involuntary draft . Some nations require a specific amount of military service from every citizen...
in 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...
during his career. He was born in Paoli
Paoli, Indiana
Paoli is a town in Paoli Township, Orange County, Indiana, United States. The population was 3,844 at the 2000 census. The town is the county seat of Orange County.-History:...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He played Major League Baseball with the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
from –, and the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
in . As a relief specialist in Major League Baseball, he led the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
in appearances in and . He threw and batted right-handed during his baseball career.
Baseball
Ken Trinkle signed a professional contract to play with the Thomasville DodgersThomasville Dodgers
The Thomasville Dodgers were a minor league baseball team that played in the Georgia-Florida League from 1946 until the league folded in 1958....
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...
team in 1939 after playing baseball as pitcher in high-school. As a Minor League Baseball player, Trinkle played baseball in the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
organization of 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...
from to , and was 15–11 during his last year with the Orioles before being purchased by the New York Giants.
Trinkle made his major league debut with the New York Giants on April 25, 1943 at age 23. He made 11 appearances with the Giants. Despite a respectable 3.74 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...
(ERA), he went 1–5 when he got farmed out to Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
.
Military service
On September 18, 1943, Trinkle entered military service with the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during World War II. In 1944, he was stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, where he played with the Fort Riley baseball team. He played alongside Pete Reiser
Pete Reiser
Harold Patrick "Pete" Reiser , nicknamed "Pistol Pete," was an outfielder in Major League Baseball during the 1940s and early 1950s. He played primarily for the Brooklyn Dodgers, and later for the Boston Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Cleveland Indians.-Early career:A native of St...
, Harry Walker
Harry Walker
Harry William Walker, known to baseball fans of the middle 20th century as "Harry the Hat" , was an American baseball player, manager and coach.-Early life and family:...
, Joe Gantenbein
Joe Gantenbein
Joseph Steven Gantenbein was an American Major League Baseball infielder. He played for the Philadelphia Athletics during the and seasons.-References:...
, Al Brazle
Al Brazle
Alpha Eugene Brazle was a Major League Baseball pitcher. The left-hander was signed by the Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent in 1936, and later traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for pitcher Mike Ryba in September, 1940. He played his entire MLB career for the Cards...
, Murry Dickson
Murry Dickson
Murry Monroe Dickson was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball during the 1940s and 1950s...
and Joe Garagiola.
Trinkle, Dickson and Gantenbein were later shipped to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. They eventually had been separated upon arrival. Trinkle went to the replacement center and served for the 9th Armored Division military unit. He fought during the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
and was awarded a Bronze Star for his service. “I was a scout in a reconnaissance outfit,” he told The Sporting News
The Sporting News
Sporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
on June 4, 1947. “We would go out in front of the infantry to report if anything was there. If you didn’t come back, they knew there was something out there.”
After the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
surrender in May 1945, Trinkle teamed up with Ralph Houk
Ralph Houk
Ralph George Houk , nicknamed The Major, was an American catcher, coach, manager, and front office executive in Major League Baseball...
for the 9th Armored Division baseball team. They made it to the play-offs of the 1945 ETO World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
. Another teammate was a Minor League Baseball player, Ed Musial, who was Stan's younger brother. After the cease of hostilities in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Trinkle played for the 71st Infantry Division Red Circlers baseball team. The team featured players such as Ewell Blackwell
Ewell Blackwell
Ewell Blackwell was a right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. Nicknamed "The Whip" for his sidearm, snap-delivery, Blackwell played for the Cincinnati Reds for most of his career ....
, Ancil Moore, Johnny Wyrostek
Johnny Wyrostek
John Barney Wyrostek was a center fielder and right fielder mostly, who played in the MLB from 1942 through 1954. He was born in Fairmont City, Illinois and was signed by the St. Louis Cardinals out of high school...
, Garland Lawing
Garland Lawing
Garland Frederick Lawing was a professional baseball player. He was an outfielder for one season with the Cincinnati Reds and New York Giants. For his career, he compiled a .133 batting average in 15 at-bats....
, Ewell Blackwell
Ewell Blackwell
Ewell Blackwell was a right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. Nicknamed "The Whip" for his sidearm, snap-delivery, Blackwell played for the Cincinnati Reds for most of his career ....
, Russ Kern, Milt Ticco, Herb Bremer
Herb Bremer
Herbert Frederick Bremer was a catcher in Major League Baseball. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals.-External links:...
and Bill Ayers
Bill Ayers
William Charles "Bill" Ayers is an American elementary education theorist and a former leader in the movement that opposed U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. He is known for his 1960s activism as well as his current work in education reform, curriculum, and instruction...
. The team eventually lost the World Series.
Post-military service
By November 1945, Trinkle was back playing with the New York Giants. He made a league-lead of 48 appearances for the Giants in , and in , he again led the National League in appearances with 62, finishing 38 of those games. On June 11, 1947, future Baseball Hall of FamerNational Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 25 Main Street in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests serving as the central point for the study of the history of baseball in the United States and beyond, the display of...
Mel Ott
Mel Ott
Melvin Thomas Ott , nicknamed "Master Melvin", was a Major League Baseball right fielder. He played his entire career for the New York Giants . Ott was born in Gretna, Louisiana. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed...
made his last appearance as a player when he pinch hit
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
for Trinkle in the New York Giants' 8–7 loss to 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...
when he popped the ball to shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
. He made a further 53 appearances in 1948, but Trinkle was purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies on December 14. In 1949, his only season with Philadelphia and his last in Major League Baseball, Trinkle pitched in 42 games and recorded his highest major league 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...
(ERA) at 4.00. Trinkle pitched for the Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
of the International League in , and was back with Baltimore for the and baseball seasons.
Ken Trinkle died on May 10, 1976 in his hometown of Paoli, Indiana at age 55.