Pete LaCock
Encyclopedia
Ralph Pierre "Pete" LaCock, Jr. (born January 17, 1952, in Burbank, California
) is a former Major League Baseball
first baseman
/outfielder
.
In 1975, he hit the only grand slam of his career, on the final pitch ever thrown by St. Louis Cardinals
pitcher Bob Gibson
.
in the first round (20th pick) of the 1970 amateur draft
. His minor league career included leading the Texas League
with 84 bases on balls while playing for the San Antonio Missions
in 1971 and with 13 triples
and 93 bases on balls while playing for the Midland Cubs in 1972.
He would make the major leagues and play for the Cubs
(1972–1976) and the Kansas City Royals
(1977–1980). In 1981, he played in Japan for the Taiyo Whales
.
In nine seasons (715 games), he hit 27 home run
s with 224 RBI and a batting average
of .257. He was a good fielder at both first base and in the outfield
, but never became an everyday player. He was often used as a pinch hitter
and/or defensive replacement, and sometimes as a designated hitter
. He was granted free agency on October 24, 1980, though he never played another major league game.
In 1989, he played for the St. Petersburg Pelicans
and Winter Haven Super Sox
of the Senior Professional Baseball Association
. He also managed the Niagara Stars
of the Canadian Baseball League
in 2003.
LaCock is the son of Hollywood Squares
host Peter Marshall, as well as the nephew of actress Joanne Dru
.
Since his retirement from baseball, LaCock has competed in several marathons and triathlons, many of which to raise funds for the Leukemia Society of America.
After serving as the hitting coach for St. Joe Blacksnakes
(now defunct) of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball during the 2007 season, he was hired in 2008 as hitting coach for the Lincoln Saltdogs
of the American Association, resigning his position in mid-July. Since then, he's journeyed as a hitting coach with the Tucson Toros
of the Golden Baseball League
in 2009, the North American League
Schaumburg Flyers
in 2010, and the Kevin Costner
owned Lake County Fielders
(also of the North American League
) in 2011.
Pete is the current head coach of the Cronulla Sharks baseball club, in the NSW major league competition in Sydney, Australia.
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
) is a former 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...
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...
.
In 1975, he hit the only grand slam of his career, on the final pitch ever thrown by 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...
pitcher Bob Gibson
Bob Gibson
Robert "Bob" Gibson is a retired American professional baseball player. Nicknamed "Hoot" and "Gibby", he was a right-handed pitcher who played his entire 17-year Major League Baseball career with St. Louis Cardinals...
.
Career
LaCock was drafted by the Chicago CubsChicago 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...
in the first round (20th pick) of the 1970 amateur draft
1970 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1970 Major League Baseball draft.* Did not sign- Background :The regular and secondary phases of the January draft proved more fruitful to major league clubs than the June draft...
. His minor league career included leading the 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...
with 84 bases on balls while playing for the San Antonio Missions
San Antonio Missions
The San Antonio Missions are a minor league baseball team based in San Antonio, Texas. The team, which plays in the Texas League, is the Double-A affiliate of the San Diego Padres major-league club. The Missions play in Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium, located in San Antonio...
in 1971 and with 13 triples
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....
and 93 bases on balls while playing for the Midland Cubs in 1972.
He would make the major leagues and play for the 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...
(1972–1976) and the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
(1977–1980). In 1981, he played in Japan for the Taiyo Whales
Yokohama BayStars
The are a professional baseball team in the Japanese Central League. Home field is the Yokohama Stadium, located in central Yokohama. The clubhouse is located near the stadium....
.
In nine seasons (715 games), he hit 27 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 with 224 RBI and a batting average
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 :...
of .257. He was a good fielder at both first base and in the outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
, but never became an everyday player. He was often used as a pinch hitter
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...
and/or defensive replacement, and sometimes as a designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
. He was granted free agency on October 24, 1980, though he never played another major league game.
In 1989, he played for the St. Petersburg Pelicans
St. Petersburg Pelicans
The St. Petersburg Pelicans were one of the eight original franchises that began play in the Senior Professional Baseball Association in 1989. The team went 42-30 in the regular season and won the Northern Division title. Steve Henderson hit .352 for the club, and Lenny Randle batted .349. Milt...
and Winter Haven Super Sox
Winter Haven Super Sox
The Winter Haven Super Sox were one of the eight original franchises that began play in the Senior Professional Baseball Association in 1989. The club featured future Hall of Famer Ferguson Jenkins as part of its pitching staff. In the league's inaugural season, the Super Sox struggled and went...
of the Senior Professional Baseball Association
Senior Professional Baseball Association
The Senior Professional Baseball Association was a winter baseball league based in Florida for players age 35 and over . The league began play in 1989 and had eight teams in two divisions and a 72 game schedule...
. He also managed the Niagara Stars
Niagara Stars
The Niagara Stars played in the independent Canadian Baseball League that existed for half of the summer season of 2003 before folding. Located in the city of Welland, Ontario the team featured a variety of international ballplayers from Canada, the Dominican Republic, and the United States...
of the Canadian Baseball League
Canadian Baseball League
The Canadian Baseball League, was an independent minor league that operated in 2003. The league's only Commissioner was Major League Baseball Hall of Famer and Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame member Ferguson Jenkins...
in 2003.
LaCock is the son of Hollywood Squares
Hollywood Squares
Hollywood Squares is an American panel game show in which two contestants play tic-tac-toe to win cash and prizes. The "board" for the game is a 3 × 3 vertical stack of open-faced cubes, each occupied by a celebrity seated at a desk and facing the contestants...
host Peter Marshall, as well as the nephew of actress Joanne Dru
Joanne Dru
Joanne Dru was an American film and television actress, known for such films as Red River and All the King's Men.-Career:...
.
Since his retirement from baseball, LaCock has competed in several marathons and triathlons, many of which to raise funds for the Leukemia Society of America.
After serving as the hitting coach for St. Joe Blacksnakes
St. Joe Blacksnakes
The St. Joe Blacksnakes, in Saint Joseph, Missouri, were a member of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball.On December 16, 2005 the team announced that the primary owner would be Van Schley and that the field manager would be Chris Carminucci. On December 27, St. Joe...
(now defunct) of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball during the 2007 season, he was hired in 2008 as hitting coach for the Lincoln Saltdogs
Lincoln Saltdogs
The Lincoln Saltdogs are a professional baseball team based in Lincoln, Nebraska, in the United States. The Saltdogs are a member of the North Division of the American Association of Independent Professional Baseball, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball...
of the American Association, resigning his position in mid-July. Since then, he's journeyed as a hitting coach with the Tucson Toros
Tucson Toros
The Tucson Toros are a professional baseball team based in Tucson, Arizona, in the United States. They are owned by Tucson Baseball, LLC with Jay Zucker as chairman of the board. Sean Smock is the team's general manager....
of the Golden Baseball League
Golden Baseball League
The Golden Baseball League, based in San Ramon, California, was an independent baseball league. It later merged with the Northern League and the United Baseball League to form the North American League in the western United States, western Canada and Mexico....
in 2009, the North American League
North American League
The North American League is an independent baseball league that began play in the 2011 season...
Schaumburg Flyers
Schaumburg Flyers
The Schaumburg Flyers were a professional baseball team based in Schaumburg, Illinois, in the United States. The Flyers were to be a charter member of the North American League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, however, the team folded in March of 2011, before they began play in...
in 2010, and the Kevin Costner
Kevin Costner
Kevin Michael Costner is an American actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and businessman. He has been nominated for three BAFTA Awards, won two Academy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Costner's roles include Lt. John J...
owned Lake County Fielders
Lake County Fielders
The Lake County Fielders are a professional minor league baseball team based in Zion, Illinois, located in Lake County in the northern reaches of the Chicago area...
(also of the North American League
North American League
The North American League is an independent baseball league that began play in the 2011 season...
) in 2011.
Pete is the current head coach of the Cronulla Sharks baseball club, in the NSW major league competition in Sydney, Australia.