Putsy Caballero
Encyclopedia
Ralph Joseph "Putsy" Caballero (born November 5, 1927) is a retired infielder
in Major League Baseball
. Caballero played eight seasons in Major League Baseball, all for the Philadelphia Phillies
during the Whiz Kids
era, and holds the record as the youngest person in major league history to appear at third base
.
After graduating high school at age 16, the Phillies signed Caballero to a contract worth $10,000. After a few short stints at the major league level and playing parts of three seasons in the minor leagues
, Caballero was named the starter at third base in 1948. In his one season as an everyday player, Caballero batted .245 in 380 plate appearance
s at age 20. After another stint in the minors in 1949, he was a backup infielder, pinch hitter
, and pinch runner
for the 1950 season, and continued in that role through 1952. After three more seasons in the minors, Caballero retired from baseball after the 1955 season.
After baseball, Caballero worked as an exterminator. His Louisiana home was destroyed in 2005 during Hurricane Katrina
, and he lives in Lake View.
in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he played baseball during the 1943 and 1944 seasons. During his first season, the Jesuit High team won both the city championship and the American Legion
championship. The Philadelphia Phillies
signed Caballero as an amateur free agent on September 9, 1944, the same year that fellow Whiz Kid
shortstop Granny Hamner
joined the organization. Caballero planned on attending Louisiana State University
, where he had been offered a scholarship to play baseball and basketball
. Mel Ott
, a scout for the New York Giants
and former outfielder, wanted Caballero to sign with the Giants, but counseled him to sign with whoever offers you the most money. The Phillies offered Caballero a $10,000 signing bonus ($ today), and his father advised him to sign the contract offered by general manager Herb Pennock
and owner Bob Carpenter
. At 16 years old, Caballero appeared in four games for the 1944 Phillies
, getting four at-bats without reaching base. In so doing, Caballero became the youngest third baseman
ever to play in Major League Baseball
, a record he still holds.
For the 1945 season, the Phillies sent Caballero to the Class-A Utica Blue Sox
of the Eastern League, where he played in 130 games at third base, batting
.272 with 132 hits
, 9 doubles
, and 10 triples
. While there, he was managed by Eddie Sawyer
, and played with Hamner and Richie Ashburn
, with whom he lived for two seasons. Caballero appeared in nine games with the Phillies in 1945, scoring his first major league run
and batting in
a run as well. In 1946, Caballero lost playing time as he and Hamner were both summoned to military service; however, he did play in 76 games with the Terre Haute Phillies
in the Class-B Three-I League and 1 game with the Blue Sox. That year, Caballero hit the first two home run
s of his minor league career with Terre Haute, along with nine doubles and four triples.
Most of Caballero's 1947 season was played at Utica as well, where he posted a .287 batting average, 114 hits, and 13 doubles while splitting time with Hamner at second base. His last cup of coffee
with the Phillies came at the end of 1947, when he notched his first major league hit and first walk in eight at-bats.
—and 23 games at second base. At the plate, Caballero had a .245 batting average, the second-lowest among the team's starters that season—higher only than catcher Andy Seminick
. He posted 86 hits (13 for extra bases
) in 380 plate appearances. In the field, Caballero played 102 games, he made 18 errors
in 363 chances for a .950 fielding percentage
. He started a triple play
in a game against Cincinnati when Virgil Stallcup
hit a sharp line drive
to third base; Caballero forced Ted Kluszewski
out at second base with a throw to Hamner and Danny Litwhiler
was picked off first trying to return to complete the third out. Additionally, Caballero notched the team's only hit in a one-hit pitching performance by Brooklyn Dodgers starting pitcher Rex Barney
.
In the middle of the season, the Phillies promoted Caballero's former manager Eddie Sawyer from their Triple-A farm team, the Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League
, to replace Ben Chapman at the helm. Teammate Robin Roberts described Caballero, as well as Hamner, Ashburn, and catcher Stan Lopata
, as having "the highest respect for [Sawyer]"—all having played under his tutelage at Utica; Caballero himself gave Sawyer the credit for his development, along with that of several other Whiz Kids. Caballero regressed in 1949, playing 22 games with the Phillies but spending the majority of his season playing second base for the Maple Leafs in Triple-A. He played in 48 games, amassing a .318 batting average (the second-highest total on the team) and eight extra-base hits.
at 22 years old, Caballero was described as having "great potential", but the Phillies wanted Mike Goliat
to take over as the everyday second baseman. Caballero went to the major league club's spring training as a non-roster invitee; his .379 average in the Grapefruit League won him a roster spot and a utility infield role with the Phillies. Media reports speculated that the Phillies would challenge the Dodgers for the National League pennant, and one of Caballero's most valuable roles as a utility player was as a pinch runner
off of the bench
. In the second game of a July 25 doubleheader
against the Chicago Cubs
at Shibe Park, starting pitcher Roberts batted in the bottom of the ninth in a 0–0 shutout. With Bob Rush
on the mound for Chicago, Roberts managed a walk
and was replaced on base by Caballero, who promptly took second base on a hit and run
groundout by first baseman Eddie Waitkus
. A single to center field by Richie Ashburn allowed the speedy Caballero to score from second and completed the doubleheader sweep for Philadelphia—Bubba Church
having pitched a three-hit shutout in the first game earlier in the day.
As a pinch hitter
, Caballero came through with hits in clutch situations, notably against the St. Louis Cardinals
on August 30. Behind 6–3 at Sportsman's Park
in St. Louis, the Phillies sent Caballero to the plate to pinch hit in the top of the seventh inning. He led off the inning with a single, scoring the first run of a seesaw come-from-behind rally that ended with a 9–8 Phillies victory, closer Jim Konstanty
's 13th of the season. Caballero displayed his running skills again in September, replacing Goliat in the ninth inning of another game against the Cardinals, and scoring a late-inning run in place of Lopata against the Cincinnati Reds
several days later to tie a close game that the Phillies eventually lost in 18 innings. On September 26, Caballero scored another crucial run against the Boston Braves
when he pinch-ran for outfielder Dick Sisler
. Waiting on third base after advancing from first on a Del Ennis
single to center field, Jones hit a high ground ball to Boston shortstop Sibby Sisti
, who booted the ball and allowed Caballero to score the game-tying run; the Phillies won, 8–7.
In the final game of the season, in which the Phillies defeated the Dodgers, Caballero appeared as a pinch-runner, replacing catcher Andy Seminick
in the ninth inning. Philadelphia advanced to the 1950 World Series
to play the New York Yankees
, where they were defeated, four games to none. In the series, Caballero made three appearances: two as a pinch-runner—for Seminick in Game 2, and for Goliat in Game 3—and one as a pinch-hitter for Konstanty in Game 4, where he struck out. For the season, Caballero appeared in 46 games and posted a .167 batting average.
in the second game of a doubleheader, one of the top performances of his career. He also batted in three runs in one game against the Giants on September 27.
, where he batted .268 in 133 games, the most played in his professional career. He added 25 doubles, 2 triples, and 5 home runs to his total, but did not earn a promotion back to the major leagues. He returned to the Phillies system, playing for the Syracuse Chiefs. After batting .258 with 2 home runs and 41 runs batted in during the 1954 season and declining to a .225 average in 1955, Caballero retired from baseball.
. Caballero lives in Lake View, Louisiana, where his home was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina
. He lost memorabilia signed by Babe Ruth
, Eddie Matthews, and Pete Rose
in the flood, calling the hurricane damage "a catastrophe". He lives with his wife, Clare; they have seven children and nine grandchildren. Caballero rejoined some of his old teammates in 2008 to celebrate the Whiz Kids on Alumni Weekend.
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
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...
. Caballero played eight seasons in Major League Baseball, all for 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...
during the Whiz Kids
Whiz Kids (baseball)
The Whiz Kids was a nickname given to the 1950 Philadelphia Phillies in Major League Baseball. This team, averaging only 26.4 years of age, won the National League pennant during that season.After owner R. R. M. Carpenter, Jr...
era, and holds the record as the youngest person in major league history to appear at third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
.
After graduating high school at age 16, the Phillies signed Caballero to a contract worth $10,000. After a few short stints at the major league level and playing parts of three seasons in the minor leagues
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...
, Caballero was named the starter at third base in 1948. In his one season as an everyday player, Caballero batted .245 in 380 plate appearance
Plate appearance
In baseball statistics, a player is credited with a plate appearance each time he completes a turn batting. A player completes a turn batting when: He strikes out or is declared out before reaching first base; or He reaches first base safely or is awarded first base ; or He hits a fair ball which...
s at age 20. After another stint in the minors in 1949, he was a backup infielder, 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 pinch runner
Pinch runner
A pinch runner is a baseball player substituted for the specific purpose of replacing a player on base. In the typical case, the pinch runner is faster or otherwise more skilled at base-running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been substituted...
for the 1950 season, and continued in that role through 1952. After three more seasons in the minors, Caballero retired from baseball after the 1955 season.
After baseball, Caballero worked as an exterminator. His Louisiana home was destroyed in 2005 during Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
, and he lives in Lake View.
Early career and minor leagues
Caballero attended Jesuit High SchoolJesuit High School (New Orleans)
Jesuit High School is an all-male Catholic high school in New Orleans, Louisiana. The school was founded in 1847. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans....
in New Orleans, Louisiana, where he played baseball during the 1943 and 1944 seasons. During his first season, the Jesuit High team won both the city championship and the American Legion
American Legion Baseball
American Legion Baseball is a variety of amateur baseball played by teenage boys in 50 states in the USA. More than five thousand teams participate each year. The American Legion Department of South Dakota established the program in 1925 at Milbank, South Dakota...
championship. 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...
signed Caballero as an amateur free agent on September 9, 1944, the same year that fellow Whiz Kid
Whiz Kids (baseball)
The Whiz Kids was a nickname given to the 1950 Philadelphia Phillies in Major League Baseball. This team, averaging only 26.4 years of age, won the National League pennant during that season.After owner R. R. M. Carpenter, Jr...
shortstop Granny Hamner
Granny Hamner
Granville Wilbur Hamner was an American shortstop and second baseman in Major League Baseball. Hamner was one of the key players on the "Whiz Kids", the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies...
joined the organization. Caballero planned on attending Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
, where he had been offered a scholarship to play baseball and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. 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...
, a scout for 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....
and former outfielder, wanted Caballero to sign with the Giants, but counseled him to sign with whoever offers you the most money. The Phillies offered Caballero a $10,000 signing bonus ($ today), and his father advised him to sign the contract offered by general manager Herb Pennock
Herb Pennock
Herbert Jefferis Pennock was a left-handed Major League Baseball pitcher best known for his time spent with the star-studded New York Yankee teams of the mid to late 1920s and early 1930s. Pennock won two World Series championships with the Red Sox and then four World Series championships with the...
and owner Bob Carpenter
R. R. M. Carpenter
Robert Ruliph Morgan Carpenter was an American executive and member of the board of directors of DuPont.-Biography:...
. At 16 years old, Caballero appeared in four games for the 1944 Phillies
1944 Philadelphia Phillies season
-Offseason:*Bill Veeck attempted to purchase the Phillies in late 1943. Veeck’s plan was to sign players from the Negro leagues to make the Phillies competitive.- Regular season :...
, getting four at-bats without reaching base. In so doing, Caballero became the youngest 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...
ever to play 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...
, a record he still holds.
For the 1945 season, the Phillies sent Caballero to the Class-A Utica Blue Sox
Utica Blue Sox
The Utica Blue Sox were a minor league baseball team based in Utica, New York. In their most recent incarnation, the Blue Sox played in the Short-Season A classification New York - Penn League from 1977-2001, with their home games at Donovan Stadium at Murnane Field...
of the Eastern League, where he played in 130 games at third base, batting
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 :...
.272 with 132 hits
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....
, 9 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 10 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....
. While there, he was managed by Eddie Sawyer
Eddie Sawyer
Edwin Milby Sawyer was an American manager and scout in Major League Baseball. As a manager, he led the 1950 Philadelphia Phillies — the "Whiz Kids", as the youthful club was known — to the second National League championship in team history.-A scholar-athlete:Born in Westerly, Rhode Island,...
, and played with Hamner and Richie Ashburn
Richie Ashburn
Don Richard "Richie" Ashburn , also known by the nicknames, "Putt-Putt", "The Tilden Flash", and "Whitey" due to his light-blond hair, was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball. He was born in Tilden, Nebraska...
, with whom he lived for two seasons. Caballero appeared in nine games with the Phillies in 1945, scoring his first major league run
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...
and batting in
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...
a run as well. In 1946, Caballero lost playing time as he and Hamner were both summoned to military service; however, he did play in 76 games with the Terre Haute Phillies
Terre Haute Phillies
The Terre Haute Phillies were a baseball team in Terre Haute, Indiana from 1946-1954. They were a Three-I League team affiliated with the Philadelphia Phillies. Their games were played at Memorial Stadium ballpark in Terre Haute.-Year-by-year record:...
in the Class-B Three-I League and 1 game with the Blue Sox. That year, Caballero hit the first two 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 of his minor league career with Terre Haute, along with nine doubles and four triples.
Most of Caballero's 1947 season was played at Utica as well, where he posted a .287 batting average, 114 hits, and 13 doubles while splitting time with Hamner at second base. His last cup of coffee
Cup of coffee
A "cup of coffee" is North American sports terminology for a short time spent by a minor league player at the major league level. The idea behind the term is that the player was only in the big leagues long enough to have a cup of coffee before being returned to the minors, or simply to describe a...
with the Phillies came at the end of 1947, when he notched his first major league hit and first walk in eight at-bats.
1948–1949
1948 was Caballero's first full season in the major leagues; he played 79 games during the year at third base—where he was the regular starter over Willie "Puddin' Head" JonesWillie Jones (baseball)
Willie Edward Jones , nicknamed "Puddin' Head", was a Major League Baseball third baseman who played for the Philadelphia Phillies , Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds...
—and 23 games at second base. At the plate, Caballero had a .245 batting average, the second-lowest among the team's starters that season—higher only than catcher Andy Seminick
Andy Seminick
Andrew Wasal Seminick was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies between 1943 and 1951, and the Cincinnati Reds/Redlegs from 1952 through part of 1955, when he rejoined the Phillies for the rest of his career until...
. He posted 86 hits (13 for extra bases
Extra base hit
In baseball, an extra base hit , also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire another base runner...
) in 380 plate appearances. In the field, Caballero played 102 games, he made 18 errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
in 363 chances for a .950 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
. He started a triple play
Triple Play
A triple play is a baseball play in which three outs are made as a result of continuous action without any intervening errors between outs.Triple play may also refer to:...
in a game against Cincinnati when Virgil Stallcup
Virgil Stallcup
Thomas Virgil Stallcup was an American professional baseball player, a shortstop who played in seven Major League seasons . Nicknamed "Red," the native of Ravensford, Swain County, North Carolina, threw and batted right-handed, stood 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighed 185 pounds .Stallcup attended...
hit a sharp line drive
Line drive
In baseball, a line drive is a type of batted ball, sharply hit, and on a level trajectory. The threshold between a line drive and a fly ball can be subjective....
to third base; Caballero forced Ted Kluszewski
Ted Kluszewski
Theodore Bernard "Big Klu" Kluszewski was a Major League first baseman from 1947 through 1961. He batted and threw left-handed.-Career:...
out at second base with a throw to Hamner and Danny Litwhiler
Danny Litwhiler
Daniel Webster Litwhiler was an American Major League baseball player who played outfield from 1940-1951. He played for the Boston Braves, St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies, and Cincinnati Reds. He was the first Major Leaguer to have an error-free season...
was picked off first trying to return to complete the third out. Additionally, Caballero notched the team's only hit in a one-hit pitching performance by Brooklyn Dodgers starting pitcher Rex Barney
Rex Barney
Rex Edward Barney was a Major League Baseball pitcher for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1943 and from 1946 through 1950....
.
In the middle of the season, the Phillies promoted Caballero's former manager Eddie Sawyer from their Triple-A farm team, the Toronto Maple Leafs 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...
, to replace Ben Chapman at the helm. Teammate Robin Roberts described Caballero, as well as Hamner, Ashburn, and catcher Stan Lopata
Stan Lopata
Stanley Edward Lopata was an American professional baseball player. Lopata played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for parts of 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Braves...
, as having "the highest respect for [Sawyer]"—all having played under his tutelage at Utica; Caballero himself gave Sawyer the credit for his development, along with that of several other Whiz Kids. Caballero regressed in 1949, playing 22 games with the Phillies but spending the majority of his season playing second base for the Maple Leafs in Triple-A. He played in 48 games, amassing a .318 batting average (the second-highest total on the team) and eight extra-base hits.
1950: The "Whiz Kids"
Entering the Phillies' 1950 season1950 Philadelphia Phillies season
The Philadelphia Phillies won the National League pennant by two games over the Brooklyn Dodgers. Nicknamed the "Whiz Kids" because of the youth of their roster, they went on to lose the World Series to the New York Yankees in four straight games....
at 22 years old, Caballero was described as having "great potential", but the Phillies wanted Mike Goliat
Mike Goliat
Mike Mitchell Goliat was an American second baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Browns . He batted and threw right-handed....
to take over as the everyday second baseman. Caballero went to the major league club's spring training as a non-roster invitee; his .379 average in the Grapefruit League won him a roster spot and a utility infield role with the Phillies. Media reports speculated that the Phillies would challenge the Dodgers for the National League pennant, and one of Caballero's most valuable roles as a utility player was as a pinch runner
Pinch runner
A pinch runner is a baseball player substituted for the specific purpose of replacing a player on base. In the typical case, the pinch runner is faster or otherwise more skilled at base-running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been substituted...
off of the bench
Dugout (baseball)
In baseball, the dugout is a team's bench area and is located in foul territory between home plate and either first or third base. There are two dugouts, one for the home team and one for the visiting team. In general, the dugout is occupied by all players not prescribed to be on the field at that...
. In the second game of a July 25 doubleheader
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
against the 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...
at Shibe Park, starting pitcher Roberts batted in the bottom of the ninth in a 0–0 shutout. With Bob Rush
Bob Rush (baseball)
Robert Ransom Rush was a professional baseball player who pitched in Major League Baseball from 1948-60.Rush played for the Milwaukee Braves, Chicago Cubs, and the Chicago White Sox....
on the mound for Chicago, Roberts managed a walk
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
and was replaced on base by Caballero, who promptly took second base on a hit and run
Hit and run (baseball)
A hit and run is a high risk/high reward offensive strategy used in baseball.When the offense has a baserunner on first base , the runner on first breaks for second as the pitch is thrown...
groundout by first baseman Eddie Waitkus
Eddie Waitkus
Edward Stephen Waitkus was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who had an 11-year career . He played for the Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies in the National League and for the Baltimore Orioles of the American League...
. A single to center field by Richie Ashburn allowed the speedy Caballero to score from second and completed the doubleheader sweep for Philadelphia—Bubba Church
Bubba Church
Emory Nicholas "Bubba" Church was an American right-handed starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Philadelphia Phillies , Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs...
having pitched a three-hit shutout in the first game earlier in the day.
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...
, Caballero came through with hits in clutch situations, notably against the 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...
on August 30. Behind 6–3 at Sportsman's Park
Sportsman's Park
Sportsman's Park was the name of several former Major League Baseball ballpark structures in St. Louis, Missouri, USA, all but one of which were located on the same piece of land, the northwest corner of Grand Boulevard and Dodier Street on the north side of the city.- History :From...
in St. Louis, the Phillies sent Caballero to the plate to pinch hit in the top of the seventh inning. He led off the inning with a single, scoring the first run of a seesaw come-from-behind rally that ended with a 9–8 Phillies victory, closer Jim Konstanty
Jim Konstanty
Casimir James "Jim" Konstanty was an American relief pitcher in Major League Baseball and National League Most Valuable Player of 1950. He played for the Cincinnati Reds , Boston Braves , Philadelphia Phillies , New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals...
's 13th of the season. Caballero displayed his running skills again in September, replacing Goliat in the ninth inning of another game against the Cardinals, and scoring a late-inning run in place of Lopata against the 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....
several days later to tie a close game that the Phillies eventually lost in 18 innings. On September 26, Caballero scored another crucial run against the Boston Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
when he pinch-ran for outfielder Dick Sisler
Dick Sisler
Richard Alan Sisler was an American player, coach and manager in Major League Baseball. A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Sisler was the son of Hall of Fame first baseman and two-time .400 hitter George Sisler. Younger brother Dave Sisler was a relief pitcher in the 1950s and 1960s with four MLB...
. Waiting on third base after advancing from first on a Del Ennis
Del Ennis
Delmer Ennis was an American left and right fielder in Major League Baseball who played most of his career for the Philadelphia Phillies. From 1949 to 1957, Ennis accumulated more runs batted in than anyone besides Stan Musial and was 8th in the National League in home runs...
single to center field, Jones hit a high ground ball to Boston shortstop Sibby Sisti
Sibby Sisti
Sebastian Daniel "Sibby" Sisti , was an American Major League Baseball utility player.-Playing career:Sisti stood 5' 11" tall and weighed 175 pounds...
, who booted the ball and allowed Caballero to score the game-tying run; the Phillies won, 8–7.
In the final game of the season, in which the Phillies defeated the Dodgers, Caballero appeared as a pinch-runner, replacing catcher Andy Seminick
Andy Seminick
Andrew Wasal Seminick was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies between 1943 and 1951, and the Cincinnati Reds/Redlegs from 1952 through part of 1955, when he rejoined the Phillies for the rest of his career until...
in the ninth inning. Philadelphia advanced to the 1950 World Series
1950 World Series
The 1950 World Series was the 47th World Series between the American and National Leagues for the championship of Major League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies as 1950 champions of the National League and the New York Yankees, as 1950 American League champions, competed to win a best-of-seven...
to play 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...
, where they were defeated, four games to none. In the series, Caballero made three appearances: two as a pinch-runner—for Seminick in Game 2, and for Goliat in Game 3—and one as a pinch-hitter for Konstanty in Game 4, where he struck out. For the season, Caballero appeared in 46 games and posted a .167 batting average.
1951–1952
Caballero continued as a utility player after the Whiz Kids' defeat in the World Series, but the talented young players would never return to the Fall Classic with the Phillies. He played mostly second base during the 1951 season, fielding the position in 54 games. He posted a .186 batting average at the plate and hit his only major league home run, along with 3 doubles and 2 triples in 84 games played. With 10 hits in 42 at-bats in what would be his final season in the major leagues, Caballero achieved a .238 average in the 1952 season, hitting three doubles. On June 15, Caballero had a three-hit game against the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh 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...
in the second game of a doubleheader, one of the top performances of his career. He also batted in three runs in one game against the Giants on September 27.
Return to the minors
In 1953, Caballero played for the minor league Baltimore OriolesBaltimore Orioles (minor league)
The city of Baltimore, Maryland has been home to two minor league baseball teams called the Baltimore Orioles.-Name history:"Orioles" is a traditional name for baseball clubs in Baltimore . It was used by major league teams from 1882 through 1899 in the American Association/National League and by...
, where he batted .268 in 133 games, the most played in his professional career. He added 25 doubles, 2 triples, and 5 home runs to his total, but did not earn a promotion back to the major leagues. He returned to the Phillies system, playing for the Syracuse Chiefs. After batting .258 with 2 home runs and 41 runs batted in during the 1954 season and declining to a .225 average in 1955, Caballero retired from baseball.
After baseball
After retiring from baseball, Caballero returned to Louisiana, where he worked as a salesman for an exterminating company, partnering with E.J. D’Arensbourg in 1963. Eventually, he opened his own company in Metairie, LouisianaMetairie, Louisiana
Metairie is a census-designated place in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States and is a major part of the New Orleans Metropolitan Area. Metairie is the largest community in Jefferson Parish. It is an unincorporated area that would be larger than most of the state's cities if it were...
. Caballero lives in Lake View, Louisiana, where his home was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. He lost memorabilia signed by Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
, Eddie Matthews, and Pete Rose
Pete Rose
Peter Edward Rose , nicknamed "Charlie Hustle", is a former Major League Baseball player and manager. Rose played from 1963 to 1986, and managed from 1984 to 1989....
in the flood, calling the hurricane damage "a catastrophe". He lives with his wife, Clare; they have seven children and nine grandchildren. Caballero rejoined some of his old teammates in 2008 to celebrate the Whiz Kids on Alumni Weekend.
External links
- Phillies Timeline (1950s) at MLB.comMLB.comMLB.com is the official site of Major League Baseball and is overseen by Major League Baseball Advanced Media, L.P. . MLB.com is a source of baseball-related information, including baseball news, statistics, and sports columns...