Randy Bobb
Encyclopedia
Mark Randall Bobb was a right-handed catcher
in Major League Baseball
for the Chicago Cubs
.
Originally drafted by the California Angels in the 3rd round (43rd overall) of the 1966 amateur draft out of Verdugo Hills High School
in Tujunga, California, Bobb did not sign, opting to play at Arizona State University
. The year of college baseball paid off, as the Chicago Cubs made Bobb the second overall selection in the first round of the June 1967 draft's secondary phase. Bobb made his major league debut just 14 months later, catching the final four innings of a 8-0 Cubs defeat on August 15, 1968. He made his first major league start six days later in the second game of a doubleheader against the Atlanta Braves
. His first (and only) major league hit came in the 4th inning, a single off Ron Reed
. Bobb appeared in four more games that season with the Cubs and was the eighth-youngest player to appear in the National League
in 1968.
Bobb was again called up to the majors in September 1969 as the Cubs were undergoing an historic collapse that would see them lose the division title to the New York Mets
. Bobb appeared in three games, going 0-for-2 at the plate. Before the 1970 season, the Cubs traded him to the Mets for 32-year-old catcher J.C. Martin, who would go on to be the Cubs' backup backstop for the next three years. Despite just being 21 years of age, Bobb never returned to the major leagues.
Bobb died June 13, 1982 in Carnelian Bay, California
of a ruptured aorta
following a car accident.
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
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...
for 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...
.
Originally drafted by the California Angels in the 3rd round (43rd overall) of the 1966 amateur draft out of Verdugo Hills High School
Verdugo Hills High School
Verdugo Hills High School is a public school located in the Tujunga community of Los Angeles, California, United States within the Los Angeles Unified School District....
in Tujunga, California, Bobb did not sign, opting to play at Arizona State University
Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public research university located in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area of the State of Arizona...
. The year of college baseball paid off, as the Chicago Cubs made Bobb the second overall selection in the first round of the June 1967 draft's secondary phase. Bobb made his major league debut just 14 months later, catching the final four innings of a 8-0 Cubs defeat on August 15, 1968. He made his first major league start six days later in the second game of a doubleheader against the Atlanta 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....
. His first (and only) major league hit came in the 4th inning, a single off Ron Reed
Ron Reed
Ronald Lee Reed is a retired American starting/relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Atlanta Braves , St. Louis Cardinals , Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago White Sox...
. Bobb appeared in four more games that season with the Cubs and was the eighth-youngest player to appear in 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 1968.
Bobb was again called up to the majors in September 1969 as the Cubs were undergoing an historic collapse that would see them lose the division title to the New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
. Bobb appeared in three games, going 0-for-2 at the plate. Before the 1970 season, the Cubs traded him to the Mets for 32-year-old catcher J.C. Martin, who would go on to be the Cubs' backup backstop for the next three years. Despite just being 21 years of age, Bobb never returned to the major leagues.
Bobb died June 13, 1982 in Carnelian Bay, California
Carnelian Bay, California
Carnelian Bay is a census-designated place located on the shore of Lake Tahoe in Placer County, California, in the United States. The elevation is . The population was 524 at the 2010 census....
of a ruptured aorta
Aorta
The aorta is the largest artery in the body, originating from the left ventricle of the heart and extending down to the abdomen, where it branches off into two smaller arteries...
following a car accident.