Ross Baumgarten
Encyclopedia
Ross Baumgarten is an American former professional baseball
player who was a pitcher
in Major League Baseball
for five seasons in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Baumgarten played for the Chicago White Sox
from 1978 to 1981, and Pittsburgh Pirates
in 1982.
, and raised in a Jewish family.
in Gainesville, Florida
, where he was a left-handed starting pitcher
for coach Jay Bergman
's Florida Gators baseball
team in 1977. He was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the twentieth round of the 1977 Major League Baseball Draft
.
minor league club in 1978, Baumgarten was 9–1 with a 1.82 earned run average
(ERA) as a starting pitcher, and earned promotion to the White Sox major league club the following season.
Baumgarten posted a win-loss record of 13–8 in 1979, and was sixth in the American League
with three shutout
s. He finished fourth in American League Rookie of the Year voting, and was voted to the 1979 Topps
All-Star Rookie Team. On July 2, 1980, Baumgarten pitched a one-hitter for the White Sox against the California Angels
. The lone Angels hit was a single by Rod Carew
in the top of the seventh inning, and the White Sox won the game, 1–0.
In March 1982, the White Sox traded Baumgarten, together with Butch Edge, to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for Ernie Camacho
and Vance Law
. After one season in Pittsburgh, his major league career ended.
.
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player who was a pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
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 five seasons in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Baumgarten played for 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...
from 1978 to 1981, and 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...
in 1982.
Early years
Baumgarten was born in Highland Park, IllinoisHighland Park, Illinois
Highland Park is a suburban municipality in Lake County, Illinois, United States, about north of downtown Chicago. As of 2009, the population is 33,492. Highland Park is one of several municipalities located on the North Shore of the Chicago Metropolitan Area.-Overview:Highland Park was founded...
, and raised in a Jewish family.
College career
Baumgarten attended the University of FloridaUniversity of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
in Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
, where he was a left-handed starting pitcher
Starting pitcher
In baseball or softball, a starting pitcher is the pitcher who delivers the first pitch to the first batter of a game. A pitcher who enters the game after the first pitch of the game is a relief pitcher....
for coach Jay Bergman
Jay Bergman
Jay Bergman is a former American college baseball coach. During his coaching career he served as the head coach of Seminole Community College, University of Florida and the University of Central Florida...
's Florida Gators baseball
Florida Gators baseball
The Florida Gators baseball team represents the University of Florida in the sport of baseball. The Florida Gators compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletics Association , and the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference . They play their home games in Alfred A...
team in 1977. He was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the twentieth round of the 1977 Major League Baseball Draft
1977 Major League Baseball Draft
-First round selections:The following are the first round picks in the 1977 Major League Baseball draft.- Background :The White Sox raised some brows when they passed on right-handed pitcher Bill Gullickson, a native of nearby Orland Park, IL, and selected outfielder Harold Baines as the number one...
.
Professional career
While pitching for the White Sox's AppletonAppleton, Wisconsin
Appleton is a city in Outagamie, Calumet, and Winnebago Counties in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. It is situated on the Fox River, 30 miles southwest of Green Bay and 100 miles north of Milwaukee. Appleton is the county seat of Outagamie County. The population was 78,086 at the 2010 census...
minor league club in 1978, Baumgarten was 9–1 with a 1.82 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) as a starting pitcher, and earned promotion to the White Sox major league club the following season.
Baumgarten posted a win-loss record of 13–8 in 1979, and was sixth 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...
with three shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
s. He finished fourth in American League Rookie of the Year voting, and was voted to the 1979 Topps
Topps
The Topps Company, Inc., manufactures chewing gum, candy and collectibles. Based in New York, New York, Topps is best known as a leading producer of baseball cards, football cards, basketball cards, hockey cards and other sports and non-sports themed trading cards.-Company history:Topps itself was...
All-Star Rookie Team. On July 2, 1980, Baumgarten pitched a one-hitter for the White Sox against the California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
. The lone Angels hit was a single by Rod Carew
Rod Carew
Rodney Cline "Rod" Carew is a former Major League Baseball first baseman, second baseman and coach. He played from 1967 to 1985 for the Minnesota Twins and the California Angels and was elected to the All-Star game every season except his last. In 1991, Carew was inducted into the National...
in the top of the seventh inning, and the White Sox won the game, 1–0.
In March 1982, the White Sox traded Baumgarten, together with Butch Edge, to the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for Ernie Camacho
Ernie Camacho
Ernest Carlos Camacho is a former professional baseball player who pitched in the Major Leagues from 1980–1981 and 1983-1990.In 1984, Camacho lead the Cleveland Indians in saves with 23.-External links:...
and Vance Law
Vance Law
Vance Aaron Law is a former third baseman in Major League Baseball. From through , he played for the Pittsburgh Pirates , Chicago White Sox , Montreal Expos , Chicago Cubs , and Oakland Athletics . He also played one season in Japan for the Chunichi Dragons in 1990. Law batted and threw...
. After one season in Pittsburgh, his major league career ended.
Life after baseball
Ross currently works at Robert W. Baird in Chicago on a team of financial advisers, as well as a baseball coach at New Trier High SchoolNew Trier High School
New Trier High School is a public four-year high school , with its major campus located in Winnetka, Illinois, USA, and a second campus in Northfield, Illinois, with freshman classes and district administration...
.
See also
- Florida GatorsFlorida GatorsThe Florida Gators are the intercollegiate sports teams that represent the University of Florida located in Gainesville, Florida. The "Lady Gators" is an alternative nickname sometimes used by the Gators women's teams...
- List of Florida Gators baseball players
- List of select Jewish baseball players