Skippy Roberge
Encyclopedia
Joseph Albert A. "Skippy" Roberge (1917–1993) was an American professional baseball
player.
, on May 19, 1917. He attended Keith Academy, now part of Lowell Catholic High School
from 1933–1937, where he was the football quarterback, All-American forward for the basketball team, and shortstop and pitcher for the baseball team. He did not attend college.
After high school, Roberge joined a semi-pro baseball team in the Lowell Twilight League, and the Lowell YMCA
basketball team, where he played until 1938 when he tried out for the Boston Braves
. Head coach Casey Stengel
liked what he saw and assigned Roberge to the 1939 Class D farm team, the Bradford Bees. The next year, in 1940, Roberge moved up to the Class B team, the Evansville Bees, then to the Class A team, the Hartford Bees, before entering the Majors.
for the Boston Braves from 1941–1942, 1946. Listed at 5'-11" and 185 lbs, he made his professional debut at the age of 24 with the Boston Braves. He never started a game, but finished his career with 508 at-bats and a .220 batting average, with 3 home runs.
All in all, Roberge batted in 177 games with a career slugging percentage of .283. He also fielded in 163 games with 17 errors, and a .972 fielding percentage.
Company C, 52d Infantry Regiment (Anti-Tank), 4th Signal Battalion with the rank of Technician Fifth Grade.
The first few months while stationed in England
, he played and taught baseball as part of a traveling squad around England. But in late 1944, as the Allied Forces advanced, Roberge was sent to the front lines, where he was wounded in the Roer River crossing at Linnich, Germany
on February 14, 1945, which earned him the Purple Heart
. Roberge was discharged in December 1945.
system, as well as the Indianapolis
and Toronto Blue Jays
systems, until retiring from the sport in 1951 at the age of 34. He then worked the next 22 years back in his hometown at the General Electric Company, while coaching local youth leagues.
Roberge was inducted into the Lowell Catholic High School
's Athletic Hall of Fame.
Roberge died in his hometown of Lowell, on June 7, 1993, at the age of 76, and is buried in St. Joseph Cemetery in Lowell.
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.
Early years
Skippy Roberge was born in Lowell, MassachusettsLowell, Massachusetts
Lowell is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA. According to the 2010 census, the city's population was 106,519. It is the fourth largest city in the state. Lowell and Cambridge are the county seats of Middlesex County...
, on May 19, 1917. He attended Keith Academy, now part of Lowell Catholic High School
Lowell Catholic High School
Lowell Catholic High School is a private, not-for-profit, college preparatory school in Lowell, Massachusetts. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston and is a ....
from 1933–1937, where he was the football quarterback, All-American forward for the basketball team, and shortstop and pitcher for the baseball team. He did not attend college.
After high school, Roberge joined a semi-pro baseball team in the Lowell Twilight League, and the Lowell YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
basketball team, where he played until 1938 when he tried out for 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....
. Head coach Casey Stengel
Casey Stengel
Charles Dillon "Casey" Stengel , nicknamed "The Old Perfessor", was an American Major League Baseball outfielder and manager. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in ....
liked what he saw and assigned Roberge to the 1939 Class D farm team, the Bradford Bees. The next year, in 1940, Roberge moved up to the Class B team, the Evansville Bees, then to the Class A team, the Hartford Bees, before entering the Majors.
Baseball career
Roberge was a right-handed backup utility InfielderInfielder
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...
for the Boston Braves from 1941–1942, 1946. Listed at 5'-11" and 185 lbs, he made his professional debut at the age of 24 with the Boston Braves. He never started a game, but finished his career with 508 at-bats and a .220 batting average, with 3 home runs.
- 1941 (55 games): 15 RBIs, .216 batting average.
- 1942 (74 games): 12 RBIs, .215 batting average.
- 1943-1945 Roberge, like many of his peers, enlisted in the military during World War IIWorld War IIWorld 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...
. - 1946 (48 games): 20 RBIs, .231 batting average.
All in all, Roberge batted in 177 games with a career slugging percentage of .283. He also fielded in 163 games with 17 errors, and a .972 fielding percentage.
Military service
Roberge served with the U.S. ArmyArmy
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
Company C, 52d Infantry Regiment (Anti-Tank), 4th Signal Battalion with the rank of Technician Fifth Grade.
The first few months while stationed in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, he played and taught baseball as part of a traveling squad around England. But in late 1944, as the Allied Forces advanced, Roberge was sent to the front lines, where he was wounded in the Roer River crossing at Linnich, Germany
Linnich
Linnich is a town in the district of Düren in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located on the river Rur, approx. 10 km north-west of Jülich.-Economy:Linnich is the home of SIG Combibloc the specialist for aseptic carton packaging....
on February 14, 1945, which earned him the Purple Heart
Purple Heart
The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving on or after April 5, 1917 with the U.S. military. The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor is located in New Windsor, New York...
. Roberge was discharged in December 1945.
Later years
Even though his war wound hindered his return to the majors, Roberge continued to play baseball in the minor leagues in the Milwaukee BrewersMilwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers are a professional baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, currently playing in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
system, as well as the Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
and Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Jays are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball 's American League ....
systems, until retiring from the sport in 1951 at the age of 34. He then worked the next 22 years back in his hometown at the General Electric Company, while coaching local youth leagues.
Roberge was inducted into the Lowell Catholic High School
Lowell Catholic High School
Lowell Catholic High School is a private, not-for-profit, college preparatory school in Lowell, Massachusetts. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston and is a ....
's Athletic Hall of Fame.
Roberge died in his hometown of Lowell, on June 7, 1993, at the age of 76, and is buried in St. Joseph Cemetery in Lowell.