Steve Souchock
Encyclopedia
Stephen Souchock was a former Major League Baseball
outfielder
and first basemen and a former veteran
who served in the military during World War II
. His Major League Baseball career lasted a total of eight years, having served in the military for three years. Born in Yatesboro, Pennsylvania
, Souchock worked on the assembly line at the Ford factory during his early life. He also played semi-pro American football
for the Dearborn Club in 1938. During his baseball
career, he batted and threw right-handed.
. From 1939–1942, Souchock played baseball in the New York Yankees organization. In 1942, Souchock was the Eastern League Most Valuable Player
and won the league batting title with a batting average
of .315.
as first baseman in Major League Baseball, but he instead entered military service in January of that year. In the military, served in the 691st Tank Destroyer Battalion of the 87th Infantry Division, US Army. He served in the European Theater of Operations
. Serving the military for three years, he eventually earned the rank of First Sergeant
. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge
. His unit was attached to Patton's 3rd Army. Toward the end of his military service, Souchock earned a Bronze Star in Europe
as commander of a five-man gun crew. He returned home with five battle stars in late 1945, Souchock said, "The war cost me three important years, as it did many ballplayers." On December 6, 1945, at Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, Souchock had been discharged from military service.
s. He had been listed at 6-02½ in height, and 203 lb. in weight. He played two baseball seasons with the New York Yankees, until being traded on December 14, 1948 by the New York Yankees to the Chicago White Sox for outfielder Jim Delsing
. He played in 84 games with the Chicago White Sox, hitting seven home runs. On November 16, 1950, Souchock was drafted by the Detroit Tigers
from the Chicago White Sox in the 1950 rule 5 draft. For the last five years of his Major League Baseball career, Souchock played with the Detroit Tigers. He broke his wrist in 1954, which ended his effectiveness. His last game was played on April 15, 1955.
Souchock died on July 28, 2002 in Dearborn, Michigan.
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...
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...
and first basemen and a former veteran
Veteran
A veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
who served in the military during World War II
World War II
World 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...
. His Major League Baseball career lasted a total of eight years, having served in the military for three years. Born in Yatesboro, Pennsylvania
Yatesboro, Pennsylvania
Yatesboro is an unincorporated village located in Cowanshannock Township, Pennsylvania....
, Souchock worked on the assembly line at the Ford factory during his early life. He also played semi-pro American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
for the Dearborn Club in 1938. During his baseball
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...
career, he batted and threw right-handed.
Minor League Baseball
New York Yankees’ scout Bill Skiff had scouted Steve Souchock, and eventually he signed with the New York Yankees in June 1939, before the 1939 baseball season1939 in baseball
-Headline Event of the Year:*On May 17, 1939, Princeton University and Columbia University played the first televised baseball game. On August 26, the Cincinnati Reds and the Brooklyn Dodgers played the first televised Major League Baseball game...
. From 1939–1942, Souchock played baseball in the New York Yankees organization. In 1942, Souchock was the Eastern League Most Valuable Player
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
and won the league batting title with 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 .315.
Military service
In 1943, the Yankees were possibly going call-up and use Souchock as a replacement for Buddy HassettBuddy Hassett
John Aloysius "Buddy" Hassett , was a professional baseball player who played first base in Major League Baseball from 1936-1942....
as first baseman in Major League Baseball, but he instead entered military service in January of that year. In the military, served in the 691st Tank Destroyer Battalion of the 87th Infantry Division, US Army. He served in the European Theater of Operations
European Theater of Operations
The European Theater of Operations, United States Army was a United States Army formation which directed U.S. Army operations in parts of Europe from 1942 to 1945. It referred to Army Ground Forces, United States Army Air Forces, and Army Service Forces operations north of Italy and the...
. Serving the military for three years, he eventually earned the rank of First Sergeant
First Sergeant
First sergeant is the name of a military rank used in many countries, typically a senior non-commissioned officer.-Singapore:First Sergeant is a Specialist in the Singapore Armed Forces. First Sergeants are the most senior of the junior Specialists, ranking above Second Sergeants, and below Staff...
. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
. His unit was attached to Patton's 3rd Army. Toward the end of his military service, Souchock earned a Bronze Star in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
as commander of a five-man gun crew. He returned home with five battle stars in late 1945, Souchock said, "The war cost me three important years, as it did many ballplayers." On December 6, 1945, at Indiantown Gap, Pennsylvania, Souchock had been discharged from military service.
Major League Baseball
The following year on May 25, 1946, Souchock made his major league debut with the New York Yankees. That year, he played 47 games and batted .302 with two home runHome 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. He had been listed at 6-02½ in height, and 203 lb. in weight. He played two baseball seasons with the New York Yankees, until being traded on December 14, 1948 by the New York Yankees to the Chicago White Sox for outfielder Jim Delsing
Jim Delsing
James Henry Delsing was an American Major League Baseball outfielder who is most remembered for having been the pinch runner for -tall Eddie Gaedel on August 19,...
. He played in 84 games with the Chicago White Sox, hitting seven home runs. On November 16, 1950, Souchock was drafted by the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
from the Chicago White Sox in the 1950 rule 5 draft. For the last five years of his Major League Baseball career, Souchock played with the Detroit Tigers. He broke his wrist in 1954, which ended his effectiveness. His last game was played on April 15, 1955.
Souchock died on July 28, 2002 in Dearborn, Michigan.