Ted Tappe
Encyclopedia
Theodore Nash Tappe was an American
professional baseball
player from 1950–1952, 1954–1955 and 1957–1961. An outfielder
, he appeared in 34 Major League Baseball
games played
for the Cincinnati Reds
(–) and Chicago Cubs
. The 6 inch, 185 lb (83.9 kg) Tappe was born in Seattle, Washington
, and attended Washington State University
.
The 19-year-old Tappe had an unremarkable debut season in professional baseball until he reached the Major Leagues. After batting
just .253 in the Class A Central League
, Tappe was recalled by the Reds in September 1950. Sent into his first game on September 14 at Ebbets Field
as a pinch hitter
for Reds' pitcher
Frank Smith
, Tappe hit a home run
off Erv Palica
of the Brooklyn Dodgers
. The Dodgers nevertheless won the game, 6–3. In , after another lacklustre minor league
campaign split between the Central League and the Double-A Texas League
, Tappe was again recalled by Cincinnati in September, and registered his second MLB hit, a single
off Bubba Church
of the Philadelphia Phillies
, exactly one year after his home run.
Tappe did not return to the Majors until he made the 1955 Cubs' roster
coming out of spring training
. He started 13 games in right field and appeared as a pinch hitter
in ten others, all during the months of April and May, batting .260 with four home runs and ten runs batted in. All told, he collected 15 hits in the Major Leagues. He played the final five seasons of his professional career in the minor leagues, including service in the Class B Northwest League
with the Wenatchee Chiefs
, Yakima Bears
and Salem Senators.
He died in Yakima, Washington
, at the age of 73.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
player from 1950–1952, 1954–1955 and 1957–1961. An 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...
, he appeared in 34 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...
games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
for 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....
(–) and 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...
. The 6 inch, 185 lb (83.9 kg) Tappe was born in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, and attended Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
.
The 19-year-old Tappe had an unremarkable debut season in professional baseball until he reached the Major Leagues. After 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 :...
just .253 in the Class A Central League
Central League (baseball)
The Central League was a minor league baseball league that operated sporadically from 1903-1917, 1920-1922, 1926, 1928-1930, 1934, and 1948-1951. In 1926, the league merged mid-season with the Michigan State League and played under that name for the remainder of the season...
, Tappe was recalled by the Reds in September 1950. Sent into his first game on September 14 at Ebbets Field
Ebbets Field
Ebbets Field was a Major League Baseball park located in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York, USA, on a city block which is now considered to be part of the Crown Heights neighborhood. It was the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers of the National League. It was also a venue for professional football...
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...
for Reds' 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...
Frank Smith
Frank Smith (1950s pitcher)
Frank Thomas Smith was a former professional baseball player. He was a right-handed pitcher over parts of seven seasons with the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals...
, Tappe hit a 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...
off Erv Palica
Erv Palica
Erv Palica was a pitcher in Major League Baseball. He pitched from 1947-1956 with the Brooklyn Dodgers and Baltimore Orioles. He appeared in the 1949 World Series for the Dodgers.From 1952-53, Palica served in the militaty during the Korean War.-External links:* at Find a Grave...
of the Brooklyn Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
. The Dodgers nevertheless won the game, 6–3. In , after another lacklustre minor league
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...
campaign split between the Central League and the Double-A Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
, Tappe was again recalled by Cincinnati in September, and registered his second MLB hit, a single
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
off 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...
of 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...
, exactly one year after his home run.
Tappe did not return to the Majors until he made the 1955 Cubs' roster
1955 Chicago Cubs season
- Offseason :* October 1, 1954: Johnny Klippstein and Jim Willis were traded by the Cubs to the Cincinnati Redlegs for Jim Bolger, Harry Perkowski and Ted Tappe....
coming out of spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
. He started 13 games in right field and appeared 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...
in ten others, all during the months of April and May, batting .260 with four home runs and ten runs batted in. All told, he collected 15 hits in the Major Leagues. He played the final five seasons of his professional career in the minor leagues, including service in the Class B Northwest League
Northwest League
The Northwest League of Professional Baseball is a Class A-Short Season minor baseball league. The league is the descendant of the Western International League which ran as a class B league from 1937-1951 and class A from 1952-1954...
with the Wenatchee Chiefs
Wenatchee Chiefs
The Wenatchee Chiefs were a minor league baseball team based in Wenatchee, Washington. The team was founded in 1937, and was a part of the Western International League from its founding until 1954, although the team did not operate in 1941 and the entire league was suspended during World War II,...
, Yakima Bears
Yakima Bears
The Yakima Bears are a minor league baseball team in Yakima, Washington. They are a Short-Season A classification team in the Northwest League and have been a farm team of the Arizona Diamondbacks since 2001, formerly with the Los Angeles Dodgers from the team's creation in 1990 when the Salem...
and Salem Senators.
He died in Yakima, Washington
Yakima, Washington
Yakima is an American city southeast of Mount Rainier National Park and the county seat of Yakima County, Washington, United States, and the eighth largest city by population in the state itself. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 91,196 and a metropolitan population of...
, at the age of 73.