Walt Dropo
Encyclopedia
Walter Dropo nicknamed "Moose", was an American
college basketball standout and a professional baseball
first baseman
. During a 13-year career in Major League Baseball
, he played for the Boston Red Sox
(1949–1952), Detroit Tigers
(1952–1954), Chicago White Sox
(1955–1958), Cincinnati Redlegs
(1958–1959) and Baltimore Orioles
(1959–1961).
, then Kingdom of Yugoslavia
(now Bosnia and Herzegovina
), to start a new life. His father, Savo, worked at the local textile mill while also running their Connecticut
family farm. Walter was raised in Moosup, Connecticut
, where he played sandlot baseball with his brothers Milton and George, and attended Plainfield High School
in the Central Village district of Plainfield, Connecticut
, before attending the University of Connecticut
.
Dropo played for the football team, basketball team and baseball team. Dropo left UConn as the school's all time leading scorer in basketball. Dropo was drafted in the first round of the 1947 BAA Draft
by the Providence Steamrollers
with the fourth overall pick. Dropo was also drafted by the Chicago Bears
in the 9th round of the 1946 NFL Draft
.
and the Providence Steamrollers
, in order to sign with the Red Sox as an amateur free agent in 1947. He debuted on April 19, 1949, and in 11 games batted
.146 (6-for-41).
In 1950, Dropo lead the league in RBIs
(144) and total bases
(326), while batting .322 and hitting 34 home run
s, (second only to Al Rosen
37). In addition, his .583 slugging percentage and 70 extra bases
were second only to the .585 - 75 of Joe DiMaggio
, and his .961 OPS
finished third in the league, after (Larry Doby
.986 and DiMaggio .979). Dropo finished sixth in American League
Most Valuable Player
award, and earned AL Rookie of the Year honors, ahead of Whitey Ford
. His efforts that season led to his only All-Star
appearance.
In 1951, Dropo fractured his right wrist and never had another season the equal of his 1950 campaign. After another one-plus season, he was traded to Detroit on June 3, 1952. After being traded, he collected 12 consecutive hits to tie the MLB record. Included in the streak was a 5-for-5 game against the Yankees
(July 14) and a 4-for-4 performance in the first game of a doubleheader against Washington
(July 15). In the second game, he went 4-for-5, hitting on his first three at bats and popping out on his fourth at bat on the 7th inning, matching an American League
record of 16 hits in three games. In that season, he hit a combined 29 home runs and 97 RBIs, but would never again hit over 19 homers (1955) or bat over .281 (1954).
In a 13-season career, Dropo batted .270 (1,113-for-4,124) with 152 home runs, 704 RBIs, 478 runs, 168 doubles
, 22 triples
and five stolen base
s in 1,288 games.
His funeral service was held at the Serbian Orthodox Church he helped found at 41 Alewife Brook Parkway, Cambridge, Mass.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
college basketball standout and a professional 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...
first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
. During a 13-year career 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...
, he played for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
(1949–1952), 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...
(1952–1954), 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...
(1955–1958), Cincinnati Redlegs
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....
(1958–1959) and Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
(1959–1961).
Youth
Dropo's Serbian parents emigrated from MostarMostar
Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the largest and one of the most important cities in the Herzegovina region and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. Mostar is situated on the Neretva river and is the fifth-largest city in the country...
, then Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
(now Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
), to start a new life. His father, Savo, worked at the local textile mill while also running their Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
family farm. Walter was raised in Moosup, Connecticut
Moosup, Connecticut
Moosup is a village and census-designated place in the town of Plainfield, Connecticut in the United States. The population was 3,237 at the 2000 census.-Pop Culture:...
, where he played sandlot baseball with his brothers Milton and George, and attended Plainfield High School
Plainfield High School (Connecticut)
Plainfield High School is located in Central Village, Connecticut. Its mascot is Pesty the Panther, making them the Plainfield Panthers. Their school colors are black and orange....
in the Central Village district of Plainfield, Connecticut
Plainfield, Connecticut
Plainfield is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 14,619 at the 2000 census. The town comprises four villages: Plainfield , Moosup , Wauregan , and Central Village . Each village has their own respective United States Post Office and fire department...
, before attending the University of Connecticut
University of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
.
College career
While at the University of ConnecticutUniversity of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
Dropo played for the football team, basketball team and baseball team. Dropo left UConn as the school's all time leading scorer in basketball. Dropo was drafted in the first round of the 1947 BAA Draft
1947 BAA Draft
The 1947 BAA Draft was the inaugural draft of the Basketball Association of America , which later became the National Basketball Association . The draft was held on July 1, 1947 before the 1947–48 season. In this draft, nine remaining BAA teams along with the Baltimore Bullets who joined the BAA...
by the Providence Steamrollers
Providence Steamrollers
The Providence Steamrollers were a National Basketball Association team based in Providence, Rhode Island. As of November 2011, the Steamrollers remain the last pro sports franchise from one of the Big Four leagues to be based in Rhode Island....
with the fourth overall pick. Dropo was also drafted by the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 9th round of the 1946 NFL Draft
1946 NFL Draft
The 1946 National Football League Draft was held on January 14, 1946.The most notable draft choice in this player selection meeting was made by the Washington Redskins and remains one of the biggest draft blunders of all time. They chose Cal Rossi with the 9th overall pick. However, Rossi was a...
.
Professional career
Listed at 6'5", 220 lb (100 kg), Walter turned down an offer from the Chicago BearsChicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the Providence Steamrollers
Providence Steamrollers
The Providence Steamrollers were a National Basketball Association team based in Providence, Rhode Island. As of November 2011, the Steamrollers remain the last pro sports franchise from one of the Big Four leagues to be based in Rhode Island....
, in order to sign with the Red Sox as an amateur free agent in 1947. He debuted on April 19, 1949, and in 11 games batted
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 :...
.146 (6-for-41).
In 1950, Dropo lead the league in RBIs
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
(144) and total bases
Total bases
In baseball statistics, total bases refers to the number of bases a player has gained with hits, i.e., the sum of his hits weighted by 1 for a single, 2 for a double, 3 for a triple and 4 for a home run.Only bases attained from hits count toward this total....
(326), while batting .322 and hitting 34 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...
s, (second only to Al Rosen
Al Rosen
Albert Leonard Rosen , nicknamed "Al", "Flip", and the "Hebrew Hammer", is a former American professional baseball player who was a third baseman and right-handed slugger in the Major Leagues for ten seasons in tthe 1940s and 1950s.He played his entire 10-year career with the Cleveland Indians in...
37). In addition, his .583 slugging percentage and 70 extra bases
Extra base hit
In baseball, an extra base hit , also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire another base runner...
were second only to the .585 - 75 of Joe DiMaggio
Joe DiMaggio
Joseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio , nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak , a record that still stands...
, and his .961 OPS
On-base plus slugging
On-base plus slugging is a sabermetric baseball statistic calculated as the sum of a player's on-base percentage and slugging percentage. The ability of a player to both get on base and to hit for power, two important hitting skills, are represented. An OPS of .900 or higher in Major League...
finished third in the league, after (Larry Doby
Larry Doby
Lawrence Eugene "Larry" Doby was an American professional baseball player in the Negro leagues and Major League Baseball....
.986 and DiMaggio .979). Dropo finished sixth in 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...
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...
award, and earned AL Rookie of the Year honors, ahead of Whitey Ford
Whitey Ford
Edward Charles "Whitey" Ford is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who spent his entire 18-year career with the New York Yankees. He was voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.-Early life and career:...
. His efforts that season led to his only All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
appearance.
In 1951, Dropo fractured his right wrist and never had another season the equal of his 1950 campaign. After another one-plus season, he was traded to Detroit on June 3, 1952. After being traded, he collected 12 consecutive hits to tie the MLB record. Included in the streak was a 5-for-5 game against the Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
(July 14) and a 4-for-4 performance in the first game of a doubleheader against Washington
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
(July 15). In the second game, he went 4-for-5, hitting on his first three at bats and popping out on his fourth at bat on the 7th inning, matching an 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...
record of 16 hits in three games. In that season, he hit a combined 29 home runs and 97 RBIs, but would never again hit over 19 homers (1955) or bat over .281 (1954).
In a 13-season career, Dropo batted .270 (1,113-for-4,124) with 152 home runs, 704 RBIs, 478 runs, 168 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, 22 triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and five stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s in 1,288 games.
Career highlights
- Rookie of the Year (1950)
- All-Star (1950)
- Top 10 MVP (sixth, 1950)
- Led league in RBIs (144, 1950)
- Led league in total bases (326, 1950)
- Tied an MLB record with 12 consecutive at-bats with a hit (July 15, 1952)
- Tied an MLB record with 12 consecutive plate appearances with a hit (July 15, 1952)
- Tied an AL record with 15 hits in four games (July 16, 1952)
- Dropo was the first rookie to top 100 RBIs with more RBIs than games played (144 in 136 games, 1950)
- The first Red Sox player to be named the American League Rookie of the Year, followed by Don SchwallDon SchwallDonald Bernard Schwall is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher who played with the Boston Red Sox , Pittsburgh Pirates and Atlanta Braves ....
(1961), Carlton FiskCarlton FiskCarlton Ernest Fisk , nicknamed "Pudge" or "The Commander", is a former Major League Baseball catcher. During a 24-year baseball career, he played for both the Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox .Fisk was known by the nickname "Pudge" due to his 6'2", 220 lb frame...
(1972), Fred LynnFred LynnFredric Michael "Fred" Lynn is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball who played for the Boston Red Sox , California Angels , Baltimore Orioles , Detroit Tigers and San Diego Padres .Fred Lynn was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in and to the College Baseball Hall of Fame...
(1975), Nomar GarciaparraNomar GarciaparraAnthony Nomar Garciaparra is a former Major League Baseball player. After playing parts of 9 seasons as an All-Star shortstop for the Boston Red Sox, he played third base, first base, and designated hitter for the Oakland Athletics, first base and third base for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and...
(1997), and Dustin PedroiaDustin PedroiaDustin Luis Pedroia is an American professional baseball second baseman with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. Pedroia has won several awards in Major League Baseball, including the 2007 American League Rookie of the Year and the 2008 AL MVP award...
(2007).
Death
Dropo died of natural causes on December 17, 2010, at the age of 87.His funeral service was held at the Serbian Orthodox Church he helped found at 41 Alewife Brook Parkway, Cambridge, Mass.