Don Hoak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Don Hoak |
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| Third baseman | |||
| Born: February 5, 1928 Roulette Township, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| Died: October 9, 1969 (aged 41) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| April 18, 1954, for the Brooklyn Dodgers | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| May 12, 1964, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .265 | ||
| Home runs | 89 | ||
| Runs batted in | 498 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Donald Albert Hoak (born February 5, 1928 – died October 9, 1969) was a famous American professional baseball player. People called him "Tiger" because of how tough he played. He was a third baseman and later a coach. Don Hoak played for eleven seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1954 to 1964. He played for teams like the Brooklyn Dodgers, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Redlegs, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Philadelphia Phillies.
Contents
Playing Baseball
Starting Out
Don Hoak started playing professional baseball in 1947. Before that, he was in the United States Navy during World War II. He joined the Brooklyn Dodgers team and quickly moved up. He was known for his great fielding, fast running, and never-give-up attitude. In 1954, Don Hoak finally earned a spot on the Dodgers' main roster.
During his two years with the Dodgers, Don Hoak shared the third base position with baseball legends like Jackie Robinson and Billy Cox. In 1955, his team, the Dodgers, won the World Series against the New York Yankees. This was the only championship the Dodgers won while they were in Brooklyn. Don Hoak even played third base in the final game of that World Series. He played instead of Jackie Robinson, which was a big deal.
After the 1955 season, Don Hoak was traded to the Chicago Cubs. In 1956, he hit .215 with 5 home runs. He also set a National League record by striking out six times in one game. This happened in a very long 17-inning game.
Big Moments and Teams
After 1956, the Cubs traded Don Hoak to the Cincinnati Redlegs. In 1957, he played much better. His batting average went up to .293. He hit 19 home runs and had 89 runs batted in, which were his best numbers ever. He also led the National League with 39 doubles.
Rule Changes and All-Stars
In 1957, Don Hoak was part of a play that led to a new rule in baseball. He was on second base when his teammate hit a ground ball. Don Hoak stopped a possible double play by catching the ball himself and tossing it to the other team's shortstop. He was called out for getting in the way. This and a similar play made the league change the rules. Now, if a runner intentionally interferes with a batted ball, both the runner and the batter are out.
That same year, Don Hoak was chosen for his only All-Star team. Fans voted for the players back then. Many fans from Cincinnati voted for their team's players. This led to seven Redlegs players being voted into the starting lineup. The baseball commissioner, Ford Frick, changed some of the starters. He also took away the fans' right to vote for starters until 1970.
World Series Wins
In 1958, Don Hoak was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates. In 1959, he made a throwing error that stopped pitcher Harvey Haddix from having a perfect game. Haddix had retired 36 batters in a row, which is amazing!
In 1960, Don Hoak batted .282 for the Pirates. That year, the Pirates won the World Series! They beat the Yankees in seven games, just like the Dodgers did in 1955. The Pirates won the Series when Bill Mazeroski hit a home run in the last inning of Game Seven. Don Hoak finished second in the voting for the National League's Most Valuable Player Award that year.
Don Hoak had his best batting average of .298 in 1961. But in 1962, his hitting dropped. After that season, the Pirates traded him to the Philadelphia Phillies. He played for the Phillies in 1963 and part of 1964. He retired from playing in May 1964.
Don Hoak also played baseball in the Dominican Republic in 1956. Fans there called him "el loquito Hoak," which means "crazy Hoak." They called him this because of his daring plays. He helped his team win many games.
Life Off the Field
Family Life
Don Hoak was married to a singer and actress named Jill Corey. They met at Forbes Field during the Pirates' 1960 season. They got married on December 27, 1961. They had a daughter named Clare.
After Playing Baseball
After he stopped playing, Don Hoak worked in baseball in other ways. He was a broadcaster for the Pirates in 1965 and 1966. He coached for the Phillies in 1967. Then, he managed teams in the Pirates' farm system (minor league teams) from 1968 to 1969. In 1969, he managed the Columbus Jets, a Triple-A team.
His Baseball Stats
In his 11 seasons and 1,263 games, Don Hoak had a career batting average of .265. He had 1,144 hits, 598 runs, 214 doubles, 44 triples, and 89 home runs. He also had 498 runs batted in and 64 stolen bases. In the two World Series he played in (1955 and 1960), he batted .231.
His Final Days
In 1969, Don Hoak hoped to become the manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates. He had done well managing minor league teams. However, the Pirates announced that Danny Murtaugh would return as manager instead. Murtaugh had managed the Pirates to their 1960 World Series win.
Less than two hours after hearing this news, Don Hoak saw his brother-in-law's car being stolen. He got into his own car and chased after it. During the chase, he had a heart attack. He managed to stop his car before collapsing. He was taken to the hospital, but he passed away shortly after arriving. His wife, Jill Corey, believed he died of a "broken heart" because he didn't get the manager job.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball annual doubles leaders
