Harry Perkowski facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Harry Perkowski |
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Perkowski circa 1953
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: September 6, 1922 Dante, Virginia |
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| Died: April 20, 2016 (aged 93) Beckley, West Virginia |
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| debut | |||
| September 13, 1947, for the Cincinnati Reds | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 18, 1955, for the Chicago Cubs | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 33–40 | ||
| Earned run average | 4.37 | ||
| Strikeouts | 296 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Harry Walter Perkowski (born September 6, 1922 – died April 20, 2016) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball. He played from 1947 to 1955. Harry played for the Cincinnati Reds (and later Redlegs) and the Chicago Cubs. He was 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighed 196 pounds. Harry batted and threw with his left hand.
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Harry's Baseball Journey
Starting in the Coal Fields
Harry Perkowski was born in Dante, Virginia. He began his baseball journey playing semi-pro games. These games were held in the coal mining areas near his hometown. Later, he briefly pitched for the Natchez Giants. This team was part of the Evangeline League.
Serving in World War II
In 1943, Harry was drafted and joined the U.S. Navy. He was part of the amphibious force during World War II. This meant he helped move troops and tanks. He used special boats called Landing Craft Tanks. Harry served 19 months in the Atlantic Ocean and 11 months in the Pacific Ocean. He was involved in four invasions during the war. These included battles in Africa, Sicily, Italy, and Normandy. Harry later said, "I was all over the place just about."
Success in the Minor Leagues
After leaving the military in 1946, Harry signed with the Cincinnati Reds. He had an amazing year in the Pioneer League. Playing for the Ogden Reds, he won 23 games and lost only 6. He also had 209 strikeouts. His ERA was a very good 2.09. He led the league in wins and tied for the lead with six shutouts.
In 1947, Harry moved up to the Columbia team. This team was in the South Atlantic League. He finished with 17 wins and 12 losses. He also had 133 strikeouts. His ERA was 3.57 in 247 innings. He joined the Reds in late September. He played three games, but the Reds felt he needed more time in the minor leagues.
Harry spent 1948 with the Tulsa Oilers. They were in the Texas League. He had another great year, winning 22 games and losing 10. He struck out 163 batters. His ERA was 2.98 in 263 innings. He led the league in wins. He also completed 21 games. In 1949, he played for the Syracuse Chiefs in the International League. He had a record of 14 wins and 12 losses.
Playing in Major League Baseball
Harry Perkowski joined the Cincinnati Reds again in 1950. He stayed with the team for five years. His best season was in 1952. He won 12 games and lost 10. He pitched 194 innings, which was his career high. He also had 86 strikeouts and a 3.80 ERA.
In 1953, he won 12 games and lost 11. On July 19, 1953, he pitched an amazing game. It was a 12-inning, three-hit, 1–0 shutout against the New York Giants. A shutout means the other team scored no runs. His teammate Hobie Landrith hit a walk-off home run in the 12th inning. A walk-off home run wins the game immediately.
At the end of 1954, Harry was traded to the Chicago Cubs. He played 25 games for the Cubs in 1955. After that, he returned to the minor leagues. He continued pitching until 1960. He played for teams in Los Angeles, Tulsa, Memphis, Fort Worth, and Denver.
In his eight years in Major League Baseball, Harry Perkowski had a record of 33 wins and 40 losses. His ERA was 4.37. He appeared in 184 games. He started 76 of those games. He completed 24 games and had four shutouts. He also had five saves.
Harry had a strong fastball and a great curveball. However, he sometimes struggled with control. This is shown by his strikeout-to-walk ratio of 0.91. This means he walked almost as many batters as he struck out. Harry was also a good hitter for a pitcher. He was sometimes used as a pinch hitter. In 197 games, he had a batting average of .180. He had 13 RBI and one home run. He was also a good fielder. He made only two errors in 171 chances. This gave him a .988 fielding percentage.
Life After Baseball
After his baseball career, Harry Perkowski worked in several jobs. He served in local law enforcement. He also worked as an ambulance driver and a school bus driver. Later, he worked for the West Virginia Department of Highways. Harry passed away in Beckley, West Virginia, on April 20, 2016. He was 93 years old.
