Mike Sandlock facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mike Sandlock |
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Sandlock in 2013
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| Catcher | |||
| Born: October 17, 1915 Old Greenwich, Connecticut, U.S. |
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| Died: April 4, 2016 (aged 100) Cos Cob, Connecticut, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 19, 1942, for the Boston Braves | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 27, 1953, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .240 | ||
| Home runs | 2 | ||
| Runs batted in | 31 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Michael Joseph Sandlock (born October 17, 1915 – died April 4, 2016) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1942 to 1953. Mike Sandlock played for the Boston Braves, Brooklyn Dodgers, and Pittsburgh Pirates. He was 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighed 180 pounds. He was a switch-hitter, meaning he could bat from both sides. He threw the ball with his right hand.
From 2014 until his death in 2016, Sandlock was the oldest living former major league player. This special title then went to another player, Eddie Carnett.
Contents
Early Life and Baseball Dreams
Mike Sandlock was born in Old Greenwich, Connecticut. His parents were immigrants from Poland. When he was a teenager, Mike went to a baseball game at Yankee Stadium. He saw the legendary Babe Ruth hit a home run right over his head! This made Mike dream of playing professional baseball himself.
He even worked as a batboy for his local fire department's baseball team. Mike did not go to high school, but he did get some training at a trade school. He worked as an electrician and earned good money. But he gave that up to become a professional baseball player, even though it meant earning much less money at first.
Baseball Career Highlights
Before playing in the major leagues, Sandlock played for several minor league teams. This was between 1938 and 1942. He played in cities like Huntington, Bradford, Hartford, and Evansville. Mike was mainly a catcher, but he could also play shortstop, second base, and third base. This made him a very useful player.
In September 1942, Sandlock and future Hall of Fame pitcher Warren Spahn were called up to play for the Boston Braves. Mike played in two games that year. In 1943, during World War II, he worked in a factory that made ammunition. He also played baseball for a special touring team called the USO team.
He returned to the Boston Braves before joining the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1945 and 1946. His best season was in 1945 with the Dodgers. He hit for a .282 batting average. He also hit two home runs and had 17 runs batted in in 80 games. These were all career bests for him.
Playing in the Pacific Coast League
After his time with the Dodgers, Mike Sandlock played in the Pacific Coast League (PCL). He played for the Hollywood Stars from 1949 to 1952. The PCL was very popular back then because Major League Baseball had not yet expanded to the West Coast.
Sandlock said he earned twice as much money playing for the Stars as he did in the major leagues. He also mentioned that famous movie stars often came to watch the Stars' games. While playing for the Stars, Sandlock became very good at catching the knuckleball. This was a tricky pitch thrown by pitcher Johnny Lindell. A knuckleball moves in an unpredictable way, making it very hard for catchers to handle.
In 1953, the Pittsburgh Pirates bought Lindell's contract. Sandlock was promoted to the Pirates with him. However, this arrangement did not work out well. Lindell threw 11 wild pitches, which was the most in the league. Sandlock also allowed 15 passed balls in only 64 games, which was also the most in the league.
After the 1953 season, the Philadelphia Phillies bought Sandlock's contract. But he did not play in the major leagues again. He spent his last season in minor league baseball in 1954. He played for the San Diego Padres, who won the PCL championship that year.
Over his five seasons in Major League Baseball, Sandlock had a .240 batting average. He got 107 hits in 446 tries. He hit two home runs and had 31 runs batted in. He also scored 34 runs, hit 19 doubles, two triples, and stole two stolen bases.
Later Life and Legacy
After he retired from baseball, Mike Sandlock became a carpenter and a handyman. He loved to play golf in his later years. He even won several championships at his local golf club. Sometimes, he played golf with Jackie Robinson, a famous baseball player he became friends with during spring training in the 1940s.
Mike Sandlock was married to Victoria Suchocki for 42 years. She passed away in 1982. They had two sons and one daughter.
Mike Sandlock lived a very long life. He turned 100 years old in October 2015. He passed away on April 4, 2016. At the time of his death, he was the oldest living former Major League Baseball player.
See also
- List of centenarians (Major League Baseball players)
- List of centenarians (sportspeople)
