Norm Zauchin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Norm Zauchin |
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Zauchin in 1959
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| First baseman | |||
| Born: November 17, 1929 Royal Oak, Michigan, U.S. |
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| Died: January 31, 1999 (aged 69) Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| September 23, 1951, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| May 2, 1959, for the Washington Senators | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .233 | ||
| Home runs | 50 | ||
| Runs batted in | 159 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Norbert Henry Zauchin (born November 17, 1929 – died January 31, 1999) was a professional baseball player. He played as a first baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB). Norm played for the Boston Red Sox and the Washington Senators. He was known for his powerful hitting.
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Who Was Norm Zauchin?
Norm Zauchin was a baseball player from the United States. He was born in Royal Oak, Michigan. He played in MLB for six seasons. He batted and threw with his right hand. He was quite tall, standing 6 feet 4 inches, and weighed 220 pounds.
Early Life and Baseball Start
Norm Zauchin went to Royal Oak High School. He graduated in 1948. After high school, he served in the United States Army. He was a soldier during the Korean War.
In 1950, Norm started his professional baseball career. He played for the Birmingham Barons. This was a Double-A minor league team. While playing for the Barons, he hit 35 home runs. This set a new record for the Rickwood Field stadium.
Big League Career Highlights
Norm Zauchin joined the Boston Red Sox in 1951. His best season was in 1955. That year, he hit .239 and smashed 27 home runs. He also played in 130 games.
He was one of the best new players that year. He finished third in the voting for the MLB Rookie of the Year Award. He was also a great fielder. He led all American League first basemen in fielding percentage. This means he made very few errors.
A Record-Setting Game
On May 27, 1955, Norm had an amazing game. The Red Sox played against Washington. Norm collected 10 RBI in that game. He hit three home runs and one double. He did all of this in just the first five innings! The Red Sox won the game 16–0.
Later Career and Legacy
Before the 1958 season, Norm Zauchin was traded. He went to the Washington Senators. He played for them until 1959. He spent his last year in baseball in the minor leagues. He retired from baseball in 1960.
Norm Zauchin passed away in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1999. He was 69 years old. He was honored in 1997. He was inducted into the Royal Oak High School Hall of Fame. His grandson, Chad Smith, also became a baseball player.
