American baseball player (1928-2006)
Baseball player
Jack Urban
|
---|
Pitcher
|
Born:
(
1928-12-05
)
December 5, 1928
Omaha, Nebraska
, U.S.
|
Died:
June 26, 2006
(2006-06-26)
(aged 77)
Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
|
Batted:
Right
Threw:
Right
|
|
June 13, 1957, for the Kansas City Athletics
|
|
August 6, 1959, for the St. Louis Cardinals
|
|
Win?loss record
| 15?15
|
---|
Earned run average
| 4.83
|
---|
Strikeouts
| 113
|
---|
|
---|
|
|
Jack Elmer Urban
(December 5, 1928 ? June 26, 2006) was an American
professional baseball
pitcher
who appeared in 69 games in the
Major Leagues
, 37 as a
starter
, for the
Kansas City Athletics
(
1957
?
1958
) and
St. Louis Cardinals
(
1959
). Listed as 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 m) tall and 155 pounds (70 kg), he threw and batted right-handed.
Urban was born in
Omaha, Nebraska
, where he attended
Technical High School
. Originally signed by the
New York Yankees
before the 1949 season, he spent six full years in the Bronx Bombers' organization (as well as two years in the military) before his 1957 trade to the Athletics in a 13-player blockbuster. The Yankees sent
Irv Noren
,
Milt Graff
,
Mickey McDermott
,
Tom Morgan
,
Rip Coleman
,
Billy Hunter
and Urban (as a player to be named later) to the Athletics for
Art Ditmar
.
Bobby Shantz
,
Jack McMahan
,
Wayne Belardi
and two players to be named later, who would end up being
Curt Roberts
and
Clete Boyer
.
In the minors, Urban won 23 games in the Class D
Sooner State League
(1950), followed by a 17-win season in the Class B
Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League
(1950). In 1954, Urban tossed a no-hitter for the
Birmingham Barons
of the
Double-A
Southern Association
.
He made a successful big league debut on June 13, 1957, at the age of 28. Facing the
Washington Senators
, he tossed a
complete game
, allowing only two
runs
and five
hits
. Although the team as a whole finished 59?94 on the year, Urban did exceptionally well compared to that, compiling a 7?4
record
and a 3.34
earned run average
in 129
1
⁄
3
innings pitched
, he allowed only 111 hits and 45
walks
.
Experiencing a
sophomore slump
, his 1958 season was not so impressive, however. In 30 games ? 24 of which were starts ? he went 8?11 with a 5.93 ERA. In 132 innings of work, he allowed 150 hits and 51 walks.
He was traded back to the Yankees on April 8, 1959 for
Mark Freeman
. Urban never appeared in a Yankees uniform, however; he was purchased by the Cardinals in May of that year. Appearing in only eight games for St. Louis, Urban allowed 18 hits, seven walks and 11 earned runs in 10
2
⁄
3
innings for a 9.28 ERA. He played his final game on August 6, 1959 against the
Pittsburgh Pirates
. Although he entered the majors with a bang, he left them with a bust ? in only one-third of an inning, he allowed a total of five runs.
Overall, in his three-year MLB career, Urban went 15?15 with a 4.83 ERA. In 272 innings, he allowed 279 hits, 103 walks, and he also had 113
strikeouts
. He threw one shutout, a four-hitter on July 14, 1958, also against Washington.
[1]
A respectable hitter (for a pitcher), he hit .209 in 86 career at-bats.
References
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edit
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External links
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