Bob Locker
Encyclopedia
Robert Awtry Locker is an American
former Major League Baseball
right-handed pitcher
. He pitched from 1965-1975 for five different teams. The sinker-balling
Locker never made a start in his big-league career.
High School in 1956, where he played baseball and basketball
. He enrolled at Iowa State University
, and made the varsity team in both sports. Locker graduated from ISU in 1960 with a Bachelor of Science
s degree in geology
. After graduation, he signed his first professional baseball contract, with the Chicago White Sox.
Locker missed the next two seasons due to military service. He returned to baseball in 1964, and winning 16 games for Indianapolis. It would be his last year in the minors.
ers Hoyt Wilhelm
and Eddie Fisher
. He made his debut in Baltimore on April 14, 1965, tossing two innings and giving up three runs. Locker settled down, however, and in a stretch from May 30 to June 20—10 total appearances—he was unscored upon. He would finish his rookie campaign with 93⅓ innings pitched and a 3.15 earned-run average.
During his time in Chicago, Locker was the most often-used reliever. He appeared in 77 games in 1967 and 70 games in 1968. In 1969, Locker got off to a rough start (2-3 record, 6.55 ERA), and on June 8, the White Sox shipped him to the expansion Seattle Pilots
for Gary Bell
.
When the Seattle Pilots
moved to Milwaukee at the end of spring training
, 1970, Locker went with them. He didn't stay there long; after appearing in 28 games for the Brewers, Locker's contract was purchased by the Oakland Athletics
.
, in which he pitched 5⅔ of scoreless relief, the longest outing of his career.
In 1972, Locker was a key member of the World Series
champion team, posting a 6-1 record and 2.65 ERA, often appearing in the seventh and eighth innings as the setup man for closer Rollie Fingers
. Locker struggled in the American League Championship Series
against the Detroit Tigers
, giving up three runs in two innings of work. On October 21, he made his first and only World Series
appearance, relieving Vida Blue
with two outs in the sixth inning of Game 6. He gave up a single to Tony Perez
but got the final out of the inning, then was pinch-hit for.
A month later, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs
for outfielder Billy North
.
Charlie Finley sent Locker back to the Cubs just days after winning the 1974 World Series, acquiring veteran hitter Billy Williams. Locker's 1975 season saw him make 22 appearances, post an ERA near five, and get released. His baseball career had come to an end.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
right-handed pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
. He pitched from 1965-1975 for five different teams. The sinker-balling
Sinker (baseball)
In baseball, a sinker , is a type of fastball pitch which has significant downward and horizontal movement. The sinker is known for inducing a lot of ground balls...
Locker never made a start in his big-league career.
Biography
Locker graduated from GeorgeGeorge, Iowa
George is a city in Lyon County, Iowa, United States, along the Little Rock River. The population was 1,051 at the 2000 census. The ZIP Code for George is 51237.-Geography:George is located at ....
High School in 1956, where he played baseball and basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
. He enrolled at Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
, and made the varsity team in both sports. Locker graduated from ISU in 1960 with a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
s degree in geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
. After graduation, he signed his first professional baseball contract, with the Chicago White Sox.
Minor Leagues (1960-61, 1964)
Locker began his professional career in 1960 at Idaho Falls, appearing in a handful of games. The next year, he made 33 starts, winning 15 games, pitching 228 innings and leading the Three-I league with 215 strikeouts.Locker missed the next two seasons due to military service. He returned to baseball in 1964, and winning 16 games for Indianapolis. It would be his last year in the minors.
Chicago White Sox (1965-1969)
At age 27, Bob Locker had made the big leagues, joining a bullpen that featured knuckleballKnuckleball
A knuckleball is a baseball pitch with an erratic, unpredictable motion. The pitch is thrown so as to minimize the spin of the ball in flight. This causes vortices over the stitched seams of the baseball during its trajectory, which in turn can cause the pitch to change direction—and even...
ers Hoyt Wilhelm
Hoyt Wilhelm
James Hoyt Wilhelm was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1985....
and Eddie Fisher
Eddie Fisher (baseball)
Eddie Gene Fisher was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a relief pitcher for the San Francisco Giants , Chicago White Sox , Baltimore Orioles , Cleveland Indians , California Angels and St...
. He made his debut in Baltimore on April 14, 1965, tossing two innings and giving up three runs. Locker settled down, however, and in a stretch from May 30 to June 20—10 total appearances—he was unscored upon. He would finish his rookie campaign with 93⅓ innings pitched and a 3.15 earned-run average.
During his time in Chicago, Locker was the most often-used reliever. He appeared in 77 games in 1967 and 70 games in 1968. In 1969, Locker got off to a rough start (2-3 record, 6.55 ERA), and on June 8, the White Sox shipped him to the expansion Seattle Pilots
Seattle Pilots
The Seattle Pilots were an American professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington for one season, . The Pilots played home games at Sick's Stadium and were a member of the West Division of Major League Baseball's American League...
for Gary Bell
Gary Bell
Wilbur Gary Bell , nicknamed "Ding Dong", is an American former Major League Baseball pitcher. He pitched from 1958-1969 for four different teams in his career, but is noted primarily for his time with the Cleveland Indians...
.
Seattle Pilots (1969) / Milwaukee Brewers (1970)
Upon arriving in Seattle, the 31-year-old Locker began a reversal of fortune, posting a 2.18 ERA for an expansion team that would finish in last place in the division. He finished the season with a flourish, allowing just eight runs in his last 30 appearances on the season.When the Seattle Pilots
Seattle Pilots
The Seattle Pilots were an American professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington for one season, . The Pilots played home games at Sick's Stadium and were a member of the West Division of Major League Baseball's American League...
moved to Milwaukee at the end of spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
, 1970, Locker went with them. He didn't stay there long; after appearing in 28 games for the Brewers, Locker's contract was purchased by the Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
.
Oakland Athletics (1970-1972)
Locker made his presence felt once he arrived in Oakland, having allowed no runs in his first seven innings for the Athletics. His most impressive outing came on August 12, 1970, against the Cleveland IndiansCleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
, in which he pitched 5⅔ of scoreless relief, the longest outing of his career.
In 1972, Locker was a key member of the World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
champion team, posting a 6-1 record and 2.65 ERA, often appearing in the seventh and eighth innings as the setup man for closer Rollie Fingers
Rollie Fingers
Roland Glen Fingers is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher. During his 18-year baseball career, he pitched for the Oakland Athletics , San Diego Padres and Milwaukee Brewers . He became only the second reliever to be elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992...
. Locker struggled in the American League Championship Series
American League Championship Series
In Major League Baseball, the American League Championship Series , played in October, is a round in the postseason that determines the winner of the American League pennant...
against the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
, giving up three runs in two innings of work. On October 21, he made his first and only World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
appearance, relieving Vida Blue
Vida Blue
Vida Rochelle Blue Jr. is a former Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher. During a 17-year career, he pitched for the Oakland Athletics , San Francisco Giants , and Kansas City Royals He won the American League Cy Young award and Most Valuable Player Award in 1971...
with two outs in the sixth inning of Game 6. He gave up a single to Tony Perez
Tony Pérez
Atanasio Pérez Rigal , more commonly known as Tony Pérez, is a former Major League Baseball player. He was also known by the nickname "Big Dog," "Big Doggie," and "Doggie."...
but got the final out of the inning, then was pinch-hit for.
A month later, he was traded to the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
for outfielder Billy North
Billy North
William Alex North is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball. From 1971 to 1981, he played for the Chicago Cubs , Oakland Athletics , Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants...
.
Chicago Cubs (1973, 1975)
Pitching in the National League for the first time, Locker had one of his best seasons, winning 10 games, saving 18 and topping 100 innings pitched for the first time since 1969. In an odd twist, in November the Cubs sent him back to Oakland. According to Bruce Markusen in his 1998 book, Baseball's Last Dynasty: Charlie Finley's Oakland A's, Locker had told Cubs general manager John Holland that he would only pitch one season for the Cubs, then he wanted to be traded back to the A's as Charlie Finley had agreed to try and arrange. He had moved his family to Oakland and planned to live and work there after his baseball career. Otherwise, he'd retire. Holland and Charlie Finley obliged the pitcher's request. It turned out to be a bad deal for the A's in the second go-around; Locker had to undergo surgery to remove bone chips from his pitching elbow and would sit out the entire 1974 season.Charlie Finley sent Locker back to the Cubs just days after winning the 1974 World Series, acquiring veteran hitter Billy Williams. Locker's 1975 season saw him make 22 appearances, post an ERA near five, and get released. His baseball career had come to an end.