John Kloza
Encyclopedia
John Clarence "Nap" Kloza (September 7, 1903 - June 11, 1962) was a professional baseball player and manager
. Listed at 5' 11", 180 lb., he batted and threw right-handed. Sometimes he is credited as Jack Kloza.
Kloza is recognized as one of four Major League Baseball
leaguers born in Poland
, along with Moe Drabowsky
, Henry Peploski
and Johnny Reder
. At age 28, it had been a long journey to the major leagues for Kloza. He debuted in 1925 as an outfielder
with the Blytheville Tigers
of the Tri-State League
, but spent nearly seven full seasons in the minors with eleven teams before reaching the majors in with the St. Louis Browns
.
While playing for the Montgomery Lions in 1926, Kloza led the Southeastern League
with a .379 average
and nine home run
s in 114 games. Then, in 1927 he hit .404 with 28 homers in 122 games for the Albany Nuts in the same league. After that, he slugged .347 with 28 home runs in 1930 for the Wichita Falls Spudders
of the Texas League
, and .319 with 22 homers for the Milwaukee Brewers
of the American Association
in 1931, being promoted to the Browns late in the season.
Kloza was hailed as a potential Babe Ruth
at that time, but his major league experience was cut short by illness, from which he never fully recovered his best playing strength, appearing in parts of two seasons. He was a .150 hitter in 22 games, driving in
two runs and scoring
five more without home runs.
In 1933 Kloza returned to the minors, playing for the Brewers during four seasons before retiring at age 32. In a 12-year minor league career, he hit .312 with 153 home runs and a .532 slugging average in 1217 games. Following his playing retirement, he promoted baseball activities for the youth. In 1944 he managed
the Rockford Peaches
of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
, guiding his club a 25-23 record while finishing third out of four opponents.
Kloza was a longtime resident of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, where he died at the age of 58. He is part of the AAGPBL permanent display at the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum at Cooperstown, New York
, opened in , which is dedicated to the entire league rather than any individual player.
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
. Listed at 5' 11", 180 lb., he batted and threw right-handed. Sometimes he is credited as Jack Kloza.
Kloza is recognized as one of four 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...
leaguers born in Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, along with Moe Drabowsky
Moe Drabowsky
Myron Walter Drabowsky was a Polish-American right-handed relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Chicago Cubs , Milwaukee Braves , Cincinnati Reds , Kansas City Athletics , Baltimore Orioles , Kansas City Royals , St...
, Henry Peploski
Henry Peploski
Henry Stephen Peploski , is a former professional baseball player who was a infielder in the Major Leagues in 1929. He played for the Boston Braves, and is recognized as one of four Major Leaguers born in Poland, along with Moe Drabowsky, Nap Kloza and Johnny Reder.-External links:*...
and Johnny Reder
Johnny Reder
John Anthony Reder is a former Polish American sportsman who during the 1930s played soccer with the Fall River Marksmen and the New Bedford Whalers and baseball for the Boston Red Sox. As a soccer goalkeeper he won three American Soccer League titles and two National Challenge Cup titles...
. At age 28, it had been a long journey to the major leagues for Kloza. He debuted in 1925 as an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
with the Blytheville Tigers
Tri-State League
The Tri-State League was the name of five different circuits in American minor league baseball.-History:The first league of that name played for four years and consisted of teams in Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia....
of the Tri-State League
Tri-State League
The Tri-State League was the name of five different circuits in American minor league baseball.-History:The first league of that name played for four years and consisted of teams in Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia....
, but spent nearly seven full seasons in the minors with eleven teams before reaching the majors in with the St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
.
While playing for the Montgomery Lions in 1926, Kloza led the Southeastern League
Southeastern League
The Southeastern League was the name of three baseball circuits in minor league baseball league which operated in the Southeastern and South Central United States...
with a .379 average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
and nine home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s in 114 games. Then, in 1927 he hit .404 with 28 homers in 122 games for the Albany Nuts in the same league. After that, he slugged .347 with 28 home runs in 1930 for the Wichita Falls Spudders
Wichita Falls Spudders
The Wichita Falls Spudders were a minor league baseball team that formed in 1920 and played its last game in 1957. They were based in Wichita Falls, Texas....
of the Texas League
Texas League
The Texas League is a minor league baseball league which operates in the South Central United States. It is classified a Double-A league. The league was founded in 1888 and ran through 1892...
, and .319 with 22 homers for the Milwaukee Brewers
Milwaukee Brewers (minor league baseball team)
The Milwaukee Brewers were a Minor League Baseball team based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They played in the American Association from 1902 through 1952.-A Milwaukee Tradition:...
of the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
in 1931, being promoted to the Browns late in the season.
Kloza was hailed as a potential Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
at that time, but his major league experience was cut short by illness, from which he never fully recovered his best playing strength, appearing in parts of two seasons. He was a .150 hitter in 22 games, driving in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
two runs and scoring
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
five more without home runs.
In 1933 Kloza returned to the minors, playing for the Brewers during four seasons before retiring at age 32. In a 12-year minor league career, he hit .312 with 153 home runs and a .532 slugging average in 1217 games. Following his playing retirement, he promoted baseball activities for the youth. In 1944 he managed
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
the Rockford Peaches
Rockford Peaches
The Rockford Peaches were a team in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League playing out of Rockford, Illinois for the entire existence of the league from 1943 to 1954....
of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League was a women's professional baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley which existed from 1943 to 1954. During the league's history, over 600 women played ball.-History:...
, guiding his club a 25-23 record while finishing third out of four opponents.
Kloza was a longtime resident of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, where he died at the age of 58. He is part of the AAGPBL permanent display at the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum at Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown is a village in Otsego County, New York, USA. It is located in the Town of Otsego. The population was estimated to be 1,852 at the 2010 census.The Village of Cooperstown is the county seat of Otsego County, New York...
, opened in , which is dedicated to the entire league rather than any individual player.