Ken Poulsen
Encyclopedia
Ken Sterling Poulsen is a former utility
in Major League Baseball
who played briefly for the Boston Red Sox
during the season. Listed at 6' 1", 190 lb., he batted left-handed
and threw right-handed.
Little is known about this player who made a modest contribution as a member of the 1967 Impossible Dream Red Sox team.
Poulsen played three years of varsity baseball at Birmingham High School
in Van Nuys, where he helped his team won the championship of the West Valley League each of those three years (1963–65), being named a first-team all-star in the league and third-team all-star on the All-City team. He was selected by Boston in the third round of the 1965 draft and debuted with the big team on July 3, 1967. Poulsen gained his promotion as a replacement for Dalton Jones
, who had to report for two weeks of Army reserve duty at Camp Drum in New York
. The departure of Jones reflected a common occurrence during the Vietnam War
era.
Poulsen appeared in five games with the Sox, hitting a double
in five at-bats for a .200 batting average
without runs
or RBIs
. He also made three fielding appearances at third base
(2) and shortstop
(1) for a collective .667 fielding percentage
(one error in three chances), playing his final game on July 14, 1967.
Following his brief stint in the majors, Poulsen played in the Red Sox and Yankees
minor league systems, where he experienced some success as a pitcher
in the Carolina League
for Kinston
in 1971, posting a 10-8 record with a 3.02 ERA
, and for West Haven of the Eastern League in 1972, ending 9-8 with a 2.97 ERA.
Utility player
In sport, a utility player is one who can play several positions competently, a sort of jack of all trades. Sports in which the term is often used include association football , baseball, rugby, rugby league, water polo and softball....
in 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...
who played briefly for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
during the season. Listed at 6' 1", 190 lb., he batted left-handed
Left-handed
Left-handedness is the preference for the left hand over the right for everyday activities such as writing. In ancient times it was seen as a sign of the devil, and was abhorred in many cultures...
and threw right-handed.
Little is known about this player who made a modest contribution as a member of the 1967 Impossible Dream Red Sox team.
Poulsen played three years of varsity baseball at Birmingham High School
Birmingham High School
Birmingham Community Charter High School is a public coeducational high school in the neighborhood/district of Lake Balboa in the San Fernando Valley section of Los Angeles, California, United States...
in Van Nuys, where he helped his team won the championship of the West Valley League each of those three years (1963–65), being named a first-team all-star in the league and third-team all-star on the All-City team. He was selected by Boston in the third round of the 1965 draft and debuted with the big team on July 3, 1967. Poulsen gained his promotion as a replacement for Dalton Jones
Dalton Jones
James Dalton Jones is a former Major League Baseball player who played nine seasons in the big leagues for the Boston Red Sox , Detroit Tigers , and Texas Rangers .-Biography:...
, who had to report for two weeks of Army reserve duty at Camp Drum in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The departure of Jones reflected a common occurrence during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
era.
Poulsen appeared in five games with the Sox, hitting a double
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
in five at-bats for a .200 batting 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 :...
without runs
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...
or RBIs
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...
. He also made three fielding appearances at third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
(2) and shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
(1) for a collective .667 fielding percentage
Fielding percentage
In baseball statistics, fielding percentage, also known as fielding average, is a measure that reflects the percentage of times a defensive player properly handles a batted or thrown ball...
(one error in three chances), playing his final game on July 14, 1967.
Following his brief stint in the majors, Poulsen played in the Red Sox and Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
minor league systems, where he experienced some success as a 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...
in the Carolina League
Carolina League
The Carolina League is a minor league baseball affiliation which operates in the South Atlantic Coast of the United States. Before 2002, it was classified as a "High A" league, indicating its status as a Class A league with the highest level of competition within that classification, and the fifth...
for Kinston
Kinston Indians
The Kinston Indians were a minor league baseball team of the Carolina League , and the High-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. They were located in Kinston, North Carolina, and were named for their parent club...
in 1971, posting a 10-8 record with a 3.02 ERA
Earned run average
In baseball statistics, earned run average is the mean of earned runs given up by a pitcher per nine innings pitched. It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number of innings pitched and multiplying by nine...
, and for West Haven of the Eastern League in 1972, ending 9-8 with a 2.97 ERA.