Moose Skowron
Encyclopedia
William Joseph "Moose" Skowron Jr. (born December 18, 1930) is a former Major League Baseball
player, primarily a first baseman
. He is currently a Community Relations Representative for the White Sox.
Skowron was born in Chicago, Illinois, and is of Polish
descent. His father was a garbage collector. After his grandfather gave the seven year old Skowron a haircut that looked like the dictator's
and his friends jokingly called him "Mussolini", his family shortened the nickname to "Moose." The name stuck throughout his career.
"Moose" attended Weber High School on the intersection of Division and Ashland in Chicago. He went to Purdue University
, where he was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, on a football
scholarship, but found himself better suited to baseball
when he hit .500 as a sophomore, a record in the Big Ten Conference
that lasted ten years.
Signed by the New York Yankees
in as an amateur free agent, he played his first game for the Yankees on April 13, . He wore uniform number 53 in the 1954 season, but switched to #14 in and stayed with that number for the rest of his years with the Yankees. In the beginning, he was platooned at first base with Joe Collins
, but from on he became the Yankees' full time first baseman. He played in five All-Star Games
as a Yankee: , , , , and .
On November 26, he was traded by the Yankees to the Los Angeles Dodgers
for Stan Williams
. He kept his Yankee uniform number, 14, on the Dodgers. Although Skowron floundered against National League
pitching, batting
just .203 in 237 at bat
s with four home run
s, he stunned his former team in the 1963 World Series
. Playing against his old Yankee teammates, Skowron led the Dodgers with a .385 average and a home run, as Los Angeles swept New York in four straight games.
On December 6, he returned to the American League
when was purchased from the Dodgers by the Washington Senators (currently the Texas Rangers
). The Senators gave him uniform number three.
On July 13, he was traded by the Senators to the Chicago White Sox
. He took uniform number five on the Sox at first, but with the season went back to his old uniform number on the Yankees and Dodgers, 14. In he once more got to play in the All-Star Game
.
On May 6, he was traded by the White Sox to the California Angels
. He kept his uniform number 14 on the Angels.
He was released by the Angels on October 9, .
He played in a total of 1478 games, all but 15 as a first baseman
. (He was in 13 games as a third baseman
and two as a second baseman
.)
Skowron made the last out of the 1957 World Series
, but the following year he knocked in the winning run in game six of the 1958 World Series
. Skowron also hit a 3-run home run in game seven to propel the Yankees to a World Series win, and a comeback from a 3-1 series deficit. He also scored the only run in game seven of the 1962 World Series
against the San Francisco Giants
.
During his time with the Yankees, he resided in Hillsdale, New Jersey
.
On June 12, 1980 he was inducted into the National Polish-American Hall of Fame
, and currently resides in Schaumburg, Illinois.
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...
player, primarily a first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
. He is currently a Community Relations Representative for the White Sox.
Skowron was born in Chicago, Illinois, and is of Polish
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...
descent. His father was a garbage collector. After his grandfather gave the seven year old Skowron a haircut that looked like the dictator's
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
and his friends jokingly called him "Mussolini", his family shortened the nickname to "Moose." The name stuck throughout his career.
"Moose" attended Weber High School on the intersection of Division and Ashland in Chicago. He went to Purdue University
Purdue University
Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S., is the flagship university of the six-campus Purdue University system. Purdue was founded on May 6, 1869, as a land-grant university when the Indiana General Assembly, taking advantage of the Morrill Act, accepted a donation of land and...
, where he was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, on a football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
scholarship, but found himself better suited to baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
when he hit .500 as a sophomore, a record in the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
that lasted ten years.
Signed by the New York 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...
in as an amateur free agent, he played his first game for the Yankees on April 13, . He wore uniform number 53 in the 1954 season, but switched to #14 in and stayed with that number for the rest of his years with the Yankees. In the beginning, he was platooned at first base with Joe Collins
Joe Collins
Joseph Edward Collins was an American Major League Baseball player, born in Scranton, Pennsylvania....
, but from on he became the Yankees' full time first baseman. He played in five All-Star Games
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
as a Yankee: , , , , and .
On November 26, he was traded by the Yankees to the Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
for Stan Williams
Stan Williams (baseball)
Stanley Wilson Williams , nicknamed "Big Daddy" and "The Big Hurt", is a former Major League Baseball starting and relief pitcher who threw and batted right-handed. He played for the Los Angeles Dodgers , New York Yankees , Cleveland Indians , Minnesota Twins , St...
. He kept his Yankee uniform number, 14, on the Dodgers. Although Skowron floundered against National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
pitching, batting
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 :...
just .203 in 237 at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
s with four 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, he stunned his former team in the 1963 World Series
1963 World Series
The 1963 World Series matched the two-time defending champion New York Yankees against the Los Angeles Dodgers, with the Dodgers sweeping the Series in four games to capture their second title in five years, and their third in franchise history....
. Playing against his old Yankee teammates, Skowron led the Dodgers with a .385 average and a home run, as Los Angeles swept New York in four straight games.
On December 6, he returned to the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
when was purchased from the Dodgers by the Washington Senators (currently the Texas Rangers
Texas Rangers (baseball)
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, based in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League, and are the reigning A.L. Western Division and A.L. Champions. Since , the Rangers have...
). The Senators gave him uniform number three.
On July 13, he was traded by the Senators to the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. He took uniform number five on the Sox at first, but with the season went back to his old uniform number on the Yankees and Dodgers, 14. In he once more got to play in the All-Star Game
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
.
On May 6, he was traded by the White Sox to the California Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
. He kept his uniform number 14 on the Angels.
He was released by the Angels on October 9, .
He played in a total of 1478 games, all but 15 as a first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
. (He was in 13 games as a third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
and two as a second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
.)
Skowron made the last out of the 1957 World Series
1957 World Series
The 1957 World Series featured the defending champions, the New York Yankees , playing against the Milwaukee Braves . After finishing just one game behind the N.L. Champion Brooklyn Dodgers in 1956, the Braves came back in 1957 to win their first pennant since moving from Boston in 1953...
, but the following year he knocked in the winning run in game six of the 1958 World Series
1958 World Series
The 1958 World Series was a rematch of the 1957 Series, with the New York Yankees beating the defending champion Milwaukee Braves in seven games for their eighteenth title, and their seventh in ten years...
. Skowron also hit a 3-run home run in game seven to propel the Yankees to a World Series win, and a comeback from a 3-1 series deficit. He also scored the only run in game seven of the 1962 World Series
1962 World Series
The 1962 World Series matched the defending American League and World Series champions New York Yankees against the National League champion San Francisco Giants, who had won their first NL pennant since 1954 and first since moving from New York in 1958, defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in a...
against the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
.
During his time with the Yankees, he resided in Hillsdale, New Jersey
Hillsdale, New Jersey
Hillsdale is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 10,219.The populated area today known as Hillsdale took form in the mid-to-late 19th century as land speculators, led by David P. Patterson, developed subdivisons to profit from the...
.
On June 12, 1980 he was inducted into the National Polish-American Hall of Fame
National Polish-American Hall of Fame
The National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame and Museum was founded February 30, 1973 to honor and recognize outstanding American athletes, both amateur and professional, of Polish descent....
, and currently resides in Schaumburg, Illinois.