Stan Jok
Encyclopedia
Stanley Edward Jok was an American
professional baseball
player. A third baseman
, Jok played all or parts of 14 seasons in minor league baseball
, where he hit 192 home runs, but his Major League
opportunity was limited to 12 total games played
with the Philadelphia Phillies
and the – Chicago White Sox
. Born in Buffalo, New York
, he threw and batted right-handed, stood 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and weighed 190 pounds (86.2 kg).
Jok had spent seven full seasons in the minors for three organizations before the Phillies gave him a chance at the outset of the 1954 season. He was used as a pinch hitter
in three games, and went hitless
. Placed on waivers
, he was claimed by the White Sox, who assigned him to their Double-A affiliate, the Memphis Chickasaws, where Jok batted
over .300. Recalled in September 1954, he started at three games for the ChiSox. In the first of those games, he registered his first MLB hit, an RBI single
off Art Houtteman
, and later drew a bases-loaded walk
for another RBI. But he collected only one more hit in eight at bats in his next two starts.
Jok made the 1955 White Sox roster
coming out of spring training
and appeared in six more games, largely as a pinch hitter and pinch runner
. But in his only start at third base, on May 1 at Comiskey Park
against the Baltimore Orioles
, Jok connected for his only Major League home run, a solo shot off Jim McDonald. He returned to minor league baseball for good at the mid-May cutdown. As a Major Leaguer, Jok had 22 plate appearance
s and 19 at bats; of his three hits, only his homer went for extra bases.
Jok was a fixture in the Triple-A International League
, where he appeared in 1,149 games for seven teams representing five different cities between 1950 and 1961, Jok's final pro season. Strangely, none of them were his hometown Buffalo Bisons
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
player. 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...
, Jok played all or parts of 14 seasons in minor league baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
, where he hit 192 home runs, but his Major League
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...
opportunity was limited to 12 total games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
with the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
and 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...
. Born in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, he threw and batted right-handed, stood 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and weighed 190 pounds (86.2 kg).
Jok had spent seven full seasons in the minors for three organizations before the Phillies gave him a chance at the outset of the 1954 season. He was used as a pinch hitter
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
in three games, and went hitless
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
. Placed on waivers
Waivers
Waiver or Waivers may refer to:*Waiver, a voluntary relinquishment or surrender of some known right or privilegeSports*Waivers , an NFL procedure by which a team makes a player contract or NFL rights available to all other teams...
, he was claimed by the White Sox, who assigned him to their Double-A affiliate, the Memphis Chickasaws, where Jok batted
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 :...
over .300. Recalled in September 1954, he started at three games for the ChiSox. In the first of those games, he registered his first MLB hit, an RBI single
Single (baseball)
In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
off Art Houtteman
Art Houtteman
Arthur Joseph Houtteman was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for 12 seasons in the American League with the Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians and Baltimore Orioles...
, and later drew a bases-loaded walk
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
for another RBI. But he collected only one more hit in eight at bats in his next two starts.
Jok made the 1955 White Sox roster
1955 Chicago White Sox season
The 1955 Chicago White Sox season was the team's 55th season in the major leagues, and its 56th season overall. They finished with a record 91-63, good enough for third place in the American League, 5 games behind the first place New York Yankees....
coming out 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...
and appeared in six more games, largely as a pinch hitter and pinch runner
Pinch runner
A pinch runner is a baseball player substituted for the specific purpose of replacing a player on base. In the typical case, the pinch runner is faster or otherwise more skilled at base-running than the player for whom the pinch runner has been substituted...
. But in his only start at third base, on May 1 at Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park
Comiskey Park was the ballpark in which the Chicago White Sox played from 1910 to 1990. It was built by Charles Comiskey after a design by Zachary Taylor Davis, and was the site of four World Series and more than 6,000 major league games...
against the Baltimore Orioles
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...
, Jok connected for his only Major League home run, a solo shot off Jim McDonald. He returned to minor league baseball for good at the mid-May cutdown. As a Major Leaguer, Jok had 22 plate appearance
Plate appearance
In baseball statistics, a player is credited with a plate appearance each time he completes a turn batting. A player completes a turn batting when: He strikes out or is declared out before reaching first base; or He reaches first base safely or is awarded first base ; or He hits a fair ball which...
s and 19 at bats; of his three hits, only his homer went for extra bases.
Jok was a fixture in the Triple-A International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
, where he appeared in 1,149 games for seven teams representing five different cities between 1950 and 1961, Jok's final pro season. Strangely, none of them were his hometown Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
.