Dick Greco (baseball)

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Richard Anthony Greco (July 2, 1925 – July 5, 2012) was a

minor league baseball player who hit over 300 home runs in a 12-year career that spanned from 1946 to 1957.[1] He slugged at least 20 home runs a year from 1946 to 1952 - a stretch of seven campaigns - and had at least 30 home runs in a season five times. He hit .300 or better in 10 of the 12 years he played. He is considered, "the most prolific home run hitter from Tacoma" and was considered "the Babe Ruth of the bush leagues."[2][3]
Though he spent parts of four seasons at Triple-A, he never played in the major leagues.

Personal life

He was born in Tacoma, Washington and graduated from Stadium High School. He served in the United States Navy during World War II. He died at the age of 87.

Baseball career

He began his professional career as a 20-year-old in the

Cleveland Indians
system as well. Overall, he hit .330 with a .604 slugging percentage, 33 home runs, 32 doubles and 179 hits in 156 games.

The slugger played 148 of his 149 games with Tacoma - now an Indians affiliate - in 1950, spending a lone game with San Diego as well. Between the two clubs, the 24-year-old hit .361 with 36 home runs, 30 doubles, 11 triples, 204 hits, a .644 slugging percentage and 364 total bases. He led the

Philadelphia A's
system.

He played for the unaffiliated

Veracruz Aguila
, hitting .367 with five home runs with them.

Overall, Greco hit around .328 with 333 home runs and at least 1,824 hits and 318 doubles in 1,565-plus games. He also made 26 pitching appearances, going 3-7. He managed the Modesto Reds briefly in 1956.

Post-baseball life

He became an auditor

Pierce County, Washington in 1969. He resigned from the position in 1986 and three months later was indicted on charges of bribery and of official misconduct for taking bribes. Though he fought the charges, he was convicted and sentenced to prison, serving four years before being released in 1998.[5]

He was elected to the Tacoma-Pierce County Hall of Fame in 1989 and won the Cy Greenlaw Old-Timers Salute Award in 2009.

References

  1. ^ BR Minors page
  2. ^ "Cy Greenlaw Oldtimers Salute Award". Archived from the original on 2014-10-26. Retrieved 2014-10-26.
  3. ^ "Tacoma's Greco, famed for home runs and auditor scandal, has died at 87". Archived from the original on 2014-10-26. Retrieved 2014-10-26.
  4. ^ St. Petersburg Times - Oct 29, 1952
  5. ^ Former Pierce County Auditor Out Of Prison

External links

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