Nap Kloza
Nap Kloza | |
---|---|
Milwaukee, Wisconsin | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
August 16, 1931, for the St. Louis Browns | |
Last MLB appearance | |
June 26, 1932, for the St. Louis Browns | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .150 |
Home runs | 0 |
Runs batted in | 2 |
Teams | |
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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.[1]
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 1931 with the St. Louis Browns.[2]
While playing for the
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.[1][4]
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
Kloza was a longtime resident of
Sources
- ^ a b "All-American Girls Professional Baseball League entry". Archived from the original on 2011-06-15. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
- ^ "Baseball Almanac – Major League Baseball players born in Poland". Archived from the original on 2011-12-10. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
- ^ "Baseball Reference – Minor leagues career". Archived from the original on 2015-06-28. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
- ^ a b c "Baseball Reference – Major leagues career". Archived from the original on 2018-01-08. Retrieved 2018-03-27.
- ^ "1944 Rockford Peaches". Archived from the original on 2010-09-17. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
- ^ "All-American Girls Professional Baseball League records". Archived from the original on 2009-09-07. Retrieved 2010-05-29.
- ^ "All-American Girls Professional Baseball League History". Archived from the original on 2011-04-22. Retrieved 2010-05-29.