Stan Lopata
Stan Lopata | |
---|---|
Delray, Michigan, U.S. | |
Died: June 15, 2013 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | (aged 87)|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 19, 1948, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |
Last MLB appearance | |
June 12, 1960, for the Milwaukee Braves | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .254 |
Home runs | 116 |
Runs batted in | 397 |
Teams | |
Career highlights and awards | |
Stanley Edward Lopata (September 12, 1925 – June 15, 2013) was an American professional baseball player. A
A two-time all-star, he was the first National League catcher to wear glasses.[1]
Early life
Born in Delray, a neighborhood of Detroit, to foundry worker Anthony Lopata and Agnes Lopata, both born in Poland and came to the United States in 1911.[2] Stanley was the youngest of five children having two sisters, Wanda and Bertha, and two brothers, Casimir and Chester.[2] Lopata was a graduate of Southwestern High School.[3] He was a classmate of Harold Schultz.[4] Stan went into the Army in December 1943 and served with the 14th Armored Division in Europe, he saw heavy action and was awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart before his discharge in late 1945.[2][5]
Lopata began his professional baseball career in the minor leagues with the Terre Haute Phillies of the Class B Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League in 1946 after the big-league Philadelphia club signed him to a $20,000 bonus.[6] The Phillies discovered Lopata when he emerged as a star in the sandlots of Detroit, Michigan,[7] as well as the tough American Legion Baseball league.[8] He did well in his first season for Terre Haute, posting up a .292 batting average with a .540 slugging percentage, 9 home runs, and 11 triples in just 67 games played.[3]
Lopata was very successful in 1947. He was still a few years of seasoning away from the majors, but in March Phillies manager
Lopata continued his rise through the minor league ranks in 1948 for the baseball Toronto Maple Leafs of the Class AAA International League. He once again put up consistent and powerful numbers: a .279 batting average, 15 home runs, and 67 RBI in 110 games.[3] Lopata had a league record shattering day on May 20 when he drove in eight runs off two home runs, breaking the old Roosevelt Stadium record of runs batted in for a single game of 7 set by Albie Glosop in 1939.[11] Around this time, major league scouts labeled Lopata as a "can't miss" prospect.[8]
Philadelphia Phillies
On September 13, 1948, Lopata finally received his call to the majors along with four of his teammates (Lou Possehl, Jocko Thompson, Jim Konstanty, and Willie "Puddin' Head" Jones) from the AAA Toronto Maple Leafs.[12] He got his first start in the second game of a doubleheader against the Pittsburgh Pirates on September 19, playing catcher and batting 8th in the order. He went 0 for 4 in the game. On the next day, Lopata was called upon again to start the second game of a doubleheader, this time getting his first hit, a double. He would be used as a pinch hitter in three more games and have another uneventful start on September 28 at the New York Giants before his season came to a close. In 15 at-bats, Lopata had 2 hits, driving in 2 runs.[3]
On February 6, 1949, Lopata signed a contract with the Philadelphia Phillies, joining five other catchers on the squad going into spring training.[13] The rookie impressed manager Eddie Sawyer so much in spring training that he initially won the role of starting catcher from six-year veteran Andy Seminick, citing that he was "the most improved player on the club."[14] He was said to be a product of club President Bob Carpenter's "youth movement."[15] The Phillies had the youngest team in the majors that year, calling themselves the "Fighting Phillies of '49,"[16] determined to improve upon their dreadful record of 66–88 from the 1948 season.[3] Despite having the starting job, Lopata split time with Seminick, eventually playing in less games than Seminick and also providing much less offensive support. Despite putting up relatively average numbers of a .271 batting average, 8 home runs, and 27 RBI in 83 games, the 23-year-old's first full season was generally regarded as a success. One reporter recalled that Lopata "hit one of the longest homers Sunday at Shibe Park since the days of (Jimmie) Foxx."[17]
Before the start of the 1950 season, Lopata's status as starter or backup was not established until mid-March as Seminick was holding out for a sufficient contract. He was reportedly the "last of the club's holdouts", and "appeared eager to sign after (Bob) Carpenter informed him his substitute, Stan Lopata" had hit three towering home runs over the deep left field wall at the Phillies' training park in Clearwater, Florida.[18] Seminick got the starting role, with Lopata coming in as the backup. The season saw less playing time for Stan, hitting just .209 with 1 home run and 11 RBI in 58 games.[3] The Phillies, dubbed the Whiz Kids due to their youthful roster age, won the National League pennant, before being swept in four straight games in the 1950 World Series by the New York Yankees. Lopata was used very sparingly in the World Series, but earned the dubious honor of recording the final out of the series, striking out to a cutter from Yankees pitcher Allie Reynolds.[19]
1951 was full of downs for Lopata. On April 27, he was optioned to the Class AAA International League Baltimore Orioles.[20] He struggled with injuries throughout the season,[21] which led to a lackluster season of a .196 average in just 38 games.[3]
In September 1951, The Phillies announced that Lopata would be taken to their spring training squad for the 1952 season.[22] On January 31, 1952, he signed a new contract with Philadelphia, taking what was regarded as a "slight" pay cut from his 1951 salary.[23] He successfully earned a spot on the roster, but again was used sparingly, mostly towards the tail end of the season. Lopata finished the season with a fair .274 average to go with 4 home runs and 27 RBI in 57 games.[3]
On January 31, 1953, Lopata signed another contract to continue playing with the Phillies.[24] Lopata split time with all-star Smoky Burgess, posting a .239 average and 31 RBI in 86 games.[3]
Before the
Phillies
Lopata survived a scare on September 4, 1955, after collapsing twice in a game against the New York Giants. First he collapsed on the field, then he collapsed again in the dressing room following a three-run home run. He was taken to the Temple University Hospital and was believed to be suffering from a "delayed reaction from being hit on the head by a pitched ball." A doctor at the hospital eventually said that Lopata was in satisfactory condition.[34] He was released from the hospital on September 6[35] and returned to active duty at the Cincinnati Reds on September 8, drawing two walks and scoring a run en route to a 6–4 victory.[3]
Lopata's rise to stardom continued in
Lopata started the 1956 season by splitting time with Seminick, but after a slow start by Seminick, Lopata finally emerged as an everyday player, making the most of it by slamming 32 home runs while driving in 95 runs in 146 games.[3] Stan had many highlights that year. He had a walk-off home run against the Milwaukee Braves on June 27 in the bottom of the 11th inning to win the game 4–3.[38] Lopata finished fourth in the fan voting for catchers on the National League all-star roster, tallying 16,197 votes.[39] He received his second all-star nomination when a roster spot opened up after Braves catcher Del Crandall was injured and unable to play.[40] On August 11, Lopata ended Brooklyn Dodgers hurler Don Newcombe's 392⁄3 scoreless innings streak with a two-run home run in a 5–2 losing effort.[41] Lopata led all major league catchers in slugging percentage by posting up a .535 mark.[42] His 32 home runs set a since-broken Phillies' team record for right-handed batters.[26] The Phillies had a lackluster season overall with a 71–83 record, but management did not fault Lopata. They had so much faith in him that after the season was over, they stated that every player on the roster was subject to possible trade except for Lopata.[43]
After the 1957 season, Phillies management made it clear that they were looking for a new backup catcher for Lopata.[53] He signed his new contract in January 1958, marking his 11th season with the Phillies.[54] Throughout spring training, Lopata did daily exercises for his injured knee, trying to get it strong enough to hold up for the 1958 season.[55] He got off to a slow start in the season, and by the end of May the fans had turned on their once local favorite.[56] His woes continued on June 8 when Larry Jackson out of St. Louis hit Lopata in the head with a pitch.[57] It was reported to not be serious, but he would not be released from the hospital until three days later on June 11.[58] Lopata suffered yet another injury in July,[59] playing in only seven games that month. He finished the season with a .248 average to go with 9 home runs and 33 RBI in 86 games.[3] After the season ended, Lopata was asked to join Willie Mays' National League "All-Star" Team for an exhibition game against an American League All-Star team put together by Mickey Mantle in New York City.[60]
Milwaukee Braves and retirement
In January
The Braves agreed to bring back Lopata for the
Playing style
Lopata had an "extreme crouch" at the plate, according to New York Giants star pitcher Sal Maglie. This made his strike zone "awfully small," in Maglie's words.[72]
After baseball
On June 3, 1969, the 1950 National League Pennant Winning Philadelphia Philliles, nicknamed the "Whiz Kids", had an exhibition game against a local team. Lopata batted cleanup, hitting a home run in the first inning. The Whiz Kids were victorious 10–1.[73]
After his professional baseball career was over, Lopata made a living by working at a steel plant in Dearborn, Michigan, later moving back to Philadelphia to work as a saleman for IBM.[2][74] He later worked for a concrete company in Philadelphia, retiring as vice president of sales.[2][8] In 1988, Lopata was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, and nine years later, on June 12, 1997, he was also inducted into the National Polish American Sports Hall of Fame.[8]
Personal life
Lopata married Betty Kulczyk, who lived in the next block in Detroit, on October 25, 1947.[2] Stanley and Betty had seven children, 16 grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren[2] In July 1949, Stan went on a brief bereavement from the ballclub when the front office notified him that he had become a father.[75] Lopata died of heart complications on June 15, 2013, at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital.[76]
Notes
- ^ ISBN 0-7432-2722-0. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g admin. "Stan Lopata – Society for American Baseball Research". Retrieved 2023-07-13.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v Batting Splits, Pitcher Matchups, Daily batting logs at Retrosheet and daily batting gamelogs at Baseball-Reference.com.
- ^ Ivory, Bill (2021-02-23). "My Journey to Discover the Lost Flag-Raiser of Iwo Jima". Military.com. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
- ^ a b c d e f g Williams, Edgar (1956). "Sit-Down Hitter". Baseball Digest. 15 (10). Lakeside Publishing Company: 74–82.
- ^ Miorelli, Mike (29 January 1986). "Stan Lopata proved to be a good catch for Phillies". Reading Eagle. p. 4.36, 42. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
- ^ a b "Phillies Loom As Contender for 1949 Pennant". Lewiston Evening Journal. Associated Press. 1 April 1949. p. 17.
- ^ a b c d Dave Pietrusza (12 June 1997). "Stan Lopata – Polish National Sports Hall of Fame and Museum". Oldtyme Baseball News. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
- Ellensburg Daily Record. Associated Press. 3 March 1947. p. 4. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
- The Hartford Courant. Associated Press. 25 September 1947. p. 15.
- ^ "Leafs Trim Jersey City". Ottawa Citizen. Associated Press. 21 May 1948. p. 21.
- Montreal Gazette. United Press International. 21 May 1948. p. 21. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
- ^ "Pirates Sign First Bonus Ball Player". Los Angeles Times. 14 September 1948. p. 19.
- Eugene Register-Guard. 5 April 1949. p. 10. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
- St Petersburg Times. 6 April 1949. p. 3.19. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
- St Petersburg Times. United Press International. 3 April 1949. p. 32. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
- The Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. 26 April 1949. p. 2. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
- St Petersburg Times. Associated Press. 15 March 1950. p. 24. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
- ^ Talbot, Gayle (8 October 1950). "Yanks Wrap Up Series; Take Phillies, 5–2 In Final". Times Daily. p. 10. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
- ^ "Phillies Option Out Catcher Stan Lopata". Hartford Courant. Associated Press. 29 April 1951. p. C8.
- St Petersburg Times. p. 12.
- ^ "Phils Recalling Goliat, Hollmig". The Miami News. Associated Press. 8 September 1951. p. 2-B. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
- New York Times. 1 February 1952. p. 25.
- ^ "Miller, Lopata Sign". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Associated Press. 1 February 1953. p. 10. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
- ^ "Lopata Signs". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Associated Press. 1 February 1953. p. 10. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
- ^ a b c Stan Lopata at the SABR Baseball Biography Project , by Ralph Berger, Retrieved 6 November 2010.
- ^ "Harvey Haddix Defeats Phils For 15th Victory". Hartford Courant. United Press International. 31 July 1954. p. 12.
- ^ "After Fisticuffs, It's Missouri Waltz for Phillies – Win Forfeit Over Red Birds". The Deseret News. NSI. 19 July 1954. p. 2. Retrieved 12 February 2011.
- The Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 2.4.
- ^ "Phillies, Redlegs Make Even, 3 Player Trade". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Associated Press. 1 May 1955. p. 12.
- Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. 8 July 1955. p. 8.
- ^ "Play by Play Story of All-Star Game". Chicago Tribune. 13 July 1955. p. B2.
- ^ "'55 Comeback Award Goes to Roy Campanella". Chicago Tribune. 17 November 1955. p. E6.
- Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. 5 September 1955. p. 18.
- ^ "Lopata Due To Make Phillies' Western Trip". Chicago Tribune. 6 September 1955. p. C2.
- New York Times. 16 February 1956. p. 37.
- The Milwaukee Sentinel. Associated Press. 10 March 1956. p. 2.5.
- ^ "Stan Lopata's Homer Beats Braves in 11th". Los Angeles Times. 28 June 1956. p. C3.
- ^ "Election Returns--Vote Totals Of All-Stars With 10,000 Plus". The Sporting News. 4 July 1956. p. 7.
- ^ "Stan Lopata Will Replace Crandall". The Daytona Beach News-Journal. 7 July 1956. p. 19.
- Miami News. 12 August 1956. p. B1.
- ^ Gettysburg Times. 25 January 1957. p. B1.
- ^ "Phillies Trade Ennis for Repulski, Morgan". Chicago Tribune. 21 November 1956. p. 5.
- ^ "Phillies Sell Rogovin To Miami Farm Club". Hartford Courant. 2 July 1957. p. 18A.
- Lewiston Daily Sun. 2 July 1957. p. 18A.
- New York Times. Associated Press. 22 July 1957. p. 22.
- ^ "Phillies Trounce Redlegs, 8 To 5". The Baltimore Sun. Associated Press. 31 July 1957. p. S18.
- Toledo Blade. p. 32.
- Toledo Blade. p. 27.
- ^ "Redlegs Put On Surge Again". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Associated Press. 3 August 1957. p. 9.
- ^ Historical hitting stats from MLB.com
- St. Petersburg Times. Associated Press. 19 October 1957. p. 4-C.
- The Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. 4 December 1957. p. 2.16.
- ^ "Post Signs Pact". Reading Eagle. United Press International. 20 January 1958. p. 21.
- The Milwaukee Journal. United Press International. 2 February 1958. p. 4.3.
- ^ Finch, Frank (26 May 1958). "Dodger Game Rained Out; Erskine, Roberts to Duel". Los Angeles Times. p. C1.
- The Montreal Gazette. Associated Press. 9 June 1958. p. 25.
- ^ "Stan Lopata Gets Hospital Release". The Baltimore Sun. Associated Press. 12 June 1958. p. S20.
- Palm Beach Post. p. 6.
- Washington Afro-American. 7 October 1958. p. 13.
- Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Associated Press. 29 January 1959. p. 6.
- Gettysburg Times. 1 April 1959. p. 5.
- The Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 2.4.
- ^ "Braves Cut Andy Pafko, Stan Lopata". Ottawa Citizen. Associated Press. 17 October 1959. p. 9.
- Toledo Blade. Associated Press. 10 February 1960. p. 41.
- The Milwaukee Journal. p. 2.13.
- Victoria Advocate. Associated Press. 11 February 1960. p. 2.13.
- The Milwaukee Journal. p. 12.
- Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Associated Press. 13 September 1960. p. 6.
- The Milwaukee Journal. 3 October 1960. p. 2.17.
- The Milwaukee Sentinel. United Press International. 13 October 1960. p. 2.2.
- ^ Terrell, Roy (March 17, 1958). "Part 1: Sal Maglie on the Art of Pitching". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved August 7, 2020.
- ^ "Whiz Kids Still Young At Heart". Reading Eagle. Associated Press. 4 June 1969. p. 50.
- St. Petersburg Times. p. C1.
- The Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. 7 April 1960. p. 11.
- ^ "Detroit native, former All-Star catcher Stan Lopata dies at 87". Detroit Free Press. June 17, 2013. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- Stan Lopata at SABR (Baseball BioProject)