Alex Konikowski

Alexander James Konikowski
(Whitey)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 187 lb.
• High School Seymour High School
• Debut June 16, 1948
• Final Game July 29, 1954
• Born June 8, 1928 in Throop, PA USA
• Died September 27, 1997 in Seymour, CT USA

BR page

Biographical Information

At the young age of sixteen, Alex Konikowski was signed by the New York Giants as an amateur free agent before the 1944 season. The Giants assigned the lad to the Erie Sailors of the class D PONY League. Alex went 6-7 with a 3.82 ERA in 1944 and turned right around for the same team in 1945 and went 9-8 with a 3.22 ERA.

Young Konikowski had a very strong season in 1947, as a nineteen-year-old, winning 14 and losing 8 with a 3.18 ERA for the Manchester Giants of the New England League, opening the door to the Polo Grounds, and it was on June 16, 1948 that young Al made his debut with the New York Giants.

He was up to the task, going 2-3 in 22 appearances in 1948. According to Al he would have seen more action if he had let manager Leo Durocher win their gin rummy games. Al explains, "In '48 when I came up with the Giants I beat Leo in a game of gin rummy on a train ride from New York to Boston. I don't think he ever forgave me, he hardly used me in three different seasons." (1948, 1951 and 1954) Over the three years he got one start in 35 games and went 2-3 lifetime.

However, Alex pitched well for the Minneapolis Millers in 1949 with a 11-7 record. He also had success for the Ottawa Giants in 1951 with an 8-7 record and a 2.59 ERA. He did pitch one scoreless inning out of the bullpen in the 1951 World Series against the New York Yankees World Champions to be. Al fell badly in 1952 going 3-8 for Minneapolis, appearing in 15 games. He was then called up for military service in 1953 and 1954, during the Korean War.

On his return, he went 11-8 for Minneapolis in 1955 and broke even in 1956 with a 6-6 record split between the Millers and the Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League. He decided to seek another way of life, making this his final season. Alex wound up his 11-year minor league run with an 83-82 record and a 4.19 ERA. After baseball, Al worked as a plumber for many years. He passed away on September 27, 1997, at age 69 in Seymour, CT.

Sources

• Baseball Players of the 1950s
  

Related Sites

• Alex Konikowski at the SABR Bio Project
• BR Minors page