Bob Bowman (bowmabo02)

Robert Leroy Bowman

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 195 lb.
• School San Jose State University
• High School Lincoln High School (San Jose)
• Debut April 16, 1955
• Final Game September 18, 1959
• Born May 10, 1930 in Laytonville, CA USA
• Died January 27, 2017 in San Jose, CA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

“He’s won five games with his arm and it’s gotten so that enemy third-base coaches wherever we go throw up their hands when they see him getting ready to throw.” - Mayo Smith, to The Sporting News, June 19, 1957

An outfielder with an exceptionally strong throwing arm, Bob Bowman worked his way through the Philadelphia Phillies minor league system in the early 1950s with the Miami Marlins and the Syracuse Chiefs in the International League. He had late season trials in Philly in both 1955 and 1956 before earning a spot in the team's starting lineup in 1957. After hitting a respectable .288 in 1958, his average tailed off and the Phils experimented with switching him to pitching in 1959. Bowman lost his only decision in five appearances out of the bullpen that year, his last of five years in the majors in which he hit .249 in 256 games.

Bowman, who was a sales supervisor for a liquor distributor, retired in Lake Almanor, CA. He died in 2017 at 86.

Sources

Baseball-Reference.com
Baseball Players of the 1950s

Related Sites

• Bob Bowman at the SABR Bio Project