Bob Perry

Melvin Gray Perry
also known as Melvin Robert Perry

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 180 lb.
• High School West Street High School
• Debut May 17, 1963
• Final Game October 3, 1964
• Born September 14, 1934 in New Bern, NC USA
• Died July 2, 2017 in New Bern, NC USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Bob Perry (AKA Mel Perry) began a long professional baseball career with the 1953 Oshkosh Giants, hitting .262/~.362/.362. Missing his next two years due to military service, he returned in 1956 and batted .278 with 23 homers and 97 RBI for the Muskogee Giants, finishing fourth in the Sooner State League in HR. The next year was his best in terms of raw statistics. With the Danville Leafs, Perry smacked 30 homers (tying Gene Oliver for the Carolina League lead), batting .312/~.392/.582 with 104 runs and 90 RBI. He was second to Eddie Logan in batting average, led the Carolina League with 302 total bases and led the league in slugging. His 17 outfield assists were third in the loop. In 1958, Perry split time between the Springfield Giants (.280) and Charlotte Hornets (.260), homering 17 times between the two stops. The 1959 season brought Bob to the Sacramento Solons for the first of several seasons in the Pacific Coast League. In his AAA debut, the 24-year-old hit .282 with 23 home runs, tying for fourth in the PCL behind Willie McCovey, Jim Greengrass and Steve Bilko. The parent Giants, though, had an outfield of Orlando Cepeda, Willie Mays and Willie Kirkland and Perry was left in the minor leagues.

In 1960, Perry only homered seven times for the Tacoma Giants. In 1961, he bounced back with 22 circuit clouts and 94 RBI for Tacoma, finishing 7th in the PCL in HR and 8th in runs batted in; he was the Giants' top AAA home run threat that year. In his third Tacoma trial, Bob bashed 18 more homers in 1962.

Stuck at Tacoma for a fourth year in 196, the 28-year-old Perry was part of a transaction that found him with the Los Angeles Angels. Hitting .362 with 17 HR for Tacoma and LA's Hawaii Islanders farm club, Perry finally got an opportunity in the major leagues, posting a 90 OPS+ (.253/.300/.361) in 61 contests; he had a 752 OPS against lefties but only 582 versus right-handers.

In 1964, Perry hit .304 with Hawaii and .276/.318/.362 for LA (a 98 OPS+) as a respectable offensive center fielder in his last big-league playing time. In 387 major-league at-bats, Bob hit .266/.310/.362 for a competent 94 OPS+, homering six times.

By 1965, Perry was with the Columbus Jets and back to pulverizing AAA pitchers. He hit 20 homers, one home run behind International League leader Pancho Herrera; his 79 RBI were third-most in the IL. In 1966, Bob went over 200 career minor league homers when he swatted 17 for Columbus and the Buffalo Bisons. Full-time with Buffalo in 1967, Perry hit .261/~.289/.417 with 16 circuit clouts, fifth in the IL. He also had 10 outfield assists, tying him for third among IL outfielders.

By 1968, Perry was 33 years old and fading, hitting only .243/~.290/.348 for the Indianapolis Indians. Mel batted .263/.331/.474 for the 1969 Denver Bears and .275/~.345/.493 for Charlotte (11 years after he had last played for the Hornets), homering his final 16 times to finish with 241 minor league home runs and 247 homers overall as a pro player. He played his 16th and final season in 1970 for the Portland Beavers, going 2 for 10 at the plate.

Sources: 1954, 1958, 1968-1971 Baseball Guides, Pat Doyle's Professional Baseball Player Database

Personal Recollection

Mel Perry played on the Class D Oshkosh Giants (1953) of the Wisconsin State League. He was a first baseman. I believe this was his rookie year in pro ball and that he signed his pro contract after his high school graduation. He joined the Oshkosh team about halfway through the season. I remember him as being a tall slender African-American with good athletic abilities. He seemed to be a smooth fielder defensively as I remember, and also had a smooth hitting stroke, with some power. We were all part of the New York Giants Minor League System. I think he continued his pro career after Oshkosh, but I don't know what teams he played for.

--Submitted by Bill O'Donnell, former Oshkosh Giants teammate