Bob Prentice

Robert Fergus Prentice

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 180 lb.

• High School Riverdale Collegiate Institute

• Born August 12, 1928 in Toronto, ON Canada
• Died February 8, 1995 in Toronto, ON Canada

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Bob Prentice hit 140 or more home runs in the minors then became a scout.

Prentice also starred in football and hockey in high school. The Cleveland Indians signed him. He debuted with the 1948 Batavia Clippers, batting .257/?/.405 with 13 homers at age 19. He was tied for third in the PONY League in homers behind Joe Fromuth and Red Teague. In 1949, he hit .314 and slugged .457 for the Pittsfield Indians. The next year, he smacked 20 home runs for the Cedar Rapids Indians, producing at a .280/.363/.479 clip, scoring 88 runs and driving in an even 100. He was third in the Three-I League in both RBI (behind Frank Marchio and Danny Carnevale) and home runs. His .938 fielding percentage led starting third basemen in the loop.

He split 1951 between the Hartford Chiefs (.270/?/.436 in 110 G) and Dallas Eagles (11 for 60, 3 2B). His 13 dingers tied Faye Throneberry and Jack Daniels for 6th in the Eastern League. He hit .262/.329/.401 for the 1952 Reading Indians. He fielded .954, best among starters at the hot corner in the EL. With the Tulsa Oilers in '53, Bob batted .282/.367/.474 with 24 home runs, 73 walks and 92 runs as a utility infielder. He was 6th in the Texas League in runs and 7th in home runs. He hit .265 and slugged .439 that winter for the Leones del Caracas.

Prentice split 1954 between the Oilers (.284/.425/.459 in 44 G) and Indianapolis Indians (.250/.324/.380 in 92 G). He also split '55 between Tulsa (.275/.356/.422) and Indianapolis (2 for 12). In 1956, he played for the Mobile Bears (.301/?/.435 in 102 G) and his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs (1 for 7). He ended up in 1957 with Tulsa, batting .239/.295/.389 with 16 home runs.

His playing career over, he scouted for the Detroit Tigers and helped sign John Hiller, Mike Kilkenny and George Korince. He then joined the Toronto Blue Jays as director of Canadian scouting from 1976-1990, helping sing Paul Hodgson, Rob Ducey, Denis Boucher and Nigel Wilson. In 1986, he was inducted into the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame.

Sources

• 1951, 1953-1956 and 1958 Baseball Guides
• Canadian Hall of Fame
• Purapelota