Bob Ross

Floyd Robert Ross

• Bats Right, Throws Left
• Height 6' 0", Weight 165 lb.
• School San Jose State University, Long Beach State University
• High School Fullerton Union High School
• Debut June 16, 1950
• Final Game May 8, 1956
• Born November 2, 1928 in Fullerton, CA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Left-hander Bob Ross was signed as an amateur free agent by the Brooklyn Dodgers before the 1945 season. He had been a high school teammate of Del Crandall and had been signed out of an open try-out held by the Dodgers held in Long Beach, CA; the scout was Tom Downey. The sixteen-year-old pitcher was placed with the Thomasville Dodgers of the class D North Carolina State League for his first season and went 5-7 with a 3.16 ERA, appearing in 15 games. Ross would spend a total of six seasons in the minors (1945-1950) before getting his first look at the majors.

After several average seasons, Ross was drafted by the Washington Senators in the minor league draft on December 5, 1949 and went 10-10 with a 3.95 ERA for the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Southern Association in 1950. He also had his first try at the major league level that year but went 0-1 in six appearances for the Senators.

Ross played about the same act in 1951, going 4-5 with a 4.25 ERA for the Kansas City Blues of the American Association and appearing in eleven games, going 0-1 again, for the Senators. Ross then entered the Armed Services, serving the next two years (1952-1953) in the military during the Korean War.

On his return, he was again with the Chattanooga Lookouts of the Southern Association, spending the next two seasons there, going 7-4 with a 4.25 ERA in 1954 and 10-13 with a 3.95 ERA in 1955. Ross was then purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies in late September of 1955 from the Washington Senators.

Ross was with the Phillies in 1956, appearing in three games with no decisions and this finished out his major league run with a three-year, 0-2 record while appearing in 20 contests. Bob dropped back into the minors and finished out his 13-year minor league run with the Atlanta Crackers in 1959. His minor league career record showed an 80-85 won-loss total with a 4.08 ERA.

Ross was a graduate of Long Beach State University with a degree in education. After teaching, he became the assistant superintendent of the Anaheim School District and later retired in Temecula, CA.

Ross' brother Billy Ross played in the minors from 1950 to 1954.

Sources

Baseball Players of the 1950s

Related Sites

• Bob Ross at the SABR Bio Project
• BR Minors page