Cliff Ross

Clifford David Ross

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 4", Weight 195 lb.
• High School Frankford High School
• Debut September 11, 1954
• Final Game September 20, 1954
• Born August 3, 1928 in Philadelphia, PA USA
• Died April 12, 1999 in Philadelphia, PA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Right-hander Cliff Ross was signed as an amateur free agent by the Cincinnati Reds before the 1947 season. The 18-year-old pitcher spent his initial season in pro baseball with the Lockport Reds of the class D PONY League, appearing in only 11 games with no decisions. Cliff was inefective in 1948 with the class C Ogden Reds, going 4-15 with a 6.55 ERA. Plagued with arm trouble and wildness, he spent the 1949 season on the disabled list.

Back with Ogden again in 1950, Cliff put together a 10-8 record with a 4.72 ERA, but still gave up 204 bases-on-balls in just 143 innings. Ross was called by the United States Military for service and spent the next two seasons (1951-1952) service during the Korean War.

Returning from the service, Ross had his best season to date with the 1954 Schenectady Blue Jays of the Eastern League, going 13-10 with a 2.91 ERA. This showing earned Cliff a brief but impressive performance for the Cincinnati Redlegs late in the 1954 season. But despite hurling three perfect innings, allowing no runs or hits in four appearances out of the bullpen and picking up a save, he never pitched again in the majors.

During the remainder of his pro baseball time (1955-1957), Cliff did his pitching in the minors for teams like the Tulsa Oilers, Nashville Volunteers, Allentown Chiefs and Schenectady, where he once struck out 18 batters in an Eastern League game. Ross spent his last of eight active seasons in pro baseball in 1957, retiring with a minor league record of 45-69 and a 4.75 ERA while pitching 886 innings.

Ross was the owner of an aluminum products business and made his home in Roslyn, PA. He died in his native Philadelphia, PA on April 12, 1999, at the age of 70.

Sources

Baseball Players of the 1950s

Related Sites

• BR Minors page