Ed Hock

Edward Francis Hock

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10½", Weight 165 lb.

• Debut July 8, 1920
• Final Game June 1, 1924
• Born March 27, 1899 in Franklin Furnace, OH USA
• Died November 21, 1963 in Portsmouth, OH USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Although he had only three cups of coffee in the major leagues, Eddie Hock played in the minor leagues 23 years (1920-1942) and hit the most singles in the minor leagues, 2944. He achieved an unassisted triple play at shortstop for the Houston Buffaloes against the Dallas Steers in the Texas League, on May 6, 1927. He is also 3rd all-time in hits in the minor leagues with 3474.

The son of German immigrant farmers from Prussia, he volunteered for the navy in World War I, then played baseball on week-ends in an independent league after returning home. He was given a tryout by the St. Louis Cardinals in July 1920, during which he played a single game. The next year, he was with the Richmond Colts of the Virginia League. At the end of the season, he was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds, who assigned him to the Atlanta Crackers of the Southern Association in 1922. He stayed with the Reds at the beginning of 1923, being used twice as a pinch runner before being sent down to the Oklahoma City Indians of the Western League to complete the year. He played in Oklahoma City for most of four seasons, although he got one more look with the Reds at the beginning of 1924. This time, he got into 16 games, 10 as a pinch runner, and scoring 5 runs. The Reds tried to send him down to the minors, but he was claimed on waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates, whose plan for him was to send him back to Oklahoma City to complete an earlier transaction that had brought pitcher Emil Yde to Steeltown.

After being an outfielder for most of his early years, Hock moved to shortstop beginning in 1925, and would later move to third. He had his best years as an infielder, posting league-leading totals in stolen bases in the Western League with 53 in 1925, and in runs with 127 in 1926. In 1935, he became a player-manager, winning three pennants in the role between that season and 1942, when he retired from the game. In addition to his remarkable minor league hit total, he stole 486 bases.

Hock later worked 20 years for the Armco Steel Corporation in Ashland, KY. He had been in ill health for some time when he drowned in the Ohio River. His body was found two days after he was missing, in what was an apparent suicide.

Year-by-Year Managerial Record

Year	Team	League	Record	Finish	Organization	Playoffs	Notes
1936	Gladewater Bears	East Texas League	93-59	2nd	none	League Champs
1937	Monroe Twins	Cotton States League		--	none	--	replaced by Walt Butler
	Texarkana Liners	East Texas League		7th	none		replaced Bill Windle
1938	Logan Indians	Mountain State League	72-46	1st	none	Lost League Finals
1939	Logan Indians	Mountain State League	55-75	5th	Cleveland Indians
1940	Logan Indians	Mountain State League	75-51	2nd	none	Lost League Finals
1941	Logan Indians	Mountain State League	80-48	1st	none	League Champs
1942	Ashland Colonels	Mountain State League	60-67	4th	Chicago Cubs	League Champs

Further Reading

• Clifford Blau: "Leg Men: Career Pinch-Runners in Major League Baseball", in The Baseball Research Journal, SABR, Volume 38, Number 1 (Summer 2009), pp. 70-71.