Eric Soderholm

Eric Thane Soderholm

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 187 lb.
• School South Georgia College, University of South Florida
• High School Coral Park High School
• Debut September 3, 1971
• Final Game October 5, 1980
• Born September 24, 1948 in Cortland, NY USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Third baseman Eric Soderholm hit 102 home runs over 9 seasons in the major leagues.

Originally selected by the Kansas City Athletics in the 11th round of the 1967 amateur draft, Soderholm did not sign and was then taken by the Minnesota Twins the following year. He got his first taste of major league ball as a September call-up for the Twins in 1971, hitting a home run off Diego Segui of Oakland in his debut on September 3rd and posting a .156 average in 21 games overall. He was the Twins Opening Day third baseman in 1972 and saw regular playing time for the team, hitting .188 with 13 homers in 93 games. After splitting 1973 between the majors and AAA, he was again a regular for Minnesota in 1974 and 1975, hitting 21 home runs over those two summers. However, an offseason injury and two subsequent surgeries caused him to miss the entire 1976 campaign, and the Twins released him.

Signed as a free agent by the Chicago White Sox, Soderholm had his finest season in 1977, hitting .280 with 25 home runs and winning the American League Comeback Player of the Year Award. He hit .258 with 20 homers for the Sox in 1978 and was then traded to the Texas Rangers in the middle of the next season. He hit .287 with 11 home runs for the New York Yankees in 1980, his final season.

After his playing days, Soderholm spent many years as a ticket broker in the Chicago area. He currently owns Soderworld, a healing arts center in Willowbrook, Illinois.

Soderholm is the brother of minor league SS Dale Soderholm.

Notable Achievements

• 1977 AL Comeback Player of the Year Award
• 20-Home Run Seasons: 2 (1977 & 1978)

Further Reading

• Eric Soderholm (as told to George Vass): "The Game I'll Never Forget", Baseball Digest, May 1981, pp. 85-88. [1]

Related Sites

• In his third act, former White Sox infielder Eric Soderholm finds peace