Frank O'Rourke

From BR Bullpen

Frank O'Rourke.jpg

James Francis O'Rourke
(Blackie)

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

BR page

Biographical Information[edit]

Frank O'Rourke was a good-field, little-hit infielder who played 14 seasons in the big leagues, stretched out in the period from 1912 to 1931. He was 18 when he first broke in, if his birth date of 1893 is to be trusted, but then didn't come back to the majors for several years. At different points, he and members of his family gave different years for his birth, ranging from 1891 to 1894. His best year with the bat was 1925, when he hit .293 with 40 doubles (the league hit .292 and his team hit .302). In 1927 when he hit .268 with the St. Louis Browns who lost 94 games, he was 13th in the MVP voting.

As a rookie with the Boston Braves in 1912, O'Rourke was the player most used at shortstop by the team, but Rabbit Maranville came up as a 20-year-old rookie that year and won the job in 1913.

O'Rourke had been the Detroit Tigers second baseman in 1925, but lost his job to the young Charlie Gehringer in 1926.

After his playing days, O'Rourke was a minor league coach and also managed the 1931-1933 Milwaukee Brewers, 1935 Charlotte Hornets, 1936-1939 El Dorado Lions and 1942 Cordele Reds. He was later a scout with the Cincinnati Reds from 1941 to 1951 and the New York Yankees from 1952 to 1983.

While he was born in Hamilton, ON, both of his parents came from Pennsylvania, and by 1900, the family was back living in the state. There is more uncertainty about his youth, as he claimed at one point that he attended high school in Sandusky, OH, while other sources place him in Elizabeth, NJ at the time, where he began playing sandlot baseball. His professional career began in the New England League in 1911, where he lined up with the Lawrence Barristers. In 1912, he was with the Bridgeport Orators of the Connecticut League where he hit .354 in 29 games before being picked up by the Braves on June 7th.

Year-by-Year Managerial Record[edit]

Year Team League Record Finish Organization Playoffs Notes
1931 Milwaukee Brewers American Association 33-32 5th none replaced Marty Berghammer (50-53) on August 4
1932 Milwaukee Brewers American Association 88-78 3rd none
1933 Milwaukee Brewers American Association 67-87 7th none
1935 Charlotte Hornets Piedmont League 62-75 6th Boston Red Sox
1936 El Dorado Lions Cotton States League 75-64 4th Cincinnati Reds League Champs
1937 El Dorado Lions Cotton States League 78-62 2nd Cincinnati Reds League Champs
1938 El Dorado Lions Cotton States League 74-61 4th Cincinnati Reds Lost in 1st round
1939 El Dorado Lions Cotton States League 59-75 6th Cincinnati Reds
1942 Cordele Reds Georgia-Florida League 48-78 8th Cincinnati Reds

Related Sites[edit]