Steve Korcheck

Stephen Joseph Korcheck
(Hoss)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 205 lb.
• School George Washington University
• High School Cumberland Township High School
• Debut September 6, 1954
• Final Game September 27, 1959
• Born August 11, 1932 in McClellandtown, PA USA
• Died August 26, 2016 in Bradenton, FL USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Steve Korchek was a 1954 graduate of George Washington University where he starred at center on the football team. Steve was a third-round draft choice of the San Francisco 49ers, but passed on the chance at snapping the ball to professional quarterbacks by signing as an amateur free agent to play baseball with the Washington Senators, in 1954.

A strapping 6' 1", 205 lb. catcher, he hit .287 in just 50 games in his first season with the Charlotte Hornets of the South Atlantic League in 1954. This performance got him a late-season look by the Senators in September, where he appeared in just 2 games. In 1955, Steve played for the Charlotte club again and also spent the biggest part of this year with the Chattanooga Lookouts of the AA Southern Association, coming up with a .270 average in 103 games for both teams. He was back to Washington again for the end of the major league season and he improved his game to the point of a .278 batting average in 13 games.

Korchek was out of baseball in 1956 and 1957 for military service but returned to get into 21 games with the Senators in 1958, not hitting well at all, getting only 4 base hits in 52 plate appearances. He was back with the Senators in 1959 and again did not hit well and after 22 games and batting .157, his major league time was up. He finished with a career .159 in 58 games. Korcheck was sent to the minor league Miami Marlins where he finished out 1959 playing in 52 games and hitting .191.

Not one to quit Steve was back in the minors with the AAA Charleston Senators in 1960, appeared in 52 games, hitting .230. This ended his pro baseball run and he finished out with a minor league career average of .254 in 257 games. Steve returned to George Washington, earning a masters degree and PhD, and also served as the Colonials' baseball coach. From 1980 until his retirement in 1997, Steve was the president of Manatee Community College in Bradenton, FL.

Sources

Baseball Players of the 1950s

Related Sites

• BR Minors page
• Obituary from the Bradenton Herald