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Bob Skinner
Robert Ralph Skinner (born October 3, 1931) is an American former professional baseball outfielder / first baseman, manager, coach, and scout, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for three National League (NL) teams. In all, Skinner spent over 50 years in the game. He played for two World Series championship teams, and was an All-Star in two seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Skinner was born on October 3, 1931, in La Jolla, California. He attended La Jolla High School, and played on its baseball team in the outfield. He had a .200 batting average as a junior and .302 batting average as a senior, and made an All-League team. Pittsburgh Pirate scout Tom Downey saw potential in Skinner because of the way he swung the bat (and Skinner would come to be known for his "pretty swing"). Downey got Skinner into semi-professional Sunday league baseball so he could further develop. Skinner's father, a Spanish and French language teacher, wanted Skinner to go to college so Skinner attended San Diego Junior College. He was pursued by a number of scouts after high school, but put them off because his father wanted Skinner to attend college. Skinner hit .411 on the school's baseball team. He left college after one year, and was signed by Downey to a contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Pirates signed Skinner as an amateur free agent in 1950 or 1951. He had turned down offers from the Brooklyn Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals, Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox to sign with the Pirates. Skinner was a left-handed hitter who threw right-handed, was listed as 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) tall and 190 pounds (86 kg). He has also been reported at 6 ft 4½ in (1.94 m). He had the nickname "Sleepy" with the Pirates.
In 1951, Skinner played 98 games for the Class B Waco Pirates, with a .283 batting average, nine home runs, 58 runs batted in (RBI) and 67 runs. He then played 29 games for the Class D Mayfield Clothiers, where he had a .472 batting average, six home runs, 50 hits, 40 runs scored, 29 RBIs and a 1.378 OPS (on-base plus slugging).
His early minor-league career was interrupted by service in the United States Marine Corps, which lasted from November 5, 1951 through November 1, 1953.[citation needed] He did play organized baseball while serving in the Marines, hitting .402 and .379. According to his honorable discharge, he was a Corporal at the time of his separation and had earned the National Defense Service Medal.[citation needed] He was married the following February, just one week before starting training camp with the 1954 Pirates.
Skinner spent 1954 with the Pirates. In 1955, he was competing with Dale Long and Preston Ward for the first base position on the Pirates. Dale Coogan was to play first base for the Pirates' Double-A affiliate in the Southern Association, the New Orleans Pelicans; however, Coogan refused to report. Because the Pirates could not assign Long or Ward to the Pelicans without the risk of losing them to another team, the Pirates sent Skinner to New Orleans. Skinner played in 86 games for the Pelicans, with a .346 batting average, eight home runs, 62 RBIs, 62 runs and a .976 OPS. He had the second highest batting average in the Southern Association among players with over 300 at bats. Skinner's season ended after he broke his wrist on July 3.
Skinner played a full season for the Pirates in 1954. He started 116 games at first base that year. He hit .249 with eight home runs, 46 RBIs and 67 runs. After spending 1955 in Double-A baseball, Skinner returned to the Pirates in 1956 as a backup outfielder and first baseman, starting 30 games in the outfield and 19 at first base. He hit only .202 in 233 at bats. Dale Long was the Pirates starting first baseman in 1955, and remained so in 1956. Skinner was primarily considered a pinch hitter in 1956, and tied a 43-year old team record with three pinch hit home runs that season.
The Pirates moved Skinner to the outfield in 1957, where he started 83 games in left field while starting eight at first base. Skinner only began playing the outfield full time over the last two months of the season. Before that he had been hitting .296 primarily as a pinch hitter. On the season, he hit .305, raising his average over .100 points from the previous season, and was considered by many, including Pirates' manager Danny Murtaugh, the most improved player in the National League. Skinner had 13 home runs and led the Pirates with 10 stolen bases; one of only five players in the National League to have double figures in home runs and stolen bases. Murtaugh also believed Skinner improved defensively as an outfielder because of his exceptional speed and regular opportunity to play and gain more experience.
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Bob Skinner
Robert Ralph Skinner (born October 3, 1931) is an American former professional baseball outfielder / first baseman, manager, coach, and scout, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for three National League (NL) teams. In all, Skinner spent over 50 years in the game. He played for two World Series championship teams, and was an All-Star in two seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Skinner was born on October 3, 1931, in La Jolla, California. He attended La Jolla High School, and played on its baseball team in the outfield. He had a .200 batting average as a junior and .302 batting average as a senior, and made an All-League team. Pittsburgh Pirate scout Tom Downey saw potential in Skinner because of the way he swung the bat (and Skinner would come to be known for his "pretty swing"). Downey got Skinner into semi-professional Sunday league baseball so he could further develop. Skinner's father, a Spanish and French language teacher, wanted Skinner to go to college so Skinner attended San Diego Junior College. He was pursued by a number of scouts after high school, but put them off because his father wanted Skinner to attend college. Skinner hit .411 on the school's baseball team. He left college after one year, and was signed by Downey to a contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Pirates signed Skinner as an amateur free agent in 1950 or 1951. He had turned down offers from the Brooklyn Dodgers, St. Louis Cardinals, Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox to sign with the Pirates. Skinner was a left-handed hitter who threw right-handed, was listed as 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m) tall and 190 pounds (86 kg). He has also been reported at 6 ft 4½ in (1.94 m). He had the nickname "Sleepy" with the Pirates.
In 1951, Skinner played 98 games for the Class B Waco Pirates, with a .283 batting average, nine home runs, 58 runs batted in (RBI) and 67 runs. He then played 29 games for the Class D Mayfield Clothiers, where he had a .472 batting average, six home runs, 50 hits, 40 runs scored, 29 RBIs and a 1.378 OPS (on-base plus slugging).
His early minor-league career was interrupted by service in the United States Marine Corps, which lasted from November 5, 1951 through November 1, 1953.[citation needed] He did play organized baseball while serving in the Marines, hitting .402 and .379. According to his honorable discharge, he was a Corporal at the time of his separation and had earned the National Defense Service Medal.[citation needed] He was married the following February, just one week before starting training camp with the 1954 Pirates.
Skinner spent 1954 with the Pirates. In 1955, he was competing with Dale Long and Preston Ward for the first base position on the Pirates. Dale Coogan was to play first base for the Pirates' Double-A affiliate in the Southern Association, the New Orleans Pelicans; however, Coogan refused to report. Because the Pirates could not assign Long or Ward to the Pelicans without the risk of losing them to another team, the Pirates sent Skinner to New Orleans. Skinner played in 86 games for the Pelicans, with a .346 batting average, eight home runs, 62 RBIs, 62 runs and a .976 OPS. He had the second highest batting average in the Southern Association among players with over 300 at bats. Skinner's season ended after he broke his wrist on July 3.
Skinner played a full season for the Pirates in 1954. He started 116 games at first base that year. He hit .249 with eight home runs, 46 RBIs and 67 runs. After spending 1955 in Double-A baseball, Skinner returned to the Pirates in 1956 as a backup outfielder and first baseman, starting 30 games in the outfield and 19 at first base. He hit only .202 in 233 at bats. Dale Long was the Pirates starting first baseman in 1955, and remained so in 1956. Skinner was primarily considered a pinch hitter in 1956, and tied a 43-year old team record with three pinch hit home runs that season.
The Pirates moved Skinner to the outfield in 1957, where he started 83 games in left field while starting eight at first base. Skinner only began playing the outfield full time over the last two months of the season. Before that he had been hitting .296 primarily as a pinch hitter. On the season, he hit .305, raising his average over .100 points from the previous season, and was considered by many, including Pirates' manager Danny Murtaugh, the most improved player in the National League. Skinner had 13 home runs and led the Pirates with 10 stolen bases; one of only five players in the National League to have double figures in home runs and stolen bases. Murtaugh also believed Skinner improved defensively as an outfielder because of his exceptional speed and regular opportunity to play and gain more experience.
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