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Ted Lepcio
Ted Lepcio
Ted Lepcio
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Thaddeus Stanley "Ted" Lepcio (July 28, 1929 – December 11, 2019) was an American professional baseball utility infielder, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago White Sox, and Minnesota Twins.[1]

Key Information

Lepcio attended Seton Hall University. A one-time semi-professional baseball player in Oneida, New York, he was signed by the Boston Red Sox, as an amateur free agent, in 1951. Lepcio played his first MLB game, in 1952, and would play most of his professional career with the Red Sox. He was generally a utility infielder who could play second base, third base, or shortstop. Lepcio's best year was 1956, when he hit 15 home runs, nine of which came in an eighteen-day stretch.[1] He is mentioned in Jimmy Piersall's book, Fear Strikes Out, as his roommate during the 1952 season, when Piersall had to be hospitalized with mental issues. Lepcio often saved Piersall from being beaten up by his own teammates.[2]

On July 13, 1961, Lepcio hit a grand slam in the first inning against the Cleveland Indians, which would turn out to be the deciding factor in the Twins' 9 to 6 victory.[3]

Lepcio played his last game on September 11, 1961, as a ninth-inning replacement at third base. For the rest of the season, back problems, which required traction and surgery, kept him on the bench. Lepcio was released by the Twins on October 25.

He was immediately signed by the expansion New York Mets but was released the following April before the season started. Lepcio holds the distinction of being the very first "free agent" signed to a contract by the New York Mets.

After Lepcio retired, following the 1961 season, he became a vice president of sales with St Johnsbury Trucking Co Inc, a New England trucking company. He also remained active in baseball and often chaired Red Sox events.[4] He died on December 11, 2019, in Dedham, Massachusetts.[5]

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Ted Lepcio

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Ted Lepcio was an American professional baseball player known for his ten-season career in Major League Baseball as a versatile utility infielder, most prominently with the Boston Red Sox. Born Thaddeus Stanley Lepcio on July 28, 1929, in Utica, New York, he excelled in baseball at Seton Hall University before signing with the Red Sox as an amateur free agent and making his major league debut in 1952. Lepcio spent the bulk of his career from 1952 to 1959 with the Boston Red Sox, where he played multiple infield positions including second base, third base, and shortstop, providing reliable depth to the team. He later played brief stints with the Detroit Tigers in 1959, the Philadelphia Phillies in 1960, and the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins in 1961 before retiring from the majors. After baseball, he pursued a successful career in the transportation industry, including roles at Honeywell and as a vice president at St. Johnsbury Trucking, while remaining closely connected to the Red Sox organization through alumni events and fan activities. Lepcio passed away on December 5, 2019, in Dedham, Massachusetts.

Early life

Childhood in Utica

Thaddeus Stanley Lepcio was born on July 28, 1929, in Utica, New York, the seventh and youngest child of Michael and Frances Lepcio. His parents had each emigrated from Eastern Europe during the second decade of the 20th century and settled in Utica. Michael Lepcio worked at the Utica Boiler Works until his death when Ted was nine years old, while Frances Lepcio was employed in a factory that produced Utica Percale bed sheets. Lepcio grew up in Utica, where he developed his early interest in sports by playing baseball in the city's schoolyards and sandlots. These informal games in local community settings formed the foundation of his athletic involvement during childhood, as he participated actively in the neighborhood baseball scene typical of the era.

Education and amateur career

Ted Lepcio attended Thomas R. Proctor High School in Utica, New York, where he played on the varsity baseball team all four years and also participated in football, though baseball emerged as his primary sport. After high school, he competed extensively in amateur and semipro baseball in the Utica area, often under assumed names, including stints with an American Legion team, local town teams, and a semipro squad in St. Albans, Vermont, where he played alongside Villanova University players. These experiences helped elevate him from local sandlots to collegiate prominence, as connections from St. Albans led to a baseball scholarship at Seton Hall University in 1947. At Seton Hall University, Lepcio played under respected coach Owen T. "Ownie" Carroll and developed into one of the program's standout infielders, excelling at third base and shortstop. He posted strong batting averages of .388 in 1949 and .373 in 1950, demonstrating consistent hitting prowess. Carroll later described Lepcio as the best player he ever coached at Seton Hall, calling him an all-around talent who could field effectively and "hit the ball nine miles." During the summers of 1949 and 1950, Lepcio also played for the Augusta Millionaires in Maine's summer league, further honing his skills. Lepcio graduated from Seton Hall in 1951, and his college performance earned him induction into the Seton Hall University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1973. Following graduation, he was signed by the Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent for a reported $60,000 bonus.

Professional baseball career

Path to the majors and debut

After graduating from Seton Hall University in 1951, Ted Lepcio signed with the Boston Red Sox as an amateur free agent. He was immediately assigned to the Triple-A Louisville Colonels, where he transitioned from shortstop to second base under coach Eddie Popowski, before a hand injury prompted a demotion to the Class B Roanoke Ro-Sox. In his lone professional season in the minors during 1951, Lepcio appeared in 89 games across both levels. Lepcio's rapid rise continued when he participated in a special prospects camp in Sarasota, Florida, in February 1952, followed by strong performances in regular spring training. As part of manager Lou Boudreau's youth movement to rebuild the infield after Bobby Doerr's retirement, he secured a spot on Boston's Opening Day roster despite limited minor league experience. He made his Major League debut on April 15, 1952, starting at second base for the Red Sox against the Washington Senators in the season opener. Lepcio began his big league career as a versatile infielder, primarily at second base while also playing third base and shortstop.

Boston Red Sox tenure (1952–1959)

Ted Lepcio spent the majority of his major league career as a versatile utility infielder with the Boston Red Sox from 1952 to 1959, primarily handling second base, third base, and shortstop duties. He emerged as part of the team's early-1950s youth movement aimed at rebuilding after the retirement of longtime second baseman Bobby Doerr, with manager Lou Boudreau giving him significant opportunities across the infield despite frequent positional shifts. In his 1952 rookie season, Lepcio started at second base on Opening Day and appeared in 84 games, batting .263 with 5 home runs and 26 RBIs while showing promise both at Fenway Park and in the field. He transitioned to a more flexible utility role in subsequent years, batting .236 in 66 games in 1953, then .256 with 8 home runs and 45 RBIs across 116 games (his career high in games played with Boston) in 1954. Limited opportunities followed in 1955, where he played in 51 games and batted .231 with 6 home runs. Lepcio's most productive Red Sox season came in 1956, when he batted .261 with career-high totals of 15 home runs and 51 RBIs in 83 games, including a notable hot streak that featured seven home runs over 17 starts and multiple multi-homer performances. He continued in a reserve capacity in 1957 (.241, 9 home runs, 37 RBIs in 79 games) and 1958 (.199 in 50 games), before seeing only minimal action in three games early in 1959. His tenure with Boston concluded on May 2, 1959, when the Red Sox traded him and pitcher Dave Sisler to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for pitcher Billy Hoeft.

Later MLB teams (1959–1961)

On May 2, 1959, Ted Lepcio was traded, along with pitcher Dave Sisler, from the Boston Red Sox to the Detroit Tigers in exchange for pitcher Billy Hoeft. He appeared in 17 games for Detroit that season, serving primarily as a utility infielder while batting .200 with no home runs and 2 RBI. Lepcio then moved to the Philadelphia Phillies for the 1960 campaign, where he played in 11 games and recorded a .182 batting average in limited at-bats. His time with the Phillies was brief, as he transitioned to the American League again the following year. In 1961, Lepcio's final MLB season, he had short stints with two teams, playing 6 games for the Chicago White Sox and 3 games for the Minnesota Twins, with a combined 8 at-bats and 1 hit across both clubs. He made his last major league appearance on September 26, 1961, with the Twins, after which he retired from professional baseball.

Career statistics and highlights

Overall performance and totals

Ted Lepcio appeared in 729 major league games across 10 seasons from 1952 to 1961, compiling 2,346 plate appearances and 2,092 at-bats. He recorded 512 hits for a career batting average of .245, along with 91 doubles, 11 triples, and 69 home runs. His total of 251 runs batted in accompanied 233 runs scored, 11 stolen bases, 209 walks, and 471 strikeouts, yielding an on-base percentage of .318, slugging percentage of .398, and OPS of .715. As a versatile infielder, Lepcio logged 388 games at second base, 224 games at third base, and 90 games at shortstop. His career fielding percentage across positions was .964. These totals reflect his role as a utility player primarily for the Boston Red Sox, with brief stints elsewhere. No salary information is available from primary statistical sources.

Playing style and notable achievements

Ted Lepcio was a right-handed batter and right-handed thrower who carved out a career as a versatile utility infielder, capable of handling second base, third base, and shortstop with competence. His coach at Seton Hall, Ownie Carroll, described him early on as “an all-around player” who “could field and he could hit the ball nine miles,” highlighting Lepcio's combination of defensive adaptability, power potential, speed, and a strong arm. Throughout his major league tenure, Lepcio was valued primarily for his flexibility rather than as a regular starter at any single position, allowing managers to deploy him effectively in platoon or reserve roles. Lepcio's offensive approach featured occasional power outbursts despite limited everyday playing time, as he was noted for the ability to “bomb the ball once in a while.” Standout moments included a memorable major league debut on April 15, 1952, when he singled in his second plate appearance, stole a base on a hit-and-run play, and picked up a ceremonial ball thrown by President Harry Truman. He displayed power in key games, such as hitting two home runs in Baltimore's season opener in April 1955, and again on August 18, 1956, in a contest where he and teammate Ted Williams each homered twice. A late-1956 hot streak saw him hit seven home runs over 17 starts, including a two-home-run, seven-RBI performance across back-to-back games against Washington. Lepcio received no major individual awards or All-Star selections during his career, but his reliability across the infield and periodic offensive contributions made him a useful role player on mid-1950s Boston Red Sox teams.

Later life and media appearances

Post-retirement activities

After retiring from professional baseball following the 1961 season, Ted Lepcio settled in Dedham, Massachusetts, where he made his longtime home and raised his family. He transitioned to a career in business and transportation, beginning with a position at Honeywell Corporation immediately after leaving the game. Lepcio later spent 22 years as an executive with St. Johnsbury Trucking, rising to the role of vice president. Into his later years he remained active in the industry, working as a transportation consultant for Stonepath around age 80 and serving as director of sales at Corsair Logistics in Randolph, Massachusetts, where he continued checking in with the office nearly every day as recently as 2016. Lepcio maintained a close lifelong connection to the Boston Red Sox through alumni and fan activities. In the 1960s he co-founded and served as early president of the BoSox Club, a Red Sox fan organization. He held season tickets and regularly attended games at Fenway Park, often accompanied by family members including his grandson. Lepcio appeared in old-timers' games at the ballpark into his 60s and participated in special team events, such as joining former teammates in center field on Opening Day 2005 to celebrate the raising of the 2004 World Series championship pennant while wearing his uniform and taking part in the 2007 World Series championship duck boat parade through Boston. He also spent time at Fenway Park's Autograph Alley, signing autographs and sharing memories with fans. To stay physically active, he played squash and golf. Lepcio remained engaged with baseball on a personal level, offering guidance to his grandson—a high school player—on aspects of the game including effort, positioning, and its challenges.

Television and documentary appearances

Ted Lepcio made few appearances on television or in documentaries, with his credits limited to self-portrayals in sports-related programming reflecting on his Major League career. He appeared as himself in one episode of the ESPN series SportsCentury in 2000. The episode profiled his former Boston Red Sox teammate Jimmy Piersall, allowing Lepcio to offer recollections from their shared time in the majors. Records indicate this as his only documented television or documentary credit, underscoring the minimal extent of his media involvement beyond his playing days. In 2012, Lepcio was among the guests attending the premiere screening of the documentary Agganis: Golden Greek, Excellence to the End about fellow former Red Sox player Harry Agganis, though he did not appear in the film.

Personal life

Marriage and family

Ted Lepcio was married to Martha. They resided in Dedham, Massachusetts, where they raised their family. Lepcio and Martha had one son: Thaddeus Stanley Lepcio Jr. The family remained closely connected in the Dedham area throughout his later years. Lepcio died on December 11, 2019, in Dedham, Massachusetts.

Death

Final years and passing

In his final years, Ted Lepcio resided in Dedham, Massachusetts. Lepcio died at his home in Dedham on December 11, 2019, at the age of 90. No cause of death was publicly disclosed.

Legacy

Ted Lepcio is remembered as a versatile utility infielder emblematic of the Boston Red Sox's early 1950s youth movement, stepping into the infield amid the transition from veteran stars like Bobby Doerr to younger talent. He credited his adaptability across multiple infield positions for sustaining a ten-year major league career, though he later reflected that focusing on one spot might have allowed greater development as a regular player. In Boston baseball circles, Lepcio maintained a warm and enduring presence long after retirement, regularly attending old-timers' games into his sixties, participating in Fenway Park autograph sessions, and appearing at the Red Sox's 2004 and 2007 World Series celebrations. He served as an early president of the BoSox Club and remained a season-ticket holder, fostering ongoing connections with fans and former teammates. Lepcio's roots in Utica, New York, where he rose from local sandlots and schoolyards, contributed to a modest hometown legacy as a major leaguer who achieved rapid success from humble beginnings. His broader media footprint remained limited primarily to sports interviews and team-related activities, with notable gaps in detailed documentation of his minor league experiences, non-baseball business career, and personal reflections beyond baseball.
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