Don Hoak

Donald Albert (Don) Hoak (born February 5, 1928 in Roulette, Pennsylvania - died October 9, 1969 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) was a Major League Baseball player. Nicknamed "Tiger," Hoak was a third baseman who played ten season in the Majors with the Brooklyn Dodgers (1954-1955), Chicago Cubs (1956, Cincinnati Reds/Redlegs (1957-1958), Pittsburgh Pirates (1959-1962) and Philadelphia Phillies (1963-1964). He played 1263 games and compiled a .265 batting average with 89 home runs and 498 runs batted in. As a youngster, Hoak was a professional boxer, but traded in his boxing gloves for baseball gloves after losing seven straight knockouts. He broke into the Major Leagues in 1954 sharing third base duties with Jackie Robinson and Billy Cox. In 1955, his Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees in the World Series to win their only championship in Brooklyn, but Hoak was traded to the Chicago Cubs that off-season. On May 2, 1956, Hoak set a National League record by striking out six times in a 17-inning game against the New York Giants. After the season he was again traded, this time to the Cincinnati Reds.

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In a game against the Milwaukee Braves on April 21, 1957, Hoak was on second and teammate Gus Bell was on first when Wally Post hit a ground ball to short. Hoak broke up a potential double play by fielding the ball himself and flipping it to Milwaukee shortstop Johnny Logan. Hoak was called out for interference, but Post was given a single on the play. The day before, Johnny Temple let Bell?s ground ball hit him with the same result, Temple being called out for interference and Bell being awarded a single. The two incidents prompted league presidents Warren Giles and Will Harridge to jointly announce a rule change that declared both the runner and batter out if the runner intentionally interfered with a batted ball, with no runners allowed to advance.

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In what would be his only All-Star appearance, Hoak was one of seven Reds?the others being Bell, Post, Temple, Frank Robinson, Roy McMillan and Ed Bailey?voted into the National League starting line-up for the 1957 All-Star Game, the result of a ballot-stuffing campaign by Reds fans. First baseman George Crowe (then 36 and the eventual team home run leader with 31) was the only Red not selected; the fans instead voted for St. Louis Cardinal Stan Musial. Commissioner Ford Frick removed Bell and Post from the starting lineup and replaced them with Willie Mays and Hank Aaron. (Bell remained on the team as a reserve, but Post was taken off altogether.) He also stripped the fans of the right to vote for the starters, which they?d held since 1947 and wouldn?t hold again until 1970 (ironically, the Reds? newly opened Riverfront Stadium would host the All-Star Game that year). Hoak was limited to one plate appearance in the game before being replaced by Eddie Matthews.

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In January of 1959 the Reds traded Hoak, Harvey Haddix, and Smoky Burgess to the Pittsburgh Pirates for four players (one of whom was Frank Thomas) and cash. In 1960 Hoak won another World Series with the Pirates who, like the Brooklyn Dodgers, had defeated the Yankees. Before Bill Mazeroski?s ninth inning home run won the Series for the Pirates, Hoak had been the last Pirate to bat; he had made the last out in the eighth. Hoak finshed second in National League MVP honors to teammate Dick Groat.

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After his playing career, Hoak worked as a Pirates broadcaster for two years and as a coach for the Phillies in 1967. For the next two years he was a manager in the Pirates' farm system. On October 9, 1969, he died of a heart attack while chasing his brother-in-law?s stolen car. Earlier that very day, the Pirates had re-hired Danny Murtaugh as their manager?a position for which Hoak had been a leading contender.

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Hoak was married to singer/actress Jill Corey.

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Hoak was mentioned in the 1991 film City Slickers. Bonnie Rayburn (Helen Slater) says she can't understand why men pay so much attention to baseball. "I've been to games," she says, "but I don't memorize who played..." pausing to think of an example, "...third base for... Pittsburgh in... 1960!" Mitch Robbins (Billy Crystal) says, "Don Hoak!" a fraction of a second before his friends Ed Furillo (Bruno Kirby) and Phil Berquist (Daniel Stern) can get the same answer out, and Mitch says to them, "Beat you."

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