Bubba Church

Emory Nicholas "Bubba" Church (September 12, 1924 – September 17, 2001) was an American professional baseball right-handed starting pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies (1950–52), Cincinnati Reds / Redlegs (1952–53), and Chicago Cubs (1953–55).

Bubba Church
Church in about 1953.
Pitcher
Born: (1924-09-12)September 12, 1924
Birmingham, Alabama
Died: September 17, 2001(2001-09-17) (aged 77)
Birmingham, Alabama
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 30, 1950, for the Philadelphia Phillies
Last MLB appearance
May 1, 1955, for the Chicago Cubs
MLB statistics
Win–loss record36–37
Earned run average4.10
Strikeouts274
Teams

A native of Birmingham, Alabama,[1] Church posted a 36–37 record, with 274 strikeouts, and a 3.37 earned run average (ERA), in ​999 2⁄3 innings pitched, over the course of his six-season big league career.

Baseball career

During his rookie season, Church was playing a key role for the famed 1950 "Whiz Kids" Phillies in their fight for a pennant.[1] He was an important member of a very young pitching staff, teaming with Robin Roberts, Curt Simmons, Bob Miller, and the dependable reliever Jim Konstanty. However, Church was struck in the face by a line drive off the bat of Cincinnati's Ted Kluszewski.[1][2] The ball was hit so hard that it caromed into right field on the fly. A week later, he was out on the mound again to face the hard-hitting Dodgers, but after the game his season was over, and he did not play in the 1950 World Series. He finished 1950 at 8–6 with an ERA of 2.73 and two shutouts in 142 innings.

Church enjoyed his most productive season in 1951, when he collected career-highs in victories (15), strikeouts (104), shutouts (4) and innings (246), including a one-hitter over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Early in the 1952 season, he was traded to the Reds. Church was 5–9 for Cincinnati, and 7–8 for the Reds and the Chicago Cubs in 1953. Two and a half more seasons with the Cubs, pitching only occasionally because of arm problems, brought his big league career to an end in 1955.

Prior to Church's professional baseball career, he served in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II serving in the China Burma India Theater.[1][3]

Death

On September 17, 2001, Church died at his home in Birmingham, Alabama, at the age of 77.[1]

References
  1. Jordan, David M. "A Friend Passes On". philadelphiaathletics.org. Philadelphia Athletics Historical Society. Archived from the original on December 30, 2004. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  2. "Philadelphia Phillies 2, Cincinnati Reds 1 (1)". retrosheet.org. September 15, 1950. Retrieved December 31, 2016. Bubba Church struck on the face by the line drive; he was taken to the hospital[.]
  3. "Baseball in Wartime: Major League Players in US Army Air Force". baseballinwartime.com. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
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