Ralph Houk
Born: 8/9/1919 in Lawrence, KS, USA
Died: 7/21/2010 in Winter Haven, FL, USA
MLB Debut: 1947-04-26 | Final Game: 1954-05-01
Bats: R | Throws: R | Height: 5'11" | Weight: 193 lbs
Full name: Ralph George Houk
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Biography
Ralph Houk was a professional baseball player whose career spanned from 1947 to 1954. Born in 1919, Houk made his mark in Major League Baseball primarily as a position player. Over the course of his career, he played in 91 games, achieving a batting average of .272 with 43 hits and 20 runs batted in. Despite not hitting any home runs or stealing bases, Houk’s contributions at the plate and his defensive skills were valuable during his time in the league.
Houk played during a transformative period in baseball, following World War II, when the sport began to see an influx of returning veterans and a shift in playing styles. Although his major league tenure was brief, his performance showcased the competitive spirit of the era as baseball sought to re-establish itself as America's pastime. After retiring as a player, Houk transitioned into a successful career as a manager, further solidifying his legacy in the game.
Career Batting Statistics
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | OBP | SLG | OPS | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 91 | 158 | 12 | 43 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 12 | 10 | 0.272 | 0.327 | 0.323 | 0.650 | -40.8 |
Season-by-Season Batting
| Year | Team | Lg | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | SB | BB | SO | AVG | PIV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | NYY | AL | 41 | 92 | 7 | 25 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 11 | 5 | 0.272 | -40.8 |
| 1948 | NYY | AL | 14 | 29 | 3 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.276 | 0.0 |
| 1949 | NYY | AL | 5 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.571 | 0.0 |
| 1950 | NYY | AL | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.111 | 0.0 |
| 1951 | NYY | AL | 3 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.200 | 0.0 |
| 1952 | NYY | AL | 9 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.333 | 0.0 |
| 1953 | NYY | AL | 8 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.222 | 0.0 |
| 1954 | NYY | AL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 | 0.0 |
Postseason Statistics
Playoff Career Batting
| G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.500 |
Playoff Batting by Year
| Year | Round | Team | G | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | BB | SO | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | WS | NYA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.000 |
| 1947 | WS | NYA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
Fielding Statistics
Career Fielding Totals by Position
| Position | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | 89 | 0 | 231 | 21 | 5 | 2 |
Season-by-Season Fielding
| Year | Team | Pos | G | GS | PO | A | E | DP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1947 | NYA | C | 41 | 0 | 138 | 13 | 2 | 0 |
| 1948 | NYA | C | 14 | 0 | 51 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| 1949 | NYA | C | 5 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1950 | NYA | C | 9 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1951 | NYA | C | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 1952 | NYA | C | 9 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 1953 | NYA | C | 8 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Career Games by Position
| Position | Games |
|---|---|
| Catcher | 89 |