Ralph Schwamb
| Ralph Schwamb | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: August 6, 1926 Los Angeles, California | |
| Died: December 21, 1989 (aged 63) Lancaster, California | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| July 25, 1948, for the St. Louis Browns | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 18, 1948, for the St. Louis Browns | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 1–1 |
| Earned run average | 8.53 |
| Strikeouts | 7 |
| Teams | |
Ralph Richard "Blackie" Schwamb (August 6, 1926 – December 21, 1989) was an American professional baseball pitcher and convicted murderer. He played for the St. Louis Browns of Major League Baseball in 1948. Listed at 6 feet 5 inches (1.96 m) and 198 pounds (90 kg), he threw and batted right-handed.
Biography
[edit]Schwamb was nicknamed "Blackie" while in grade school, due to his habit of wearing black clothing, a practice he adopted after watching Western movies and seeing the "bad guys" wearing black.[1]: 21–22 He served in the United States Navy during World War II,[2] receiving a bad conduct discharge after hitting an officer.[1]: 3–5
Professional baseball career
[edit]Schwamb first played in the minor leagues from 1947 to 1949; initially in the Arizona–Texas League and Northern League (both Class C) and later the American Association (Triple-A) and Southern Association (Double-A).[3] In 1948, Schwamb pitched in 12 major league games (five starts) for the St. Louis Browns, recording one win and one loss, while compiling an 8.53 earned run average (ERA).[3] His lone win came in his second start,[4] when he pitched 6+1⁄3 innings at home against the Washington Senators while allowing six runs (five earned) on eight hits, benefitting from his team scoring seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.[5] Schwamb had three hits in 10 major league at bats and scored one run.[6]
Murder conviction
[edit]After the 1948 season, Schwamb killed a doctor in Long Beach, California, named Donald Buge.[7] Schwamb did it to pay off a debt to a Los Angeles mobster, Mickey Cohen.[8] Schwamb was sentenced to life in prison in 1949,[9] but was granted parole in 1960.[10]
In 1961, Schwamb played a final season of minor league baseball for the Hawaii Islanders of the Pacific Coast League.[3] Overall, in four seasons of professional baseball, Schwamb pitched in 62 games while compiling a 13–15 record with a 4.44 ERA. His life is the subject of a 2005 book entitled Wrong Side of the Wall.[11]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Stone, Eric (2005). Wrong Side of the Wall: The Life of Blackie Schwamb, the Greatest Prison Baseball Player of All Time. Guilford, Connecticut: The Lyons Press. ISBN 1-59228-439-6.
- ^ Rich, Chris (June 1, 2010). "Was He the Best Ever?". sanquentinnews.com. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
- ^ a b c "Ralph Schwamb Minor & Independent Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
- ^ "The 1948 STL A Regular Season Pitching Log for Blackie Schwamb". Retrosheet. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
- ^ "St. Louis Browns 10, Washington Senators 8". Retrosheet. July 31, 1948. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
- ^ "The 1948 STL A Regular Season Batting Log for Blackie Schwamb". Retrosheet. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
- ^ Adriaanse, Katherine. "Players after prison". Baseball Hall of Fame. Retrieved June 4, 2017.
- ^ "The Best Behind Bars". CNN. March 21, 2005. Archived from the original on August 1, 2009. Retrieved April 29, 2008.
- ^ "Schwamb Sentenced To Life on Robbery, Murder Count in LA". St. Cloud Times. St. Cloud, Minnesota. AP. December 26, 1949. p. 18. Retrieved May 10, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ Judge, Walter (January 6, 1960). "San Quentin's Big Leaguer Leaves Prison". San Francisco Examiner. p. 50. Retrieved May 10, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Wrong Side of the Wall: The Life of Blackie Schwamb, the Greatest Prison Pitcher of all Time". The Free Library. Retrieved May 10, 2021.
Further reading
[edit]- Introduction of Wrong Side of the Wall: The Life of Blackie Schwamb, the Greatest Prison Baseball Player of All Time by Eric Stone (2005) ISBN 978-1592284399
External links
[edit]- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
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