| Dear
Jill,
.. All men wish we could be like Don was, fit and fiery and determined, yet kind and compassionate. I stumbled on this little gem of a website to re-acquaint myself with Don. I was born and raised in Philadelphia and was fortunate enough to have a dad who could afford first-row seats (visiting side) at Connie Mack Stadium in the 'fifties and early 'sixties. I met many Pirates while they were playing, warming up and playing pepper before games. The Phils and Pirates really went at it on the field, but before the games, the Pirate players made me feel very special. Don was very nice to me. So was Nellie King, and time stood still when Roberto motioned to me to, "wait a minute," before walking up to me, and spoke to me while putting his large signature with all of it's flourishes right in the middle of my program. .. It was experiences like these perhaps that are the reason I joined SABR and began writing about players I admired as a kid. .. I am currently editing a book of biographies of the 1964 Phillies' players, coaches, and staff, of which Don is included. It is a "team book" to be published by the non-profit SABR, the Society for American Baseball Research, sabr. org. in 2013. .. It seems odd that the first time Don's SABR biography will be published it will be with the Phillies and not the Dodgers, Pirates, or even the Reds. But such is fate - I am glad to have Don on "my team". .. From Philadelphia, Cordially, Mel Marmer January 26, 2010 .. .. I want to get in touch with Jill to relate a story to her that she may not be aware of. Let's just say for now that the story has to do with Don Hoak's literally saving my life in August of 1960. I was sitting in the bleachers during batting practice when a screaming line drive off the bat of Dick Stuart struck me directly in the right temple. Hoak immediately came to my aid, had someone call the paramedics, and he personally took me to the Montifore Hospital emergency room in Oakland, where I lay in coma for 40 days. He even missed that night's game to stay with me in the hospital. Hoak was even there when I came out of the coma. Needless to say, HE SAVED MY LIFE! If not for him, I would not be here. Rick
Corbin
Editor's Note: We put Rick in touch with Jill, and he has since delivered his story to her personally via telephone. Rick is a former member of the Lettermen and the Delmonics vocal groups. He is still active in the recording studio, and Rick just completed a month of personal appearances.
Jill, George
Schroeder, the person who sent you the scrapbook on Don. Recently
took a trip to Cooperstown, N.Y., and visited the Hall Of Fame. On
the way up I stopped at Roulette and visited Don's grave. At age
64, he's still the best influence I ever had. I cherish the pictures
I have of him and the little note he sent me when he played for the Pirates.
Purchased a picture of the '55 Dodgers with Don, John Podres, and
Roy Campanella celebrating the final out of the '55 World Series at Yankee
Stadium. Larry King Live recently said that was the
greatest moment ever at Yankee Stadium. Recently had many talks with
Dick Groat, and he loved Don Hoak. Thanks again for sending me the
card and baseball cards of Don.
. I met Don Hoak in the hospital at Coudersport, Pennsylvania. He was asked to visit me by my mother who knew that my aunt from Roulette, Pennsylvania had taught him in school. We spent a wonderful hour together talking about baseball, hunting and fishing. He autographed a baseball for me, and on another occasion he signed a Pirates Yearbook for me. I'll never forget the time we spent together. I usually stop at the cemetery and put flowers on his grave when I'm in the Roulette area. It's only a mile from my relative's former farm up Fishing Creek. Thomas
FitzSimmons
|
| While in the Brooklyn Dodgers organization, before actually joining the Dodger team at the major league level, Don played in the Cuban leagues during the winter of 1950-51. In one game between Cienfuegos and Marianao some "rowdies" over ran the field, and one of them actually took to the mound and threw several pitches to Don, who was up at bat at the time. At that point the umpire with the help of the local authorities escorted the interlopers off the field. Don's unscheduled "relief pitcher" that day: Fidel Castro! |
| The picture above appeared on the front page of the New York Times on October 5, 1955, the day after the Brooklyn Dodgers captured the 1955 World Series by beating their perennial nemesis, the New York Yankees, by a score of 2 to 0 in the seventh game of the Series. The story accompanying the photo appears below. |
| Don Hoak, No. 43, is fourth from the right in the second row in this official team picture of the World Series champion 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers reproduced above. Only the name of bat boy Charlie DiGiovanni sitting on the ground in front of the team has been omitted from the picture caption. This copy of the original historical photo autographed by many members of the team is courtesy of Kristin Baggelaar Milton from her personal collection of Brooklyn Dodger memorabilia. |
| Don Hoak played third base for five National League teams during his ten-year career in major league baseball. Click here or on the image above to view a collection of baseball cards issued for Don with his various teams. |
| Don was named to the National League All-Star Team in 1957 while then playing for the Cincinnati Reds, and in the same year he led the league in doubles with 39. Don had a good eye at the plate, and during the late 50's and early 60's he was usually near the top among National League players reaching base on balls. |
| Don's competitive spirit actually precipitated a change in the baseball rule book. While on second base in a game between the Reds and the Braves on April 21, 1957, fiesty Don instinctively attempted to break up an impending double play by fielding a ball bare-handed hit by team mate Wally Post! Subsequently, Rule 7.09(g) was adopted giving the umpire authority to call the batter-runner out when a base runner intentionally interferes to break up a double play. |
| Don earned two World Series rings, the first with the 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers, when they defeated their perennial nemesis, the New York Yankees that year. The second came when Don was a member of the 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates team that defeated the Yankees in a series most remembered for Bill Mazaroski's dramatic game winning home run in the ninth inning of the seventh game. Click here to read more about Don and his record as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates |
| Don came in second in voting for the title of Most Valuable Player in the National League in 1960, the season he batted .282 and his team the Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the perennial powerhouse New York Yankees in dramatic fashion in a seven-game World Series. Jill still has as an unique momento of her husband's career in baseball, a pipe given to him by fellow pipe smoker Bing Crosby, then part owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates. |
| This picture by a LIFE magazine photographer shows Don signing autographs for young fans while a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The 1961 Pittsburgh Pirates yearbook was dedicated to the team's memorable victory over the New York Yankees the previous fall. This collectors' edition featured special tributes to Pirates star players, including Don Hoak. Click here to see much more about Don. |
| In 1962, when Don was with the Philadelphia Phillies, the Mars Candy Company issued a series of seven-inch, 33 1/3 rpm records, each featuring four popular baseball stars giving practical advice to aspiring young players in various aspects of the game. Number 3 in the series, devoted to the art of fielding, featured Don discussing fielding techniques from his perspective as a third baseman. Just click here to listen to Don's advice, as he is interviewed by another baseball notable, Lou Boudreau. |
| In 1995, Don Hoak was inducted into the Brooklyn Dodgers Hall of Fame, just forty years after playing with the 1955 Dodger team that defeated the New York Yankees in the World Series, giving the Dodgers their first ever world championship. The March and April 1997 issues of The Flatbush Faithful, a newsletter dedicated to those fans who still lament the move west of their beloved Bums, featured full-page profiles of both Don and Jill. Click here to read these tributes to the player and his devoted wife. In 2000, a glove used by Don as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers would bring an impressive $1150 at auction among collectors of baseball memorabilia. Read more of the story by clicking here. |
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