Elmo Plaskett
| Elmo Plaskett | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Catcher | |
| Born: June 27, 1938 Frederiksted, Virgin Islands | |
| Died: November 2, 1998 (aged 60) Christiansted, Virgin Islands | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 8, 1962, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| May 18, 1963, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .200 |
| Home runs | 1 |
| Runs batted in | 5 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| |
Elmo Alexander Plaskett (June 27, 1938 – November 2, 1998) was a professional baseball player from the United States Virgin Islands. He played as a catcher, outfielder and third baseman in Major League Baseball. Although his pro career would encompass 13 seasons in the minor leagues and multiple years in winter baseball in Puerto Rico, he appeared in only 17 games in the Major Leagues for the 1962 and 1963 Pittsburgh Pirates.
Born in Frederiksted, Saint Croix, Plaskett stood 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) tall and was listed at 195 pounds (88 kg); he threw and batted right-handed. After signing with the Pirates in 1957, he rose through the Pittsburgh organization on the strength of his batting skills. He hit over .289 in six different minor league stops and in 1962 he led the high-level Sally League in batting (.349) while smashing 27 home runs. Recalled by Pittsburgh that September, he went hitless in his first two appearances, which came as a pinch hitter; but in his third game, September 17 against the San Francisco Giants, he slugged a three-run homer, the winning blow in a 5–2 Pittsburgh triumph at Forbes Field; as the starting catcher, he handled Tom Sturdivant's complete game.[1]
Plaskett finished his first MLB trial with four hits in 14 at bats (.286) and was a member of Pittsburgh's 40-man winter roster. Coming out of spring training in 1963, he made the Bucs' 28-man early-season squad and got into ten games, with three starts at catcher. But he collected only three hits, all singles, and was demoted to Triple-A Columbus. He spent the rest of his career in the minors and in winter baseball, retiring from the former in 1969 and the latter in 1971.[2]
In retirement he briefly scouted for the Pirates, and remained integrally involved in youth baseball in his native USVI[2] until his death at age 60 in Christiansted.
References
[edit]- ^ Retrosheet box score: 1962-09-17
- ^ a b Rory Costello, Elmo Plaskett. SABR Biography Project
External links
[edit]- Career statistics from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Rory Costello, Elmo Plaskett. SABR Biography Project
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- 1938 births
- 1998 deaths
- Asheville Tourists players
- Birmingham A's players
- Clinton Pirates players
- Columbus/Gastonia Pirates players
- Columbus Jets players
- Dallas Rangers players
- Grand Forks Chiefs players
- Hawaii Islanders players
- Jamestown Falcons players
- Kinston Eagles players
- Las Vegas Wranglers (baseball) players
- Lincoln Chiefs players
- Macon Peaches players
- Major League Baseball catchers
- Major League Baseball players from the United States Virgin Islands
- Peninsula Grays players
- People from Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
- Pittsburgh Pirates players
- Pittsburgh Pirates scouts
- Rochester Red Wings players
- San Jose Pirates players
- Vancouver Mounties players
- United States Virgin Islands expatriate baseball players in Canada
- American baseball catcher stubs