Dick Hoover (baseball)

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Dick Hoover was an American left-handed pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for the Boston Braves in 1952. Born December 11, 1925, in Columbus, Ohio, he stood 6 feet tall and weighed 170 pounds. He made his MLB debut on April 16, 1952, and played his last game on April 23, 1952. In the majors, he had a 0–0 record with a 7.71 ERA over 4 2/3 innings.

Hoover signed with the New York Giants before the 1943 season and starred in the Appalachian League, going 11–1 with a .917 winning percentage for the Bristol Twins and helping them win the pennant. His career was interrupted by World War II service in the U.S. Navy in 1944, returning to baseball in 1946. After the war, he moved among several organizations (Giants, Cubs, Pirates) and played for six teams in three years. Before the 1949 season, he was traded from the Giants to the Atlanta Crackers (Boston Braves’ Class AA affiliate) for Davey Williams, along with Gary Gearhart and cash. He posted an 11–11 record with a 3.97 ERA in 1949 and a 16–7 record with a 3.35 ERA in 1950.

Hoover moved up to Triple-A Milwaukee Brewers in 1951, going 5–4 with a 3.14 ERA in 27 games, mainly as a middle reliever and spot starter. He began 1952 with the Boston Braves, making two relief appearances in April and allowing four runs on eight hits and three walks with one strikeout in 4 2/3 innings. He gave up Hoyt Wilhelm’s first major league home run, a notable moment in Wilhelm’s long career. After his brief major league stint, Hoover returned to Milwaukee for the rest of 1952, finishing with a 10–5 record and a 2.60 ERA.

Hoover finished his professional career in the minor leagues with the Columbus Jets in 1955. In 11 minor league seasons, he went 89–72 with a 3.44 ERA in 313 appearances, with his career highlight being a no-hitter against the Richmond Virginians on August 14. After baseball, he worked as a police sergeant in Columbus, Ohio. He died in a traffic collision on April 12, 1981, in Lake Placid, Florida, at age 55, while on vacation.