American baseball player (1949-2012)
"James Obradovich" redirects here. For the American footballer, see
Jim Obradovich .
Baseball player
Jim Obradovich Pinch hitter /first baseman Born: (1949-09-13 ) September 13, 1949Fort Campbell, Kentucky , U.S.Died: March 3, 2012(2012-03-03) (aged 62)Lancaster, Kentucky , U.S.[ 1] September 12, 1978 , for the Houston Astros September 29, 1978 , for the Houston Astros Batting average .176 Home runs 0 Runs batted in 2 Stats at Baseball Reference
James Thomas Obradovich (September 13, 1949 – March 3, 2012) was an American professional baseball player who appeared in ten Major League games for the Houston Astros in September of 1978 , mostly as a pinch hitter , but also as a first baseman . He threw and batted left-handed , stood 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and weighed 200 pounds (91 kg).
A native of Fort Campbell, Kentucky , and the son of a military officer,[ 1] Obradovich attended high school in Fort Knox, Kentucky , and signed with the Minnesota Twins in 1967 after being taken in the 24th round of the 1967 Major League Baseball Draft . He missed the 1971 and 1972 minor league seasons while serving in Germany for the United States Army .[ 1] He was in his tenth full professional baseball season when he was recalled by Houston in 1978, after he batted a career-high .306 with 21 home runs and 85 runs batted in for the Triple-A Charleston Charlies .[ 2]
Obradovich started three games at first base for Houston during the season's final weeks. In 17 at bats , he collected three hits , including one triple — hit off eventual Hall of Famer Gaylord Perry of the San Diego Padres on September 16. The blow knocked in the only Astro run in a 2–1 defeat.[ 3]
After spending the 1979 season at Charleston, he spent the next three seasons in the Mexican League before retiring.
References
Sources