Eddie Bockman

Joseph Edward Bockman (1920-2011) was a third baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Yankees (1946), Cleveland Indians (1947), and Pittsburgh Pirates (1948-1949). His path to the majors was delayed by service in the United States Navy during World War II, which kept him out of professional baseball from 1943 to 1946. He joined the Yankees in September 1946 and then spent parts of the next three seasons with Cleveland and Pittsburgh. His most productive years came with the Pirates: in 1948 he batted .239 with 23 runs batted in, and in 1949 he set career highs with 79 games played and 6 home runs while driving in 19 runs. After his playing career he managed in the minor leagues with the Albuquerque Dukes, Visalia Cubs, and Amarillo Gold Sox in the mid-1950s. He later worked as a scout for the Philadelphia Phillies, where he was credited with signing players including Bob Boone, Larry Bowa, Buck Martinez, Dick Ruthven, and Bob Walk.