Bun Troy | |||
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Pitcher | |||
Born: Bad Wurzach, Germany |
August 27, 1888|||
Died: October 7, 1918 Petit Majouym, France |
(aged 30)|||
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MLB debut | |||
September 15, 1912, for the Detroit Tigers | |||
Last MLB appearance | |||
September 15, 1912, for the Detroit Tigers | |||
MLB statistics | |||
Win–loss record | 0-1 | ||
Earned run average | 5.40 | ||
Strikeouts | 1 | ||
Teams | |||
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Robert Gustave "Bun" Troy (August 27, 1888 – October 7, 1918) was a German-born professional baseball pitcher who was killed in action while fighting against German forces in World War I. Troy was a sergeant with the "Blue Ridge" Division of the United States Army; he was shot in the chest during Meuse-Argonne Offensive.
Before serving in the military, Troy had played five seasons in minor league baseball from 1910 to 1914 and had consecutive 23-win seasons in 1912 and 1913. He pitched one game in Major League Baseball, for the Detroit Tigers against the Washington Senators, on September 15, 1912. Troy pitched six scoreless innings in a pitching duel with Walter Johnson before giving up four runs in the seventh inning.
Troy was born in Bad Wurzach in southern Germany in 1888. He moved with his family to western Pennsylvania, growing up in McDonald, Pennsylvania.
In 1909, Troy played for an independent baseball team in his hometown of McDonald, Pennsylvania. He pitched 17 games, lost only two games, and had 187 strikeouts for an average of 11 strikeouts per game. His performance and his size (6 feet, 4 inches, 200 pounds) brought him to the attention of Frank Haller, a scout for the Philadelphia Phillies. He was reportedly signed by the Phillies in September 1909, but did not appear in any games for them.
Troy attended spring training with the Phillies in 1910, but did not make the club. In May 1910, Sporting Life reported that the "elongated twirler" had been signed with the Johnstown Johnnies of the Tri-State League. However, the Sporting Life reported two weeks later on his release and added: "He had the speed and curves, but lacked control, and acted too much like an amateur on the ball field."