Don Hoak
| Don Hoak | |||
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| Third baseman | |||
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Born: February 5, 1928 Roulette Township, Pennsylvania |
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Died: October 9, 1969 (aged 41) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
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| MLB debut | |||
| April 18, 1954, for the Brooklyn Dodgers | |||
| Last MLB appearance | |||
| May 12, 1964, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .265 | ||
| Home runs | 89 | ||
| Runs batted in | 498 | ||
| Teams | |||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Donald Albert Hoak (February 5, 1928 – October 9, 1969) was a Major League Baseball player. Nicknamed "Tiger", Hoak was a third baseman who played eleven seasons in the majors with the Brooklyn Dodgers (1954–55), Chicago Cubs (1956), Cincinnati Reds (1957–58), Pittsburgh Pirates (1959–62) and Philadelphia Phillies (1963–64). He played in 1,263 games and compiled a .265 batting average with 89 home runs and 498 runs batted in.
He broke into the professional baseball in 1947 after a stint in the United States Navy towards the end of World War II. He signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers organization and worked his way up the organization based almost solely on his glove, speed on the bases and tenacity. In 1954, his patience was rewarded by a spot on the Brooklyn Dodgers roster.
During his two seasons with the Dodgers, Hoak shared third base duties with Jackie Robinson and Billy Cox. In 1955, the Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees in the World Series to win their only championship in Brooklyn. Hoak played third base in place of Robinson in the seventh and deciding game of that Series—the only World Series game Robinson did not play in during his career when his team was in the World Series.
After the season, Hoak was traded to the Chicago Cubs. In 1956, Hoak batted .215 with 5 home runs and 37 RBIs. He also set a National League record by striking out six times in one game, a 17-inning marathon on May 2, won by the visiting New York Giants.
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