Sources
Help build the largest human-edited directory on the web.
Submit a site - Become an editor
Wikipedia. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Are you an expert in this subject? Join the discussion and share your knowledge at Wikipedia.org.
Bob Cerv
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Robert Henry Cerv (born 5 May 1926 in Weston, Nebraska) was an American baseball player. Prior to his professional career he was a standout baseball and basketball player at the University of Nebraska.
He signed with the New York Yankees in 1950, and was a little used reserve outfielder on the powerful Yankee teams of the early 1950s.
Following the 1956 season, he was sold to the Kansas City Athletics, where he became a regular. His best season was 1958, when he hit over .300, hit 38 homers, had over 100 RBIs, was elected to the American League All-Star team, and finished 4th in the MVP voting. He followed up in 1959 with 20 homers and 87 RBIs.
In May, 1960, he was traded back to the Yankees for Andy Carey, and his playing time was reduced somewhat. Following the 1960 season, he was drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the expansion draft, but his stay was brief; in May 1961 he was traded back to the Yankees where he was a substitute and pinch hitter, and the housemate of Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris during the historic homer race. In June 1962 he was traded to the Houston Colt .45s, who released him in July.
In his career he had 105 home runs, including 12 pinch hit homers. He also had a .276 batting average in his career with 624 hits in 2261 at bats.
Following his big league career he coached college baseball at Southeastern Missouri State College.