| Len Okrie | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Catcher | |
| Born:(1923-07-16)July 16, 1923 Detroit,Michigan, U.S. | |
| Died: April 12, 2018(2018-04-12) (aged 94) Hope Mills,North Carolina, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| June 16, 1948, for the Washington Senators | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| April 16, 1952, for the Boston Red Sox | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .218 |
| Hits | 17 |
| Runs batted in | 3 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
Leonard Joseph Okrie (July 16, 1923 – April 12, 2018) was an Americancatcher andcoach inMajor League Baseball. Born inDetroit, Okrie stood 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) tall, weighed 185 pounds (84 kg), and batted and threwright-handed.
Okrie's playing career stretched from 1942 through 1957, with three seasons (1943–45) missed due to World War II service in theUnited States Navy.[1] Drafted by theWashington Senators out of theChicago Cubsfarm system in November 1947, Okrie would spend only one full season (1950) in the Major Leagues as Washington's third-string catcher (behindAl Evans andMickey Grasso). He spent parts of the1948 and1951 campaigns with Washington, and appeared in one game for the1952Boston Red Sox. Overall, Okrie appeared in 42 games, with 78at bats, 17hits, nohome runs, threeruns batted in, and a .218batting average.
He managed in the Boston farm system from 1954 to 1960 and in 1963, and was the Red Sox' Major Leaguebullpen coach in 1961–62 and 1965–66. He then joined his hometownDetroit Tigers as a minor league manager (1967–69, 1971–74) and MLB bullpen coach (1970). His career record as a minor league manager was 912 wins, and 1,013 defeats (.474). Okrie won one league pennant, in theAppalachian League during his maiden season as a skipper.
His father,Frank, a left-handedpitcher, appeared in 21 games for the1920 Tigers and two brothers playedminor league baseball.[2][3][4] Okrie died in April 2018 at the age of 94.[5]
· Baseball Almanac| Preceded by | Boston Red SoxBullpen Coach 1961–1962 1965–1966 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Detroit TigersBullpen Coach 1970 | Succeeded by |