| Howie Koplitz | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born:(1938-05-04)May 4, 1938 Oshkosh, Wisconsin, U.S. | |
| Died: January 2, 2012(2012-01-02) (aged 73) Oshkosh, Wisconsin, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 8, 1961, for the Detroit Tigers | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| April 24, 1966, for the Washington Senators | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 9–7 |
| Earned run average | 4.21 |
| Strikeouts | 87 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
| |
Howard Dean Koplitz (May 4, 1938 – January 2, 2012) was an American professionalbaseballpitcher who appeared in 54games, 19 as astarter, over parts of five seasons inMajor League Baseball (MLB) (1961–1962;1964–1966) for theDetroit Tigers andWashington Senators. The native ofOshkosh, Wisconsin, threw and battedright-handed, stood 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) tall and weighed 190 pounds (86 kg).
Koplitz was born on May 4, 1938, inOshkosh Wisconsin, the son of Eldor and Esther (Diestler) Koplitz. He attendedOshkosh High School.[1] He played high school baseball andAmerican Legion baseball as a pitcher andoutfielder.[2] He was also an All-Fox River Valley Conference selectee on both offense and defense as a football player.[3]
Koplitz signed with the Tigers as an amateur free agent out of Oshkosh High School in 1956, by Tigers scoutGeorge Moriarity.[4][5][2] Six years earlier, Moriarity had signed Oshkosh pitching starBilly Hoeft.[2]
In 1956, the 18-year old Koplitz was assigned to theClass-DJamestown Falcons, where he had a 1–7won–loss record, and 5.82earned run average (ERA).[6] He improved in 1957, playing for theClass-CIdaho Falls Russets, with a 14–4 record and 3.34 ERA whilecompleting 16 of 25 games started with twoshutouts.[7]
From 1958-60, he playedClass-B,Single-A andTriple-A baseball for five different teams.[8] He pitched the winning game for theKnoxville Smokies in winning the 1959 Single-ASouth Atlantic League (Sally League) championship, with a complete game three-hitter.[9] Koplitz had some difficulty early in the season, but finished 9–6 with a 3.66 ERA, and Smokies managerJohnny Pesky trusted in Koplitz to start the most important game of the season.[10]
In 1961, his sixth season chiefly in the Detroitfarm system, he played for theBirmingham Barons. Koplitz posted a 23–3 (.885) won–lost record, with a 2.11 ERA, and was selected the Most Valuable Player of theDouble ASouthern Association.[11][8][12] His peak season also included ano-hitter, with fellow Oshkosh native, and future major leagueumpire,Dutch Rennert serving as one of the field umpires. He was also namedThe Sporting News Minor League Player of the Year.[11][13]
The performance for Birmingham earned Koplitz his first taste of the majors when rosters were expanded to 40 men after September 1, 1961. In his first game in the big leagues, atFenway Park on September 8,[14] the first batter he faced was futureBaseball Hall of FamerCarl Yastrzemski,[15] whom hestruck out.[16] In 1961 for the Tigers, he appeared in four games with a 2–0 record and 2.25 ERA.[11] He played one more season in Detroit (1962), starting six games, with a 3–0 record and 5.26 ERA.[17] He also pitched one game for the Triple-ADenver Bears in 1962.[18]
In December 1963, the Senators selected Koplitz in theRule 5 draft.[4] In 1964, he pitched 17 innings in six games for the Senators.[19] The next year with the Senators constituted his longest time spent in one major league season. Koplitz had 11 starts in 33 pitching appearances for the Senators, pitching over 100 innings for the first and only time in his major league career. He record was 4–7, with a 4.05 ERA.[20]
In 1966, his final major league season, Koplitz appeared in only one game for the Senators, pitching two innings.[21] He injured his shoulder in spring training that year and never recovered, his major league career ending at the age of 28.[11]
Koplitz went 9–7, with twocomplete games, onesave and a 4.21earned run average during his MLB career. He allowed 187hits and 80bases on balls in 1751⁄3innings pitched, with 87strikeouts.[22] He handled 47total chances (12 putouts, 35 assists) perfectly without an error for a perfect 1.000fielding percentage in his major league career.[22]
Koplitz spent the 1963 season with the Triple-ASyracuse Chiefs, going 7–8 with a 3.90 ERA,[23] before being left exposed in the Rule 5 draft later that year. In 1964, he played Triple-A baseball with theToronto Maple Leafs andTacoma Giants, with a combined 2.92 ERA, but a 2–12 won-loss record.[8] In 1965, even with his longest stint in the major leagues, Koplitz still started eight games for theHawaii Islanders of thePacific Coast League.[24] In his final minor league season (1966), at age 28, Koplitz pitched in three games for theDouble-AYork White Roses.[25]
After retiring, he worked 38 years as aUnited States Postal Service clerk in Oshkosh. He also coached the baseball team atLourdes High School, and was a director ofAmerican Legion baseball, in Oshkosh.[5]
Koplitz died on January 2, 2012, in Oshkosh. He was survived by his wife of 49 years Karen (Kimball) Koplitz, five children and numerous grandchildren.[1]
· Baseball Almanac, orRetrosheet