Charlie O'Rourke | |
---|---|
Pinch hitter | |
Born: June 22, 1937 Walla Walla, Washington |
|
Batted: Right | Threw: Right |
MLB debut | |
June 16, 1959 for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
Last MLB appearance | |
June 16, 1959 for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
Career statistics | |
Games played | 2 |
At bats | 2 |
Hits | 0 |
Teams | |
|
James Patrick O'Rourke, identified as both Charlie and Jim (born June 22, 1937, at Walla Walla, Washington), is a retired American professional baseball player. An outfielder by trade, O'Rourke played two games of Major League Baseball as a pinch hitter for the 1959 St. Louis Cardinals. He threw and batted right-handed, stood 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and weighed 195 pounds (88 kg).
O'Rourke signed with the Cardinals in June 1959 for a $60,000 bonus[1] and began his professional career on June 16, 1959, in a Major League uniform. He appeared in both ends of a twi-night doubleheader against the Philadelphia Phillies at Busch Stadium. In the opener, he batted for Cardinal shortstop Alex Grammas in the seventh inning; in the nightcap, also in the seventh, he hit for Redbird starting pitcher Ernie Broglio. In each case, O'Rourke bounced out to Phillie shortstop Joe Koppe.[2] O'Rourke did not play in another Major League game. After his debut, he was sent to the minor leagues for more experience, but struggled as a hitter and retired after the 1962 season.[3]