Len Okrie | |
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Catcher | |
Born: July 16, 1923 Detroit, Michigan |
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Batted: Right | Threw: Right |
MLB debut | |
June 16, 1948 for the Washington Senators | |
Last MLB appearance | |
April 16, 1952 for the Boston Red Sox | |
Career statistics | |
Batting average | .218 |
Hits | 17 |
Runs batted in | 3 |
Teams | |
Leonard Joseph Okrie (born July 16, 1923, at Detroit, Michigan) is a retired American catcher and coach in Major League Baseball. Okrie stood 6'2" (188 cm) tall, weighed 185 pounds (84 kg), and batted and threw right-handed.
Okrie's playing career stretched from 1942 through 1957, with three seasons (1943–45) missed due to World War II military service. Drafted by the Washington Senators out of the Chicago Cubs farm system in November 1947, Okrie would spend only one full season (1950) in the Major Leagues as Washington's third-string catcher (behind Al Evans and Mickey Grasso). He spent parts of the 1948 and 1951 campaigns with Washington, and appeared in one game for the 1952 Boston Red Sox. Overall, Okrie appeared in 42 games, with 78 at bats, 17 hits, no home runs, three runs batted in, and a .218 batting average.
He managed in the Boston farm system from 1954–60 and in 1963, and was the Red Sox' Major League bullpen coach in 1961-62 and 1965-66. He then joined his hometown Detroit 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 the Appalachian League during his maiden season as a skipper.
His father, Frank Okrie, a left-handed pitcher, appeared in 21 games for the 1920 Tigers and two brothers played minor league baseball.
Preceded by n/a Al Lakeman |
Boston Red Sox Bullpen Coach 1961–1962 1965–1966 |
Succeeded by Al Lakeman Al Lakeman |
Preceded by Hal Naragon |
Detroit Tigers Bullpen Coach 1970 |
Succeeded by Charlie Silvera |