Bob Finley

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Bob Finley
Catcher
Born: (1915-11-25)November 25, 1915
Ennis, Texas
Died: January 2, 1986(1986-01-02) (aged 70)
West Covina, California
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
July 4, 1943 for the Philadelphia Phillies
Last MLB appearance
October 1, 1944 for the Philadelphia Phillies
Career statistics
Batting average .251
Home runs 2
Runs batted in 28
Teams

Robert Edward Finley (November 25, 1915 – January 2, 1986) was an SMU back drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers a and Major League Baseball catcher who played for the Philadelphia Phillies in 1943 and 1944. He was a native of Ennis, Texas. He and Charlie Hudson are the only two Ennis-natives to appear in Major League Baseball.

Finley played both baseball and football at Southern Methodist University from which he graduated in 1937. He was a member of the SMU 1935 national champions and 1936 Rose Bowl team. At SMU, Finley is most famous for his play on November 30, 1935 in which No. 1 SMU played No. 2 TCU and Sammy Baugh in Ft. Worth. SMU scored the first 14 points of the game. But TCU came back and with the Horned Frogs leading late, 14–13, the Mustangs had fourth-and-four at the TCU 37. Out of punt formation, Finley threw a 37-yard touchdown to Bobby Wilson. SMU won, 20–14, and went to the Rose Bowl.[1]

He was the varsity baseball coach at SMU from 1965 to 1976.[2]

Finley was also a football official who worked in the Southwest Conference. He officiated Professional Football as an umpire and as a referee, one of nine on-field officials to serve in the American Football League for its entire ten-year existence, 1960 through 1969. For a short while, he also officiated in the National Football League.

Finley was drafted in the second round, fifteenth overall, by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 1937 NFL Draft.[3] However Finley signed to play baseball with the Boston Red Sox in 1937 and spent six seasons in the Red Sox organization. He is one of many ballplayers who only appeared in the major leagues during World War II. He made his major league debut in a 4th of July doubleheader against the Chicago Cubs at Shibe Park. During his two seasons in the big leagues he appeared in 122 games...98 as a catcher. He was 91-for-362 (.251) with 2 home runs, 28 RBI, and 27 runs scored. In 1944 he ranked fifth in the National League in the hit by pitch category with 5.

Finley died at the age of 70 in West Covina, California.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Ivan Maisel. "#43 PONY UP Fort Worth, Texas, Nov. 30, 1935". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2009-11-25. 
  2. ↑ "The Fans Speak Out". Baseball Digest. February 1996. p. 10. 
  3. ↑ "1937 NFL Draft". Football-reference.com. Retrieved 2009-11-25. 

Further reading

External links

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