Michael Edward Ulicny (September 28, 1917 – September 22, 2005), nicknamed "Slugs",[1] was an American professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Braves in 1945. Listed at 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) and 165 pounds (75 kg), he was a native of Greenwald, Pennsylvania.[2]
| Mike Ulicny | |
|---|---|
 Ulicny with the New Orleans Pelicans, c. 1944 | |
| Catcher | |
| Born: September 28, 1917 Greenwald, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
| Died: September 22, 2005 (aged 87) New Smyrna Beach, Florida, U.S. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| May 5, 1945, for the Boston Braves | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| June 22, 1945, for the Boston Braves | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .389 |
| Home runs | 1 |
| Runs batted in | 4 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
Biography
editUlicny's professional baseball career spanned 1938 to 1950; he appeared in a total of 886 minor league games.[3] He is one of many ballplayers who only appeared in the major leagues during World War II. He hit well in the 11 games he played for the Boston Braves, going 7-for-18, a .389 batting average. He had one home run, four runs batted in (RBIs), four runs scored, and a .611 slugging percentage. He was mainly used as a pinch-hitter, appearing in only four games as a catcher.[4] His uncommon last name sometimes appeared in newspaper box scores of the era as "Ulisney".[5][6] In 1950, he served as player-manager of the minor league Niagara Falls Citizens.[3][7]
Ulicny served in the United States Army during World War II,[8] including in 1943 when he was stationed at Fort Dix (New Jersey) and Camp Gordon Johnston (Florida) and did not play baseball professionally.[9][3] He died at the age of 87 in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.[2] He is buried at Deltona Memorial Gardens in Orange City, Florida.[8]
References
edit- ^ "Mike Ulicny Trades and Transactions". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
- ^ a b "Mike Ulicny". SABR. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
- ^ a b c "Mike Ulicny Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
- ^ "Mike Ulicny Stats". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
- ^ "Giants Trample Baves, 15-5, 6-4". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Fort Worth, Texas. AP. May 6, 1945. p. 10. Retrieved July 18, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Hitter Have Field Day as Reds, Braves Divide". Detroit Free Press. AP. May 21, 1945. p. 13. Retrieved July 18, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Mike Ulicny Signs Manager's Pact". Fort Lauderdale News. February 27, 1950. p. 15. Retrieved July 18, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Index Record for Ulicny, Michael Edward, U.S. Veterans' Gravesites, ca.1775-2019". fold3.com. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
- ^ "Pfc. Mike Ulicny". Indiana Gazette. Indiana, Pennsylvania. April 16, 1943. p. 6. Retrieved July 18, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
External links
edit- Career statistics from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- Mike Ulicny at Find a Grave