Charlie O'Rourke (baseball)

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]

References

External links

• Career record and playing statistics from Baseball Reference