When Chuck Essegian turned 94 on Aug. 9, he moved into fourth place in the Phillies Nonagenarian Club. He trails LHP Bobby Shantz (99), C-CH Bob Oldis (97) and LHP Bob Ross (96).
Essegian was a right-handed-hitting outfielder who made his Major League debut with the Phillies on Opening Day (April 15) 1958. Batting sixth and playing left field, Essegian had two doubles against the Cincinnati Reds at Crosley Field. That was his lone season in red pinstripes, as he was traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for shortstop Ruben Amaro on December 8, 1958.
Pro Career
A collegiate two-sport star (baseball-football) at Stanford University, he chose baseball, as he thought that sport would be more lucrative. As it turned out, the road was filled with speed bumps. He played in 10 different Minor League cities over seven seasons and six different teams in six years in the Majors. Have suitcase. Will travel.
He was drafted, traded four times, released and signed as a free agent before ending his pro career in Japan (1964). Two other times, his contract was purchased. He was once traded with teammate Jerry Walker and later traded for Walker.
Major League uniforms included the Phillies (1958), St. Louis Cardinals (1959), Los Angeles Dodgers (1959-60), Baltimore Orioles (1961), Kansas City A’s (1961), Cleveland Indians (1961-62) and A’s again (1963).
Most games: 106, Cleveland, 1962, 21 homers, .274 average. Career: 404 games, 47 homers, .255. As a pinch-hitter, .248 average. 3 home runs (non-World Series).
Record Book
Despite the peaks and valleys, Essegian has a place in baseball history.
While with the Dodgers in the 1959, he set a World Series record with two pinch-hit home runs. The record was later matched by Boston’s Bernie Carbo (1975).
His glorious at bats: pinch-homer in Game 2 made him the seventh player in WS history to do that. Then, Game 6, his PH homer was the final run in a 9-3 win that clinched the Series. Dodger CF Duke Snider homered earlier in that game. In the 9th inning, Essegian batted for Snider and homered. "Not too many guys have ever pinch-hit for me, let alone in the World Series, so go hit another one,” Snider once said.
Unlike thousands who have played pro baseball, Essegian owns a World Series ring.
While at Stanford, Essegian was a three-year starter at linebacker. He played in the 1952 Rose Bowl and became the second athlete to also play in a World Series. The first was Jackie Jensen (University of California, 1949 Rose Bowl). Jensen’s World Series: pinch-hitter for the Yankees in 1950 against the Phillies.
After Baseball
Essegian’s degree from Stanford was in biology.
He returned to school, graduating from the Beverly Hills Law School in 1974. He settled in Southern California with his wife, Gail, and their three children, Chuck, Tracy, and Linda. He started as a prosecutor in Pasadena, and then went into private practice. He retired in 1987.
(SABR ProBio, Joseph Wancho).