Schmidt, Robert "Bob" Benjamin : 1933-2015

Robert “Bob” Benjamin Schmidt
Position: Catcher
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Height & Weight: 6-2, 205lb (188cm, 92kg)

Robert “Bob” Benjamin Schmidt was a professional baseball player and was signed as an amateur free agent by the New York Giants before the 1951 season at the age of 18.  During his 50 games for the Lenoir Red Sox of the Western Carolina League, he accumulated 27 runs and 37 RBI's from 48 hits in 169 at bats for a debut batting average of .284, including 4 home runs, 11 doubles and 6 triples.

Bob methodically climbed through the minor league system, where he spent 5 seasons, but in the years of 1953 and 1954, he was serving our country in the Korean War.  After returning home in 1955, he went back to the minors, playing in the Carolina League for the Danville Leafs.

He was selected All-Star Catcher in 1956 while playing for the Dallas Eagles in the Double-A Texas League and again in 1957 when he played for the Minneapolis Millers in the Triple-A American Association league.

His first major league game was on April 16, 1958, playing for the recently relocated San Francisco Giants, where he was selected to be on the National League All-Star Team, however, he did not appear in the 1958 All-Star Game.

On June 4th of that same year in a game against the Milwaukee Braves, he and Hank Sauer became the first players in National League history to hit back-to-back pinch-hit home runs when they connected off reliever Ernie Johnson. Bob shared the catching duties with Valmy Thomas and finished the year with 127 games, accumulating 96 hits in 393 at bats for a .244 batting average along with 14 home runs, 20 doubles, 2 triples and 54 runs batted in.

On August 31, 1958, Bob hit a home run and had 6  runs batted in against future Baseball Hall of Fame member, Sandy Koufax, of the Los Angeles Dodgers, including a first-inning grand slam, but by 1959, he was sharing the Giants' catching job with left-handed hitter Hobie Landrith.

In 1961, after playing 9 games in the Triple-A American Association league for the Indianapolis Indians and only 2 games for the San Francisco Giants, he was traded to the Cincinnati Reds for catcher Ed Bailey and played as a reserve to regular catcher Jerry Zimmerman during the Reds' pennant-winning season of 1961.  He did not make the post-season roster when the Reds lost to the New York Yankees in the World Series.

In 1962 he was traded along with Dave Stenhouse to the Washington Senators for Marty Keough and Johnny Klippstein.  During the next few years he was in and out of the minor leagues, playing 88 games for the Richmond Virginians of the International League and 9 games for the American League Washington Senators in 1963; back to the Richmond Virginians in 1964; played 69 games for the Toledo Mud Hens of the International League and 20 games for the American League New York Yankees in 1965, ending his major league career on June 9, 1965.

In 1966, Bob played one more season for the Toledo Mud Hens of the International League before leaving baseball at the age of 33.  After baseball, Bob became a foreman for a construction company and retired in St. Charles, Missouri.

Career Statistics and Records:

• During his ten total years in the minors, Bob played in 861 games, accumulating 725 hits in 2761 at bats for a .263 career batting average along with 93 home runs, 130 doubles, 12 triples and 274 runs batted in.

• In 1957, he led the American Association catchers with the best fielding average of .994.

• In a seven-year major league career, Bob played in 454 games, accumulating 317 hits in 1,305 at bats for a .243 career batting average along with 39 home runs, 55 doubles, 4 triples and 150 runs batted in.

• He and Hank Sauer became the first players in National League history to hit back-to-back pinch-hit home runs when they connected off of reliever Ernie Johnson.

• Acquired the Major League record for most putouts in an extra inning game with 22, that was set on June 22, 1958, which he held for 45 years untl Damian Miller of the Chicago Cubs surpassed him on May 15, 2003.

• He led the National League catchers in double plays in 1958.

• Led the American League in fielding percentage in 1962 while playing for the Washington Senators.

• Had a career fielding percentage of .987 in the minors and .988 in the majors, which gives him an overall career fielding percentage of .987.

You can visit the memorial page for Robert “Bob” Benjamin Schmidt.

 1961 Topps Baseball Card #31

1962 Washington Senators