Robert Somerville Alexander (August 7, 1922 – April 7, 1993) was a Canadian professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

. He attended Bethany College in West Virginia. Alexander was signed by the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Am ...

in . However, he did not make his Major League debut until 1955 with the

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles (also known as the O's) are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East Division. As one of the America ...

. He also played for the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...

and the

Toei Flyers The are a Japanese professional Baseball in Japan, baseball team based in Kitahiroshima, Hokkaido, Kitahiroshima, Hokkaidō, in the Sapporo metropolitan area. They compete in the Pacific League of Nippon Professional Baseball, playing the major ...

of the

Nippon Professional Baseball is a professional baseball league and the highest level of baseball in Japan. Locally, it is often called , meaning simply ''Professional Baseball''; outside of Japan, NPB is often referred to as "Japanese baseball". The roots of the league ...

(NPB). He is the first Canadian player in NPB history. On top of playing baseball, he was also an

Aviation Cadet A flight cadet or is a military or civilian occupational title that is held by someone who is in training to perform aircrew duties in an airplane. The trainee does not need to become a pilot, as flight cadets may also learn to serve as a bombard ...

in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

during World War II.

Professional career

New York Yankees

Before entering military service in 1944 Bob pitched for the Butler Yankees of the Class D

Pennsylvania State Association The Pennsylvania State Association was a class D level league of minor league baseball that existed from 1934 until 1942. The league franchised were entirely based in Western Pennsylvania. History The Pennsylvania State Association was compose ...

and the Amsterdam Rugmakers in the Class C

Canadian–American League The Canadian–American League, nicknamed the Can-Am League, was a class C level minor league baseball circuit which ran from 1936 through 1951, with a three-year break during World War II. It was equivalent to a Rookie-level league in today's ...

. In Bob pitched for the Wellsville Yankees in the Class D Pony League and was 4–3 with a 3.60 ERA. In Bob split the season with Wellsville, the

Hagerstown Owls The Hagerstown Owls were a Minor League Baseball team based in Hagerstown, Maryland, United States. The team played in the Inter-State League (1941–1952) and the Piedmont League (1953–1955). Their home games were played in Municipal Stadi ...

of the

Interstate League The Interstate League was the name of five different American minor baseball leagues that played intermittently from 1896 through 1952. Early leagues Earlier versions of the Interstate League, with years active: *1896–1901: an unclassified ...

and the

Norfolk Tars The Norfolk Tars were a minor league baseball team that existed on and off from 1906 to 1955. Based in Norfolk, Virginia, they played in the Virginia League from 1906 to 1918 and from 1921 to 1928, in the Eastern League (1916), Eastern League from ...

of the

Piedmont League The Piedmont League was a minor league baseball league that operated from 1920 through 1955. The league operated principally in the Piedmont plateau region in the eastern United States. Cities represented The following cities hosted teams th ...

for a combined 6–9 record. After his service Bob returned to the Norfolk Tars where Bob was 6–5 with a 2.64 ERA and also spent time with the

Binghamton Triplets The Binghamton Triplets were a minor league baseball team based in Binghamton, New York between 1923 and 1963. The franchise played as members of the New York–Penn League (1923–1937), Eastern League (1938–1963), New York–Penn League ( ...

of the Class A Eastern League in . Robert Alexander continued to pitch in the minor leagues with the

Denver Bears Denver ( ) is a consolidated city and county, the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. It is located in the Western United States, in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains east of th ...

in the Western League, where Bob was 10–12 with a 4.15 ERA in , and the

Beaumont Exporters The Beaumont Exporters was the predominant name of a minor league baseball team located in Beaumont, Texas that played between 1920 and 1957 in the Texas League and the Big State League. Beaumont rejoined the Class AA Texas League (1983-1986) and ...

in the

Texas League The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...

where Bob was 11–16 with a 3.70 ERA in . In Bob compiled a record of 8–8 with the

Louisville Colonels The Louisville Colonels were a Major League Baseball team that played in the American Association (AA) throughout that league's ten-year existence from 1882 until 1891. They were known as the Louisville Eclipse from 1882 to 1884, and as th ...

in the American Association and a record of 12–10 with the Colonels in . Bob threw a

no-hitter In baseball, a no-hitter or no-hit game is a game in which a team does not record a hit (baseball), hit through conventional methods. Major League Baseball (MLB) officially defines a no-hitter as a completed game in which a team that batted in ...

on July 29, against the

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...

Brooklyn Dodgers

In Bob was acquired by the

Brooklyn Dodgers The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1883 as the Brooklyn Grays. In 1884, it became a member of the American Association as the Brooklyn Atlantics before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brook ...

and pitched for the

Montreal Royals The Montreal Royals were a minor league professional baseball team in Montreal, Quebec, during 1897–1917 and 1928–1960. A member of the International League, the Royals were the top farm club ( Class AAA) of the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1939; pi ...

in the

International League The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major ...

, where Bob compiled a 15–9 record with a 3.58 ERA. Bob performed well enough to earn a spot on the

spring training Spring training, also called spring camp, is the preseason of the Summer Professional Baseball Leagues, such as Major League Baseball (MLB), and it is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spri ...

roster with the Dodgers in . Bob didn't make the club in '52, instead he was back with Montreal for the regular season and was 8–7 with a 4.34 ERA. Robert Alexander remained with Montreal in 1953 and after the season, Bob underwent surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow.

Portland Beavers

In Bob was acquired by the

Portland Beavers The Portland Beavers was the name of separate minor league baseball teams, which represented Portland, Oregon, in the Pacific Coast League (PCL). The team was established in 1903, the first year of the PCL. Franchise history Many baseball teams h ...

of the

Pacific Coast League The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...

where Bob finished with a 10–12 record and 3.22 ERA. At the end of the season, Robert Alexander, who was 32 years old at the time, was purchased by the

Baltimore Orioles

Robert Alexander made his Major League debut in a relief appearance for the Orioles on April 11, against the Washington Senators.Baltimore Orioles vs Washington Senators April 11, 1955 Box Score
/ref> Bob would make a further three relief outings before returning to Portland in July to record a 10–10 record and excellent 2.66 ERA.

Cleveland Indians

Robert Alexander continued to be a stellar pitcher in the Pacific Coast League and got his final shot at the Major Leagues in , when the 35-year-old right-hander joined the

pitching staff. Robert Alexander made five relief appearances for the Indians to end his Major League career.

References

External links

Retrosheet
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexander, Bob 1922 births 1993 deaths United States Navy personnel of World War II Amsterdam Rugmakers players Baltimore Orioles players Baseball people from Vancouver Beaumont Exporters players Binghamton Triplets players Bethany Bison baseball players Butler Yankees players Canadian expatriate baseball players in Japan Canadian expatriate baseball players in the United States Cleveland Indians players Dallas Rangers players Denver Bears players Hagerstown Owls players Licoreros de Pampero players Louisville Colonels (minor league) players Major League Baseball pitchers Major League Baseball players from Canada 20th-century Canadian sportsmen Montreal Royals players Nippon Professional Baseball pitchers Norfolk Tars players Portland Beavers players Sabios de Vargas players Salem Senators players San Diego Padres (minor league) players Toei Flyers players Wellsville Yankees players Canadian expatriate baseball players in Venezuela