Byron Houck

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Byron Houck
Byron Houck, Philadelphia AL, at Polo Grounds, NY (baseball) LCCN2014693996.tif
Pitcher
Born: (1891-08-28)August 28, 1891
Prosper, Minnesota
Died: June 17, 1969(1969-06-17) (aged 77)
Santa Cruz, California
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
May 15, 1912, for the Philadelphia Athletics
Last MLB appearance
August 27, 1918, for the St. Louis Browns
MLB statistics
Win–loss record26–24
Earned run average3.30
Strikeouts224
Teams
  • Philadelphia Athletics (1912–1914)
  • Brooklyn Tip-Tops (1914)
  • St. Louis Browns (1918)

Byron Simon Houck (August 28, 1891 – June 17, 1969) was an American professional baseball pitcher and cinematographer. He played in Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Athletics, Brooklyn Tip-Tops, and St. Louis Browns from 1912 to 1914 and in 1918. After his baseball career, he worked on Buster Keaton's production team as a camera operator.

Early life[]

Houck was born in Prosper, Minnesota. He was the fifth of six children. His family moved to Portland, Oregon, when he was young.[1] He attended Washington High School in Portland, and pitched for the school's baseball team all four years.[2] In his senior year, he was voted president of the athletic association.[3] Houck graduated from high school in 1910 and enrolled at the University of Oregon and played college baseball for the Oregon Ducks. He was a member of Kappa Sigma at Oregon.[4]

Professional baseball career[]

Houck in 1912

Houck signed with the Spokane Indians of the Class B Northwestern League in July 1911.[5] After the season, the Philadelphia Athletics selected Houck in the Rule 5 draft.[6] He made his major league debut with the Athletics in 1912.[7] He pitched to a 8–8 win–loss record with a 2.94 earned run average (ERA).[8] He was a member of the 1913 World Series champions, pitching to a 14–6 record and a 4.14 ERA in 1913,[9] but he did not appear in the series. In 1914, after making three appearances for the Athletics,[10] he was released to the Baltimore Orioles of the International League. Houck refused to report to Baltimore, and jumped to the Brooklyn Tip-Tops of the outlaw Federal League.[11] He signed a three-year contract with Brooklyn[12] paying him $3,500 per season ($90,430 in current dollar terms).[1] He pitched to a 2–6 record with a 3.13 ERA for Brooklyn.[13] In 1915, Brooklyn assigned him to the Colonial League, a minor league affiliated with the Federal League, and he played for the New Haven White Wings and .[1] Brooklyn gave him his unconditional release after the 1915 season, and Houck accepted a payout of half of his salary for the 1916 season.[12][14]

In 1916, following the collapse of the Federal League, Houck's rights reverted to the Athletics,[1][15] and they allowed Houck to become a free agent.[1] He signed with the Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League (PCL).[16] He had a 17–19 record and a 3.36 ERA in 1916.[17] Houck returned to Portland in 1917, but struggled at the beginning of the season.[18] He improved to finish the season with a 23–15 record and a 2.21 ERA.[19] After the 1917 season, he was drafted by the St. Louis Browns for the 1918 season.[20] He had a 2–4 record and a 2.39 ERA for the Browns.[21] In February 1919, St. Louis sold Houck to the Vernon Tigers of the PCL.[22] He had a 19–16 record and a 3.88 ERA in 1919.[23] In 1920, Babe Borton, Houck's teammate with Vernon, was caught bribing opponents to throw games. He alleged that the plan was discussed at Louis Anger's house with Houck present.[24] Houck was not punished by the PCL.[1] He finished the 1920 season with a 10–17 record and a 2.62 ERA.[25] Houck played semi-professional baseball in 1921, and briefly returned to the PCL to pitch for Vernon and Portland in 1922.[1][26][27]

Film career[]

In 1919, Fatty Arbuckle purchased the Tigers, and he made Anger the team president. Houck's first wife and Anger's wife were sisters. This connection led to Houck working as a camera operator on Buster Keaton's silent films.[1] He worked on the 1924 films Sherlock Jr.[28] and The Navigator,[29] the 1925 film Seven Chances,[30] and the 1926 film The General.[31]

Personal life[]

Houck married Kittye Isaacs in September 1913.[1][32] She died in March 1923.[33] He remarried to Rose Carr in 1927.[1]

Houck died in Santa Cruz, California, on June 17, 1969.[34] He was interred at Rosedale Cemetery in Los Angeles.[35]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j Williams, Phil. "Byron Houck". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  2. ^ "28 Jul 1912, Page 41". The Oregon Daily Journal. July 28, 1912. Retrieved March 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "16 Jan 1910, Page 57". The Oregon Daily Journal. January 16, 1910. Retrieved March 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "4 Oct 1911, 17". The Spokesman-Review. October 4, 1911. Retrieved March 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "26 Jul 1911, Page 11". The Oregon Daily Journal. July 26, 1911. Retrieved March 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "3 Sep 1911, Page 35". The Oregon Daily Journal. September 3, 1911. Retrieved March 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "9 Apr 1912, Page 6". The Eugene Guard. April 9, 1912. Retrieved March 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "1912 Philadelphia Athletics Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  9. ^ "1913 Philadelphia Athletics Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  10. ^ "1914 Philadelphia Athletics Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  11. ^ "21 May 1914, 2". The Boston Globe. May 21, 1914. Retrieved March 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b "30 Sep 1915, Page 20". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. September 30, 1915. Retrieved March 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "1914 Brooklyn Tip-Tops Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  14. ^ "8 Nov 1915, Page 9". The Wilkes-Barre Record. November 8, 1915. Retrieved March 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ^ "20 Jan 1916, 4". Times Union. January 20, 1916. Retrieved March 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "5 Mar 1916, Page 15". The Washington Herald. March 5, 1916. Retrieved March 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "1916 Portland Beavers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  18. ^ "15 May 1917, Page 10". The Oregon Daily Journal. May 15, 1917. Retrieved March 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. ^ "1917 Portland Beavers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  20. ^ "5 Nov 1917, 8". The La Crosse Tribune. November 5, 1917. Retrieved March 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ^ "1918 St. Louis Browns Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  22. ^ "3 Feb 1919, Page 10". The Oregon Daily Journal. February 3, 1919. Retrieved March 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ^ "1919 Vernon Tigers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  24. ^ "19 Oct 1920, 12". The Salt Lake Tribune. October 19, 1920. Retrieved March 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ^ "1920 Vernon Tigers Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  26. ^ "12 Jul 1922, Page 4 – Santa Cruz Evening News". July 12, 1922. Retrieved March 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ^ "Byron Houck To Swing Arm For Beavers". Newspapers.com. July 15, 1922. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  28. ^ "2 Jun 1924, 20". Calgary Herald. June 2, 1924. Retrieved March 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ "23 Dec 1925, 1". Mauch Chunk Times-News. December 23, 1925. Retrieved March 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  30. ^ "9 May 1925, Page 21". The Evening News. May 9, 1925. Retrieved March 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  31. ^ "30 Aug 1926, Page 8". The Eugene Guard. August 30, 1926. Retrieved March 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  32. ^ "16 Sep 1913, Page 3". The Eugene Guard. September 16, 1913. Retrieved March 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  33. ^ "Byron Houck's Wife Dead; Ill Long Time". Los Angeles Evening Express. March 27, 1923. p. 1. Retrieved March 11, 2021 – via Newsapers.com.
  34. ^ "18 Jun 1969, Page 15". Santa Cruz Sentinel. June 18, 1969. Retrieved March 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  35. ^ "25 Jun 1969, Page 14". Santa Cruz Sentinel. June 25, 1969. Retrieved March 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.

External links[]

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