"Bill Skowron had the poorest of his eight seasons, closing with a low of .267. The burly first baseman had a high of 28 homers but failed to hike his RBI figure (89).
A former footballer at Purdue, Skowron became a Yankee in 1954 after stops at Binghamton, Norfolk and K.C. Prone to injury, he played the highest number of games (150) in '61. Known as Moose, he's one of the game's strongest men. Born in Chicago."
-Don Schiffer, The 1962 Major League Baseball Handbook
"A healthy 'Moose' Skowron generally means pennant insurance for the Yankees. Plagued with various ailments over a period of years, he played full seasons in both 1960 and '61 ... and the Yankees went on to win the pennant both seasons.
Last year, the popular Skowron set several personal highs ... and, regretfully, a low. In the 'highs' department, he played more games, had more times at bat and more home runs than ever before. In fact, over a two-season period, Moose played 296 games with 1,099 official at-bats. But in 1961, the big first baseman also posted his lowest big league season batting mark, .267. This dropped his lifetime average below the .300 mark for the first time in his career.
In the last two World Series, Skowron has garnered 18 hits in 49 at-bats for a remarkable .367 average, with three homers and eleven RBIs. In five All-Star Games, the native Chicagoan (who now resides in Hillside, N.J.) has hit for a .429 average. Quite a clutch player!
The veteran of the Yankee infield helps to keep the opposition 'honest.' He has power as a left-field pull hitter but can hit the long ball to the opposite field as well. As the Yankees' leading right-handed slugger, Moose is a real threat to clubs that try to 'left-hand' the Yankees."
-The New York Yankees Official 1962 Yearbook
Played football and baseball at Purdue.
One of only seven players to hit a grand slam in a World Series game, October 10, 1956.
One of only three players to have 12 hits in a seven-game World Series, 1960.
-1962 New York Yankees Press-TV-Radio Guide
"The Yankees' slugging first baseman saw his average take a 42-point dip last season, but Bill Skowron reached a new high by blasting 28 home runs and contributing many key blows as the Bombers won the American League crown.
Skowron, who is known as Moose, played in 150 of the New Yorkers' regularly scheduled games and had 150 hits, good for 265 bases. His home run output topped by two his previous high, set in 1960, and his 89 runs batted in were just two shy of equalling his previous high, also set in 1960.
A native of Chicago, Bill was signed by the Yankees in 1951. He had been an All-America selection at Purdue University and set a Big Ten record by batting .500 in his senior year. The six-foot, 200-pounder, had also played football for the Boilermakers.
His first stop in Organized Ball was with Binghamton of the Eastern League, where he was converted from a shortstop (his college position) to a third baseman. After 21 games he was sent to Norfolk of the Piedmont League, and he promptly captured the Class B circuit's batting title with a .334 mark.
In 1952 the Yankees elevated their prospect to Triple A company. He won the American Association HR and RBI titles with 31 round-trippers and 134 tallies driven in and compiled a neat .341 average. In '53 he hit .318 for the Kansas City Blues and earned a promotion to the Bronx. During his stay with K.C., Bill played first, third and the outfield.
As a Yankee rookie, he was platooned at first with Joe Collins. During his initial campaign with the Bombers in 1954, he hit .340 in 87 games. In 1955, playing 108 contests, he batted .319 and polled 12 homers.
Skowron became a slugger in '56, with 23 circuit clouts, 21 doubles and six triples plus 90 RBIs and a .308 average. He was a .304 batsman in '57 and slumped below the .300 level for the first time in '58.
Injuries plagued him in '57.'58 and '59. He was limited to a token appearance in the '57 Series and in '59 he broke his wrist making a tag play at first. A torn thigh muscle added to his trouble that summer and he was able to appear in only 74 games.
In 1960 he shook the injury jinx and played in 146 contests. His 34 doubles were second highest in the Junior Circuit and he had a fine World Series, blasting Pirate pitchers for 12 hits, including a pair of homers while batting .375.
The Moose, who now lives in Hillsdale, New Jersey, and is in business in the Garden State, is one of the few Yankees to have an outstanding record in All-Star competition.
Now 30 years old, the muscular veteran has been a member of six championship clubs since joining the Bombers. His eight-year record shows him close to .300 and he has 142 big league homers to his credit.
Although he bats right-handed, Skowron has been known to take advantage of the short right-field fence in New York. He has probably hit more "wrong field" homers than any other player in the game.
Bill's 1961 slate showed 22 of his four-baggers coming off right-handed pitchers. He batted .293 facing lefties and versus righties, his mark was .256.
A healthy Skowron will do much to ensure another pennant for Ralph Houk's champs in 1962."
-The 1962 Jay Publishing New York Yankees Yearbook
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