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Toby Atwell

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Toby Atwell
Catcher
Born: (1924-03-08)March 8, 1924
Leesburg, Virginia, U.S.
Died: January 25, 2003(2003-01-25) (aged 78)
Purcellville, Virginia, U.S.
Batted: Left
Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 15, 1952, for the Chicago Cubs
Last MLB appearance
September 28, 1956, for the Milwaukee Braves
MLB statistics
Batting average.260
Home runs9
Runs batted in110
Teams
Career highlights and awards

Maurice Dailey "Toby" Atwell (March 8, 1924 – January 25, 2003) was an American professional baseball player who was a catcher in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs (19521953), Pittsburgh Pirates (19531956) and Milwaukee Braves (1956). Atwell, listed at 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) tall and 185 pounds (84 kg), batted left-handed and threw right-handed. He was born in Leesburg, Virginia, and served in the United States military during World War II.[1]

Career

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Atwell's baseball career started in the Brooklyn Dodgers' organization in 1946. A strong defensive catcher, he shortened his career when he hurt his knee sliding while playing for the Triple-A Montreal Royals during the 1949 International League season. His most productive campaign came in his rookie year with the 1952 Cubs, when he posted career-highs in batting average (.290), RBI (31), runs (36), hits (105), doubles (16), games played (107), and was selected to the National League All-Star team. In 1953 he was part of a ten-player, early-June trade that saw the Cubs acquire Baseball Hall of Fame slugger Ralph Kiner from the Pittsburgh Pirates.[2]

In his five-year major league career, Atwell was a .260 hitter with nine home runs and 110 RBI in 378 games. His 290 career hits also included 41 doubles and seven triples.

Atwell's last year as a player in pro ball was 1958. He died in Purcellville, Virginia, at the age of 78.

References

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  1. ^ "Those Who Served, A–Z," Baseball in Wartime
  2. ^ "Ralph Kiner traded to Cubs". Lodi News-Sentinel. June 4, 1953. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
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