Andy Seminick

Andrew Wasal Seminick (September 12, 1920 – February 22, 2004) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies between 1943 and 1951, and the Cincinnati Reds/Redlegs from 1952 through part of 1955, when he rejoined the Phillies for the rest of his career until his release at the end of the 1957 season. Seminick was an integral part of the 1950 "Whiz Kids" Phillies team that won their first pennant since 1915.

Playing career

Seminick was born in Pierce, West Virginia to Russian immigrant parents. He was contracted as an amateur free agent in 1941 by the Pittsburgh Pirates. Seminick led the Appalachian League in 1942 with 15 home runs and 202 total bases, and was among the league leaders in batting average. In 1943, he had a .303 batting average with the Knoxville Smokies of the Class-A Southern Association, and was purchased by the Philadelphia Phillies.

At the age of 23, Seminick made his major league debut on September 14, 1943. By 1945, the Phillies were using Seminick in a platoon system alongside veteran catcher Gus Mancuso. While he could hit for power, his defensive skills were below average, as he led the National League in errors in 1946, 1948 and 1949. Phillies manager Eddie Sawyer assigned Phillies coach and former catcher Cy Perkins to tutor him, which helped improve his defensive skills. He was voted by baseball fans to be the starting catcher for the National League in the 1949 All-Star Game, mostly for his reputation as a hitter.