Jack Paepke

Jack Paepke (August 28, 1922 - November 7, 2014) was a minor league baseball pitcher and manager as well as a player-manager. He later was a major league baseball coach and scout. He was born in Provo, Utah.

Paepke began his baseball career with Santa Barbara in the California League during the 1941 season. He had nine wins and five losses with a 3.44 ERA. This led to his promotion to the International League in 1942, where he played for Montreal. Before the season ended, Paepke joined the military, where he remained for the duration of the war. In 1946, he returned to Montreal and also played for Ft. Worth in the Texas League where he posted a 2.17 ERA.

Paepke spent the 1947 and 1948 seasons in the American Association playing for St. Paul. After a brief stint back in Santa Barbara, Paepke played for Hollywood in the Pacific Coast League through the 1951 campaign. 1952 saw him playing for New Orleans in the Southern Association.

Paepke became a player-manager in 1953 and led his Brunswick Pirates to the Georgia–Florida League championship in his first year as skipper. He helped his own cause quite a bit by hitting .318 with 21 HRs and 109 RBI while compiling a 4-1 record on the mound. He was equally successful the following year when he led his Waco Pirates to Big State League crown. This Waco team won 105 games and has been named one of the top 25 minor league teams of all time by minor league baseball's official website. As he wound his way through the Pittsburgh Pirates farm system, Paepke saw no more postseasons as a manager. Along the way he made stops as skipper of the Billings Mustangs, the Salinas Packers, the Kinston Eagles, the Jamestown Falcons, the Grand Forks Chiefs, the San Jose Pirates, and the Las Vegas Wranglers. He ended his playing and managing career after the 1958 season.

Following his playing career, Paepke became a major league coach for the Angels from 1961 to 1966. He was later a scout for the Angels and eventually the Expos.

Jack was the father of major league player Dennis Paepke.

Sources

• BR bullpen
• Article on Waco team
• The Professional Baseball Players Database 5.0