Pete LaCock---1977
With a last name like LaCock, you
can understand why Peter Marshall,
the long-time host of the game show
“Hollywood Squares,” would change
it. His son, Ralph Pierre LaCock,
however, manned up and stayed true
to the family name throughout his
major league career, which included
parts of five seasons with the Cubs
(1972-76) and four years with the
Royals (1977-80).
Drafted by Chicago out of Burbank,
California, as an 18-year-old in
January of 1970, LaCock turned
down an opportunity to play football
at Ohio State in order to sign with the
Cubs. He initially made a name for
himself in 1972 as a late-season
callup when the 20-year-old
outfielder was the youngest player at
that time in the National League. Two
years later, in 1974, he was named
the Most Valuable Player of the
American Association after hitting .
327 with 23 home runs and 91 RBIs.
After failing to attain a .230 batting
average in either 1975 or 1976,
LaCock was part of a three-way trade
on December 8, 1976, that sent the
outfielder to the Royals while Jim
Dwyer became a Cub and Sheldon
Mallory joined the Mets. LaCock
blossomed in the American League,
hitting a career-best .303 in 1977
and .295 a year later while spending
most of his time at first base. Kansas
City was also a perennial bridesmaid
in the American League playoffs to
the Yankees, yet LaCock responded
to the challenge by hitting at a .364
clip in the 1978 American League
Championship Series.
His production faltered thereafter,
bottoming out with a .205 norm
during the 1980 slate. Granted free
agency at the end of the season,
LaCock wound up signing with a
team in Japan. There’s no word on
how the fans in the Far East
responded to the player’s French-
based name.
(8/14/08)
can understand why Peter Marshall,
the long-time host of the game show
“Hollywood Squares,” would change
it. His son, Ralph Pierre LaCock,
however, manned up and stayed true
to the family name throughout his
major league career, which included
parts of five seasons with the Cubs
(1972-76) and four years with the
Royals (1977-80).
Drafted by Chicago out of Burbank,
California, as an 18-year-old in
January of 1970, LaCock turned
down an opportunity to play football
at Ohio State in order to sign with the
Cubs. He initially made a name for
himself in 1972 as a late-season
callup when the 20-year-old
outfielder was the youngest player at
that time in the National League. Two
years later, in 1974, he was named
the Most Valuable Player of the
American Association after hitting .
327 with 23 home runs and 91 RBIs.
After failing to attain a .230 batting
average in either 1975 or 1976,
LaCock was part of a three-way trade
on December 8, 1976, that sent the
outfielder to the Royals while Jim
Dwyer became a Cub and Sheldon
Mallory joined the Mets. LaCock
blossomed in the American League,
hitting a career-best .303 in 1977
and .295 a year later while spending
most of his time at first base. Kansas
City was also a perennial bridesmaid
in the American League playoffs to
the Yankees, yet LaCock responded
to the challenge by hitting at a .364
clip in the 1978 American League
Championship Series.
His production faltered thereafter,
bottoming out with a .205 norm
during the 1980 slate. Granted free
agency at the end of the season,
LaCock wound up signing with a
team in Japan. There’s no word on
how the fans in the Far East
responded to the player’s French-
based name.
(8/14/08)
