Dave Ricketts

Dave Ricketts
Dave Ricketts
	Catcher
	Born: July 12, 1935; Pottstown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
	Died: July 13, 2008 (aged 73); St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
	Batted: Switch Threw: Right
MLB debut
	September 25, 1963, for the St. Louis Cardinals
Last MLB appearance
	July 30, 1970, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
MLB statistics
Batting average	.249
Home runs	1
Runs batted in	20
	Stats at Baseball Reference
Teams
	St. Louis Cardinals (1963, 1965, 1967–1969); Pittsburgh Pirates (1970);
Career highlights and awards
	3× World Series champion (1967, 1971, 1982);

David William Ricketts (July 12, 1935 – July 13, 2008) was an American catcher and coach in Major League Baseball who played parts of six seasons (1963, 1965, 1967–1970) with the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates. Ricketts was a reserve catcher on the 1967 World Series champion Cardinals and their 1968 pennant winners. He later served as a longtime bullpen coach of the Cardinals (1974–1975, 1978–1991), including their 1982 World Series champions and 1985 and 1987 pennant winners, after having been the bullpen coach for the Pirates from 1971 to 1973, including the 1971 World Series champions. Over his career, he batted .249 with 1 home run and 20 runs batted in in 130 games played.

Ricketts was born in Pottstown, Pennsylvania; his older brother Dick was the first pick in the 1955 NBA draft, and played three years in the National Basketball Association before pitching briefly for the 1959 Cardinals. Dave Ricketts played basketball with his brother at Duquesne University,^[1] graduating in 1957 with a degree in education. He married Barbarann Boswell on August 17, 1957,^[2] and they had a daughter, Candace, and a son, David Jr., who died of spinal cancer at age 10 in 1972.^[3] He served in the military from 1958 to 1959. During his minor league career, he led Pacific Coast League catchers with 12 double plays in 1962 while with the Portland Beavers, and led International League catchers with 11 double plays the following year while with the Atlanta Crackers; he also led the IL in passed balls in both 1963 and 1964, playing for the Jacksonville Suns the latter season.^[4]

Ricketts' tenure as a coach with the Cardinals was interrupted by two seasons as a manager in the Cardinals farm system; he led the Sarasota Cardinals to a fourth-place finish in the Gulf Coast League in 1976, and the Johnson City Cardinals to a third-place finish in the Appalachian League in 1977.^[4]

Ricketts died of renal cancer on July 13, 2008, one day after his 73rd birthday.^[5]

References

^ St. Louis Cardinals 1990 Media Guide, p. 13.
^ The Sporting News Baseball Register (1968), p. 260.
^ admin. "Dave Ricketts – Society for American Baseball Research". Retrieved February 15, 2022.
^ ^a ^b The Sporting News Baseball Register (1981), pp. 594-95.
^ Derrick Goold (July 13, 2008). "Cardinals mourn death of coach, a "passionate teacher"". Stltoday.com. Archived from the original on July 20, 2008. Retrieved July 13, 2008.

External links

Career statistics from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
Dave Ricketts at Pura Pelota (Venezuelan Professional Baseball League)

[1] St. Louis Cardinals 1990 Media Guide, p. 13.

[2] The Sporting News Baseball Register (1968), p. 260.

[3] . "Dave Ricketts – Society for American Baseball Research". Retrieved February 15, 2022.

[1981Register-4] The Sporting News Baseball Register (1981), pp. 594-95.

[5] Derrick Goold (July 13, 2008). "Cardinals mourn death of coach, a "passionate teacher"". Stltoday.com. Archived from the original on July 20, 2008. Retrieved July 13, 2008.

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v t e St. Louis Cardinals 1967 World Series champions
9 Roger Maris 10 Dave Ricketts 11 Ed Bressoud 12 Alex Johnson 15 Tim McCarver 16 Phil Gagliano 17 Bobby Tolan 18 Mike Shannon 20 Lou Brock 21 Curt Flood 23 Jack Lamabe 25 Julián Javier 26 Ed Spiezio 27 Dal Maxvill 30 Orlando Cepeda (NL MVP) 31 Dick Hughes 32 Steve Carlton 34 Nelson Briles 36 Ron Willis 38 Al Jackson 39 Larry Jaster 43 Joe Hoerner 44 Ray Washburn 45 Bob Gibson (World Series MVP) 46 Hal Woodeshick
Manager 2 Red Schoendienst Coaches 3 Joe Schultz Jr. 4 Billy Muffett 5 Dick Sisler 8 Bob Milliken
Regular season

v t e Pittsburgh Pirates 1971 World Series champions
2 Jackie Hernández 4 Charlie Sands 7 Bob Robertson 8 Willie Stargell 9 Bill Mazeroski 11 José Pagán 14 Gene Alley 15 Gene Clines 16 Al Oliver 17 Dock Ellis 18 Vic Davalillo 20 Richie Hebner 21 Roberto Clemente (World Series MVP) 23 Luke Walker 25 Bruce Kison 27 Bob Johnson 28 Steve Blass 29 Milt May 30 Dave Cash 31 Dave Giusti 32 Bob Miller 34 Nelson Briles 35 Manny Sanguillén 38 Bob Moose 39 Bob Veale
Manager 40 Danny Murtaugh Coaches 5 Dave Ricketts 41 Bill Virdon 42 Don Osborn 43 Don Leppert 44 Frank Oceak
Regular season National League Championship Series

v t e St. Louis Cardinals 1982 World Series champions
1 Ozzie Smith 5 Mike Ramsey 10 Ken Oberkfell 11 Glenn Brummer 14 Julio González 15 Darrell Porter (NLCS and World Series MVP) 18 Gene Tenace 19 Dane Iorg 22 David Green 25 George Hendrick 26 Steve Braun 27 Lonnie Smith 28 Tom Herr 31 Bob Forsch 32 Jeff Lahti 33 John Martin 36 Jim Kaat 37 Keith Hernandez 38 Steve Mura 39 Dave LaPoint 40 Doug Bair 42 Bruce Sutter 47 Joaquín Andújar 48 John Stuper 51 Willie McGee
Manager 24 Whitey Herzog Coaches 2 Red Schoendienst 3 Dave Ricketts 4 Chuck Hiller 8 Hal Lanier 9 Hub Kittle
Regular season National League Championship Series