Pittsburgh Pirates (1953–55) On July 9, 1953, after being
scouted by Ed McCarrick, Koback was signed by the
Major League Baseball (MLB)
Pittsburgh Pirates out of high school. Koback received contract offers from the
Boston Red Sox,
Brooklyn Dodgers,
Chicago Cubs and
New York Giants who wanted to start him out in the
minor leagues, but he declined after Pittsburgh offered the most money. To fit Koback on the roster, Pirates
general manager Branch Rickey released
pitcher Bob Schultz. However, his contract was later valued at US$20,000. Upon joining the Pittsburgh club, Koback went through a three-day training program with Pirates
coaches. In both of his
at-bats he had over the night, Koback went
hitless against St. Louis pitcher
Harvey Haddix. He got the first start of his career on July 31, against the Chicago Cubs at
Wrigley Field. During that game, Koback caught the entire game, which was a
complete game shutout by Pirates pitcher
Murry Dickson. During the first game of a
doubleheader against the
Milwaukee Braves on August 30, Koback served as a pinch hitter for pitcher
Roger Bowman when he got his first career MLB
triple off pitcher
Johnny Antonelli. Koback's final game of the season came on September 26, against the New York Giants at
Forbes Field. After the 1953 season, Koback played amateur baseball on pitcher
Spec Shea's traveling team. After returning to his home-town from
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Kocack was asked if he felt any
homesickness during the season, to which he replied, "Homesick? I was too busy and too excited to be homesick". While in Hartford for the off-season, Koback was the guest of honor at a Hartford Public High School sports rally. He gave a speech to local
fire fighters, which was received positively according to
The Hartford Courant. In mid-January 1954, the Pittsburgh Pirates held a workout for incoming rookies and younger players, in which Koback took part. The 1954 season would be the last year he would be protected by the Bonus Rule. Before the start of the season,
United Press International stated that Koback and his teammate
Vic Janowicz were a problem for the Pirates because "neither [were] ready for full-time duty". Koback made his season debut on July 11, as a pinch hitter for catcher
Toby Atwell in a game against the New York Giants. Koback's second game of the season came on July 17, as a pinch hitter for catcher
Jack Shepard in a game against the Chicago Cubs. On July 25, the ''Sunday Herald's'' sports editor Sam Cohen wrote a scathing critique of the Bonus Rule, which he stated "[the rule] we feel hampers rather than aids the costly prospects' development, because in practically every case, they see so little action". Cohen went on to use Koback as an example of how the rule is "detrimental" to the development of young players. On September 26, Koback made his final appearance of the season against the Brooklyn Dodgers, where in three at-bats he went hitless. In four games that season, he went hitless in 10 at-bats. Defensively, Koback played all of his four games as catcher. Of those four games, two were starts. He made 14 putouts. Koback re-signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates on January 15, 1955. He made his season debut on May 17, against the
Cincinnati Reds at
Crosley Field. During his appearance, which was as a pinch hitter for pitcher
Nellie King, Koback got one hit, a
single, in one at-bat against Reds pitcher
Joe Nuxhall. On June 5, Koback played both games of a doubleheader against Cincinnati. In his only at-bat that game, which was against Reds pitcher
Johnny Klippstein, Koback
flied out. During his second at-bat of the game, Koback hit a single off Reds pitcher
Jackie Collum, which would later prove to be the last hit of Koback's MLB career. Koback's final MLB appearance came on July 4, against the New York Giants. Over his career with the Pirates, Koback primarily served as a
bullpen catcher. In his five games that season, he batted .286 with two hits in seven at-bats. Behind the
plate, Koback made no errors, one assist and four putouts.
Later career (1955–1960) On July 12, 1955, the Pittsburgh Pirates sold Koback to the minor league
Lincoln Chiefs of the
Class-A Western League. The Chiefs, who represented
Lincoln, Nebraska, were managed by former St. Louis Browns and Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher
Bill Burwell. His teammates featured past and future MLB players
Bill Bell,
Joe Christopher,
Bennie Daniels,
Dick Hall,
Cholly Naranjo,
Earl Smith,
Jim Waugh and
George Witt. His manager with the Stars was long-time minor league player and manager
Clay Hopper. Most of Koback's teammates on the Stars had major league experience one time or another over their careers. With the Starts that season, Koback batted .176 with three hits and three
runs batted in (RBIs) in 10 games played. Defensively, Koback had a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in 42
total chances. In early-May, Koback was
farmed out to the minor league
New Orleans Pelicans of the
Double-A Southern Association. In five games played with the Pelicans under the management of
Andy Cohen, Koback accumulated one hit. Later in May, he was again sent to another team, this time it was the
Williamsport Grays of the Class-A
Eastern League. The manager of Williamsport was
John Fitzpatrick, a long-time minor league player and manager. With the Grays that season, Koback batted .313 with 62 hits, 16 doubles and two
home runs in 68 games played. In October 1956, Koback joined the
Venados de Mazatlán of the
Mexican Pacific League. On March 1, 1957, Koback played a charity game as a member of the Hartford, Connecticut
Young Democrats against the Hartford
Young Republicans. Koback began the 1957 season with the Hollywood Stars. Koback batted .167 with five hits, one of which was a double, in 11 games played. In the field, he had a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in 52 total chances. In May, Koback was farmed out to the
Mobile Bears of the Double-A Southern Association. He later joined the New Orleans Pelicans, also of the Southern Association. Koback batted .230 with 28 hits, six of which were doubles, in 41 games played. Before the start of the 1958 season, Koback joined the minor league
Salt Lake City Bees of the Pacific Coast League. However, before the start of the
regular season, Koback broke his finger.
Monty Basgall, a former MLB player, was Koback's manager that season. On the season, he batted .240 with 54 hits, four doubles, four triples and three home runs in 68 games played. After the 1958 season, Koback enlisted in the
Nebraska National Guard and took up primary residence in that state. He spent the entire 1959 season with the minor league Pirates who represented
Columbus, Georgia, and
Gastonia, North Carolina. The Pirates, who were members of the Class-A
South Atlantic League, were managed by former MLB pitcher
Ray Hathaway. The Senators, who were members of the
Triple-A American Association, were managed by
Del Wilber, a former MLB player. Koback played five games with the Senators that season. In those games, he went hitless in four at-bats. That season would later prove to be his final in professional baseball. ==Later life==