Cal Cooper

Calvin Asa Cooper (August 11, 1922 – July 4, 1994), born in Great Falls, South Carolina was a Major League Baseball pitcher. Cooper played for the Washington Senators. Prior to his major league debut and exit, he attended and played for Newberry College.^[1] Cooper batted and threw right-handed.

Early life

Cooper was born in 1922 in Great Falls, South Carolina, a small town in the north central portion of the state. As a young man, Cooper served in the US Navy during World War II.^[2] After military service, Cooper attended Newberry College, a small Lutheran college in Newberry, South Carolina. At age 26, he was called up from the Triple-A organization of the Washington Senators to play in the majors.

Major League Baseball career

Cooper made his major league debut on September 14, 1948 with the Washington Senators. Cooper competed in one game in 1948, wearing uniform number 16.^[3] His entire major league career consisted of pitching one inning, in which he surrendered 5 hits, allowing 5 runs including a home run, and walked a batter, before recording 3 outs.^[1] Being his only appearance, he ended his career with his lifetime earned run average (ERA) set at 45.00.^[4]

After baseball

After his single afternoon in a major league baseball uniform, Cooper returned to South Carolina where he worked as a personnel director at Clinton Mills in the town of Clinton. Cooper died on July 4, 1994, in Clinton, South Carolina. For 28 years prior to his death in 1994, Cooper served as a member of the Laurens County School Board.^[2] He is buried at Pinelawn Memory Gardens in Clinton.^[3]

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