256:, Zak threw and batted right-handed, stood 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) tall and weighed 150 pounds (68 kg). He was a gifted athlete, but had little interest in playing baseball for a living. In the spring of 1941, he visited a high-school friend,
264:. The Orioles were in need of a shortstop and gave Zak a tryout. He had not played the position before, but showed enough to earn a contract for the summer. Zak played at the Class D level for 1941 and 1942, then moved up to top-level
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as was the player with whom he competed for the starting shortstop job (Gustine). Sudol, meanwhile, never made it to the majors as a player, but he would spend 21 years as an
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in 1943. He earned an invitation to the
Pirates' camp in 1944, and made the club. In an interesting coincidence, his manager was named
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was injured, Zak was named as his roster replacement, possibly because the game was being held at
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on
February 6, 1972, just 16 days before his 50th birthday.
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Zak never had a lot of playing time: his highest number of
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April 21, 1944, for the Pittsburgh
Pirates
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played the full game), won by the
National League, 7–1.
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June 10, 1946, for the Pittsburgh
Pirates
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Tarboro
Orioles of the Class D Coastal Plain League
204:(February 22, 1922 – February 6, 1972) was a
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534:Toronto Maple Leafs (International League) players
296:was 160. Even so, he still managed to become an
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448:Career statistics and player information from
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504:Newark Bears (International League) players
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479:Baseball players from Passaic, New Jersey
338:and left baseball after the 1949 season.
524:San Diego Padres (minor league) players
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212:played all or part of three seasons in
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430:"National League 7, American League 1"
334:game on June 10, 1946. He returned to
216:from 1944 to 1946. Zak played for the
224:. For his career, Zak hit for a .269
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489:Kansas City Blues (baseball) players
16:American baseball player (1922-1972)
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494:Major League Baseball shortstops
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509:Oklahoma City Indians players
260:, who had been signed by the
179:Career highlights and awards
454:Baseball Reference (Minors)
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514:Pittsburgh Pirates players
499:National League All-Stars
346:Zak died suddenly from a
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72:Passaic, New Jersey, U.S.
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519:Portland Beavers players
393:These Guys Weren't Stars
367:New Jersey Sports Heroes
529:Tarboro Orioles players
404:Doyle, Al (July 2003).
307:season. When shortstop
484:Hornell Maples players
214:Major League Baseball
206:professional baseball
330:Zak played his last
270:International League
321:St. Louis Cardinals
254:Passaic, New Jersey
105:Last MLB appearance
56:Passaic, New Jersey
450:Baseball Reference
288:All-Star selection
240:in 123 big-league
218:Pittsburgh Pirates
162:Pittsburgh Pirates
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232:(including five
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202:Frank Thomas Zak
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66:February 6, 1972
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413:. Retrieved
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348:heart attack
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325:Marty Marion
317:Forbes Field
309:Eddie Miller
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208:player. The
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68:(1972-02-06)
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474:1972 deaths
469:1922 births
323:' standout
28:Frankie Zak
463:Categories
452:, or
434:Retrosheet
382:Retrosheet
378:"Ed Sudol"
49:1922-02-22
222:shortstop
210:shortstop
95:MLB debut
36:Shortstop
415:June 11,
298:All-Star
258:Ed Sudol
252:Born in
236:and one
187:All-Star
311:of the
302:wartime
300:in the
294:at bats
280:in the
268:of the
266:Toronto
234:doubles
80:Batted:
278:umpire
238:triple
86:Threw:
58:, U.S.
354:Notes
342:Death
154:Teams
88:Right
82:Right
64:Died:
44:Born:
417:2012
305:1944
230:hits
191:1944
170:1946
166:1944
131:Hits
125:.269
332:MLB
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