Leo Burke – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Leo Burke chased his baseball dreams for almost a decade, suiting up for several Major League teams before he finally called it quits in 1965. This utility player from Hagerstown, Maryland, really embodied the journeyman athlete of his time, bouncing between the majors and minors and showing off his knack for playing just about anywhere on the field.

Burke played nine professional seasons from 1957 to 1965, appearing with four MLB teams: the Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Angels, St. Louis Cardinals, and Chicago Cubs. His story echoes the lives of so many players who spent their careers on the edge of the big leagues, always hustling for a roster spot and hoping for a shot at lasting success.

From his days as a Virginia Tech grad to his last season with the Cubs, Burke’s journey through pro baseball gives us a peek into the tough world of utility players in the 1960s. His .239 career batting average over 165 MLB games only hints at the persistence and adaptability he showed during his run in organized ball.

Early Life and Background

Leo Patrick Burke Jr. was born on May 6, 1934, in Hagerstown, Maryland. He grew up as the only child of Leo Sr. and Irene Burke.

His dad ran Burke’s Fruit Market, which gave the family a steady, middle-class life. Burke’s athletic ability showed up early, carrying him from amateur baseball leagues all the way to Virginia Tech, where he stood out in more than one sport.

Childhood and Family

Leo Burke grew up surrounded by family in Hagerstown. His father, Leo Sr., ran the fruit market, making the Burkes a known name in the local business scene.

Irene Burke, his mom, supported the family and pitched in with the business. As an only child, Burke got plenty of attention from his parents, which helped him chase his athletic goals with their strong support.

The family’s business background gave him stability as a kid. That solid footing gave him the confidence to go after sports while keeping up with school. His parents always encouraged his athletic pursuits.

Education and Introduction to Baseball

Burke went to North Hagerstown High School, where he became a three-sport athlete. He lettered in baseball, basketball, and football, turning heads with his versatility.

Notre Dame’s athletic director actually visited Burke during his senior year to recruit him. That kind of attention really says something about his high school career. Still, Burke picked Virginia Polytechnic Institute for college.

At Virginia Tech, Burke graduated in 1956 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He earned a remarkable 10 letters across three sports. His academic achievements kept pace with his athletic ones.

Burke started out as the third-string quarterback behind some older players. Coach Frank Moseley saw his talent and moved him around—he played end, halfback, and fullback before finally landing the starting QB job.

Amateur Baseball Experience

Burke started his amateur baseball career with the Morris Frank American Legion Post #42 team in 1950-51. He then played for a Boonsboro semipro team in 1951-52. Those early years helped him build his skills.

At Virginia Tech, Burke played outfield for the baseball team and earned All-Southern Conference honors in both 1955 and 1956. He finished his collegiate baseball career with a batting average over .300.

Major league scouts came after Burke right after he graduated in 1956. Still, none of the contract offers really matched what he wanted. Instead, he took a job with Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company in Roanoke.

The Baltimore Orioles and scout Red Norris finally signed Burke in February 1957. “I am greatly pleased that I have this fine opportunity to play major league ball,” Burke said. “It has been one of my life’s ambitions. I just hope I can make the grade.”

Professional Baseball Career Highlights

Leo Burke played pro baseball for nine seasons from 1957 to 1965, making appearances with four big league teams and several minor league clubs. His versatility as a utility player and steady power in the minors shaped his baseball journey.

MLB Debut and Teams Played For

Leo Burke made his big league debut on September 7, 1958, with the Baltimore Orioles. He played in seven games during that first call-up and hit an impressive .455, going 5-for-11. He hit his first home run off Zach Monroe of the New York Yankees.

Burke’s MLB career included stints with:

• Baltimore Orioles (1958-1959)
• Los Angeles Angels (1961-1962)
• St. Louis Cardinals (1963)
• Chicago Cubs (1964-1965)

The Washington Senators picked Burke in the expansion draft in December 1960, but they quickly sold him to the Los Angeles Angels. He played 25 games with the Angels over two seasons before the St. Louis Cardinals bought his contract in March 1963.

The Chicago Cubs got Burke in a trade for Barney Schultz on June 24, 1963. His 1964 season with Chicago was his only full year in the majors.

Key Career Milestones

Burke’s best year in the majors came in 1964 with the Cubs. He played 59 games and hit .262, his highest total for both games and batting average in the big leagues.

He put up bigger numbers in the minors. In 1962 with the Dallas-Fort Worth Rangers, Burke led the American Association with 27 home runs and batted .278. That season convinced the Cardinals to buy his contract the next spring.

Career Stats:

• MLB: 165 games, .239 average, 9 home runs, 45 RBIs
• Minors: 844 games, .254 average, 127 home runs

Burke had his best minor league power year in 1959 with the Miami Marlins, hitting 21 home runs despite a .219 average. In 1958 with Knoxville, he hit .307 with 17 homers, showing he could hit for both average and power.

Positional Versatility: INF-OF Roles

Burke really fit the utility player mold, playing multiple positions during his career. He lined up mostly as a rightfielder, second baseman, and third baseman, but he also filled in at other infield and outfield spots.

His defensive flexibility made him a handy option for teams short on roster depth. The Cubs leaned on Burke as one of their “INF-OF” guys in the mid-1960s, which was a pretty common move back then.

Burke’s ability to handle both infield and outfield roles helped him stick around the majors for parts of seven seasons. Teams kept him around for his versatility, even when his bat cooled off at the top level.

He played his last big league game on May 25, 1965, with the Cubs. After going 2-for-10 in 12 games that year, Chicago sent him to the Salt Lake City Bees, where he wrapped up his career with a .214 average in 60 games.

Major League Teams and Notable Seasons

Burke suited up for four MLB teams between 1958 and 1965, with his best years coming with the Chicago Cubs. He played his only full season in 1964 with Chicago, hitting .262 in 59 games.

Baltimore Orioles Tenure

Burke made his MLB debut on September 7, 1958, with the Baltimore Orioles. He spent parts of two seasons with the Orioles from 1958-1959.

During his time in Baltimore, Burke worked as a utility player, covering right field, second base, and third base.

The Orioles gave Burke his first shot at major league baseball, though his time on the field was limited in those early years.

Chicago Cubs Achievements

Burke played 98 of his 165 MLB games with the Cubs. That was the bulk of his big league career from 1963-1965.

His best season came in 1964 with Chicago, when he hit .262 in 59 games. That year marked his only full season in the majors.

The Cubs got Burke in a waiver deal on June 24, 1963, trading reliever Barney Schultz to the Cardinals for him.

Burke’s last MLB appearance was on May 26, 1965, as a Cub. He went 2-for-10 in 12 games that season before heading to the Salt Lake City Bees.

Other MLB Team Contributions

Burke spent some time with the Los Angeles Angels from 1961-1962. He played just six games for the Angels in one of those years, spending most of his time in the minors.

The St. Louis Cardinals bought Burke’s contract in March 1963, but he didn’t stay long—he was traded to the Cubs that June.

Burke’s career totals: a .239 batting average, nine home runs, and 45 RBIs across all four teams. He picked up 72 hits in his MLB career.

His ability to play just about anywhere made him a useful piece for several teams. Burke filled in at different positions when teams needed some extra depth.

Minor League and International Play

Leo Burke spent most of his nine-year pro baseball career in the minor leagues, working his way through different teams in the Orioles, Angels, and other organizations’ farm systems.

Minor League Development

Burke kicked off his pro career in 1957 after signing with the Orioles as an amateur free agent. That first year was rough—he hit just .192 in 97 games with the Class A Knoxville Smokies.

The Orioles moved him up to the AA San Antonio Missions later that season. He played 22 games there and hit only .183, still struggling at the plate.

But the experience paid off. In 1958, he returned to Knoxville and hit .307 with 17 home runs, earning a call-up to the majors that September.

In 1959, Burke played for the AAA Miami Marlins. He batted .219 but showed off his power with 21 home runs, proving he could drive in runs at the top minor league level.

Notable Minor League Teams

Burke played for several key minor league teams over his career. The Miami Marlins were his main AAA affiliate, where he spent a lot of time in 1959 and 1960.

He joined the Dallas-Fort Worth Rangers after moving to the Angels organization. In 1962, he had his best minor league season there, hitting .278 and leading the American Association with 27 home runs.

Burke also spent a good chunk of time with the Salt Lake City Bees. He played 90 games for them in 1961, hitting .280 with 16 home runs. The Bees were his last stop in 1965, where he hit .214 in 60 games before retiring.

Across his minor league career, Burke played 844 games, hit .254, and launched 127 home runs with 441 RBIs.

Winter Leagues Participation

There’s not much out there about Burke’s winter league play during his career. The records suggest he played some winter ball, but the details are sketchy—no specific leagues or seasons listed.

A lot of players in Burke’s era used winter leagues to sharpen their skills and pick up some extra cash. These leagues gave guys a chance to work on parts of their game in the off-season.

For utility players like Burke, winter ball was a good way to stay sharp at multiple positions.

Retirement and Post-Baseball Life

Leo Burke ended his pro baseball career in 1965 after injuries during his time with the Salt Lake City Bees. He went into business with his father and stayed connected to the baseball community through various hall of fame inductions.

Retirement in 1965

Burke wrapped up his professional baseball career in 1965, and honestly, it ended a lot sooner than he probably expected. Injuries piled up while he played for the Triple-A Salt Lake City Bees.

He tore a tendon in his finger early in the season, which knocked him out for six weeks. When Burke finally got back on the field, his throwing still wasn’t right.

The medical staff decided to move him to the outfield to work around his arm issues. But things just didn’t go his way.

He broke a bone in his hand diving for a fly ball. The team taped up his hand and sent him back out there anyway.

Pitchers picked up on his weakness almost immediately. “I just couldn’t hit an inside pitch, and they knew it,” Burke admitted. “Anything away from the plate I had a chance at, but nothing inside. I couldn’t hold onto the bat.”

Burke finished out the 1965 season with a .214 average in 60 games for Salt Lake City. At the end of the season, he announced his retirement, closing out a nine-year run in pro baseball.

Activities After Baseball

After stepping away from baseball, Burke headed back to Hagerstown, Maryland. He joined the family business with his father.

Together, they opened Leo Burke’s Colonial Pantry, a grocery market that served their neighbors. A couple of years later, they expanded and got a liquor license.

They opened Leo Burke’s Colonial Liquors right next door to the grocery store. Both businesses sat on Dual Highway in Hagerstown.

The property still runs as a liquor store today, though it’s under different ownership now. Burke stayed in Hagerstown until around 2004.

He then retired to Virginia, where he spent his last years with his wife, Julia. The two married on June 13, 1953, and celebrated 70 years together in 2023.

Burke is survived by his children Leo III, David, Erin, and Jacob, plus their families.

Legacy Within Baseball Community

Burke’s athletic career earned him spots in several halls of fame. His success across different sports and levels led to some pretty impressive honors.

Hall of Fame Inductions:

• Washington County Sports Hall of Fame
• Virginia Tech Sports Hall of Fame
• Salem, Virginia Baseball Hall of Fame

These honors recognized what he brought to both pro baseball and his college days at Virginia Tech. At the university, he picked up 10 letters in three sports.

People remember Burke for his versatility. He played every position except pitcher during his pro career, including a wild stint as emergency catcher with the Chicago Cubs.

He always seemed ready to play anywhere, which made him a valuable utility guy. That flexibility helped him stick around for seven seasons in the majors, even though he never became an everyday starter.

Legacy, Honors, and Net Worth

Leo Burke spent nine seasons in professional baseball from 1957 to 1965, leaving behind solid stats and a reputation as a dependable utility player. He contributed to several MLB teams, and his financial circumstances reflected what life was like for ballplayers back in the late ’50s and early ’60s.

Career Statistics and Records

Burke finished his major league career with a .239 average over 165 games, collecting 72 hits in 301 at-bats. He hit 9 home runs while playing for four different teams.

In the minors, his numbers looked even better. Burke played 844 games, put up 732 hits in 2,875 at-bats, and knocked 127 home runs, batting .254.

His best minor league season was 1962 with the Dallas-Fort Worth Rangers. He led the American Association with 27 home runs and batted .278.

Burke had his top major league year in 1964 with the Chicago Cubs. He played 59 games and hit .262.

He made his MLB debut on September 7, 1958, with the Baltimore Orioles at age 24. His last big-league game came on May 25, 1965, with the Cubs before he finished out his career in the minors.

Recognition and Awards

Burke never picked up any major individual awards during his pro career. Teams valued him for his ability to play multiple positions.

He played right field, second base, and third base throughout his time in the majors. That flexibility made him a solid addition to any roster.

Leading the American Association in home runs in 1962 was probably his top statistical highlight. That season led the St. Louis Cardinals to purchase his contract on March 25, 1963.

At Virginia Tech, Burke played baseball, basketball, and football, and he earned a business administration degree. He really did it all in college.

No halls of fame or baseball museums have officially recognized his pro career. Burke’s legacy mostly lives on in the records of the teams he played for.

Net Worth and Financial Overview

No one really knows Burke’s net worth from his playing days or after he left baseball. Back in the late 1950s and early 1960s, baseball salaries just didn’t compare to what players make today.

Players like Burke usually had to pick up extra work in the off-season. With his business administration degree from Virginia Tech, I’d guess he had some decent options outside baseball.

Burke’s dad ran Burke’s Fruit Market in Hagerstown, Maryland. Growing up around a family business probably shaped how he thought about money and what he did after baseball.

Since Burke only had a short run in the majors as a utility player, he didn’t earn like the big stars did. Minor league pay was even lower during those years.

Burke eventually retired back in Hagerstown, Maryland, by 2008. We don’t really know much about what he did after baseball, which isn’t unusual for guys from his era.