Dave Cole – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

David Bruce Cole left professional baseball in 1955 when he was just 27, closing out a six-season Major League run that really makes you wonder what might’ve been. Hailing from Maryland, he had a wicked fastball and a sharp curveball that made scouts take notice, but he just couldn’t find the strike zone often enough, and that ended up defining his big league story.

Cole’s stats pretty much sum up his career—he went 6-18, struck out 119 batters in 237 innings, but walked a staggering 200 hitters, giving him a BB/9 of 7.556. His control problems became almost legendary among teammates and opponents, and people started calling him one of the “wildest” pitchers of his time. Still, Cole managed to hang around with three different franchises, suiting up for the Boston Braves, Milwaukee Braves, Chicago Cubs, and Philadelphia Phillies.

The right-hander’s journey from a small-town Maryland high school standout to the majors shows just how complicated baseball talent development was in the 1950s. His story gives us a window into an era when pure ability could get you all the way to the top, even if you never quite figured out the basics like command.

Early Life and Amateur Career

David Bruce Cole started his baseball path in Williamsport, Maryland, where he was born on August 29, 1930. He showed his athletic side early on at Williamsport High School, becoming a multi-sport standout before zeroing in on baseball with local Hagerstown teams.

Family Background in Williamsport

Bruce and Anna May Cole welcomed David Bruce Cole into their family in Williamsport on August 29, 1930. The town, with just about 1,500 residents, sat along the Potomac River, roughly eight miles south of Hagerstown in western Maryland.

Dave grew up as the third of five kids. That close-knit, rural community gave him the kind of support and foundation that would help him throughout his baseball life.

Baseball ran deep in Williamsport’s culture, and that atmosphere definitely fueled young Dave’s love for the game.

Williamsport High School and Athletic Achievements

Dave Cole stood out at Williamsport High in the late 1940s. He wasn’t just good at baseball—he excelled in several sports and played with a real competitive edge.

He played a key role on the Maryland state champion soccer team in 1947. Then, in 1948, he helped the basketball team grab the state championship, proving he could do a bit of everything.

High School Baseball Highlights:

• Struck out 19 Hagerstown High batters in a seven-inning game his senior year
• Regularly racked up strikeouts in the double digits
• Showed off his pitching skills enough to get pro scouts buzzing

His senior season in 1948 was something else. Cole’s dominant pitching drew looks from several Major League teams—the Pirates, Athletics, Cubs, and Yankees all showed interest.

Hagerstown and Legion Baseball Success

Cole’s real baseball growth happened when he started pitching for Hagerstown-area teams. He threw for both the Williamsport town squad and the Morris Frock American Legion team in Hagerstown.

His outings with Morris Frock American Legion caught Boston Braves scout Johnny Ogden’s attention. That connection got Cole an invite to work out for the Braves in Boston during September 1947.

Notable Amateur Performance:

• Faced former big leaguer Boots Poffenberger in an exhibition at Hagerstown’s Municipal Stadium on September 12, 1947
• Struck out 10 batters, even though his team lost 8-3 to Cumberland Amvets
• 1,250 fans showed up to watch Cole’s impressive strikeout work

After the Braves workout, Cole kept pitching for local teams like the Boonsboro Yellow Jackets. His steady performance and big strikeout numbers made him one of the most in-demand amateur pitchers in the area.

Path to Major League Baseball

Dave Cole’s climb from small-town Maryland to the majors started with his high school and Legion baseball highlights. The Boston Braves spotted his potential early and signed him in 1948, then put him through their minor league system.

Scouting and First Professional Contracts

Scouts first noticed Cole while he played for Morris Frock American Legion in Hagerstown. Johnny Ogden, working for the Boston Braves, saw Cole’s stuff and invited him to Boston for a five-day tryout in September 1947.

That workout went well for the 17-year-old. After graduating from Williamsport High in 1948, Cole took a two-year major league contract with the Boston Braves for $6,000.

Other teams wanted him too. The Pirates, Athletics, Cubs, and Yankees all tried to sign him. The Yankees even offered to pay his way through Wake Forest College, but Cole chose to go pro instead.

Signing with the Boston Braves

Cole picked the Boston Braves after impressing scouts with his strikeout power. In his senior year at Williamsport High, he struck out 19 batters in a seven-inning game and often hit double-digit strikeouts.

The Braves liked his lively fastball and sharp curve, even though they saw his control wasn’t great. His high school catcher, Donald “Laco” Anderson, also tried out with the Braves and later signed with the Cubs.

After the contract, Cole landed with Class B Pawtucket in the New England League for the back half of 1948.

Minor League Development and AAA Milwaukee

Cole’s minor league career kicked off at Pawtucket, where he pitched 62 innings and posted a 5-2 record. Control problems showed up early—he walked 37 in those innings.

The Braves moved him up to Jackson, Mississippi, their Class B team in the Southeastern League for 1949. He threw 203 innings that season, the most he’d ever pitch as a pro. But the walks kept coming, with 151 free passes and a walk rate of 6.7 per nine innings.

Despite those issues, Cole’s raw talent got him a shot at AAA Milwaukee to start 1950. His control got a little better there—walks dropped to 4.8 per nine, while he kept striking out 8.6 per nine innings in 112 frames.

Major League Career Overview

Dave Cole’s MLB career lasted from 1950 to 1955, taking him from the Boston Braves (and their move to Milwaukee) to the Chicago Cubs and finally the Philadelphia Phillies. He showed off a great strikeout arm but just couldn’t shake his control problems, finishing with a 6-18 record in 237⅔ innings.

Debut and Impact with Braves

Cole made his big league debut on September 9, 1950, with the Boston Braves at age 20. He came in as a reliever against Philadelphia, giving up just one earned run and striking out eight over eight innings.

He flashed real promise in 1951. On his 21st birthday, August 29, 1951, Cole notched his first major league win against the Cubs, pitching into the ninth and allowing only one run on three hits while striking out six.

His most memorable outing came in September 1951 with a complete-game win over Philadelphia. He went 3-for-3 at the plate, collected a two-run double and a homer, and still managed to walk nine batters in the 4-1 victory.

Cole stuck with the franchise as it moved to Milwaukee in 1953, joining the Milwaukee Braves. But as the team improved, his innings dropped off—a total of just 14⅔ that season.

Chicago Cubs Stint and Notable Trade

The Cubs picked up Cole during his career, but he couldn’t shake the control issues that followed him through the NL. With a walk rate of 7.556 per nine innings, he earned a reputation as one of the wildest pitchers around.

His time in Chicago was short, but when he found the strike zone, he could still strike out hitters. Scouts and managers liked his curveball and fastball, but his wildness kept him from being truly effective.

The Cubs mostly used him out of the bullpen, hoping shorter stints would let him focus on strikeouts. Still, he kept walking too many, so he never locked down a regular rotation spot.

That stretch with Chicago pretty much summed up the middle of his career—teams saw the upside but got frustrated waiting for him to put it together.

Philadelphia Phillies and Retirement

Cole wrapped up his MLB days with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1955. His stint with the Phillies marked the closing chapter of a career that just never quite reached its promise.

He kept struggling with control in Philadelphia. He finished with 119 career strikeouts but walked more batters than he fanned, a tough cycle for him and the team.

The Phillies let him go after the 1955 season, ending his major league run at just 25. His final stats—6-18 record and an ERA that mirrored his control woes—tell the story.

After leaving the majors, Cole played one more pro season, bouncing between three minor league teams, including a stop with Chattanooga, which was a Washington Senators affiliate.

Playing Style and Legacy as a Pitcher

People remember Dave Cole for his power fastball and sharp curveball, but his inability to control those pitches really defined his six years in the majors. With a career BB/9 of 7.556, he became one of the most unpredictable arms of his era, setting a few odd MLB records along the way.

Pitching Strengths and Challenges

Cole had a lively fastball and a sharp curve that always caught the eyes of scouts and coaches. At 6’2″ and 175 pounds, he looked the part of a big league pitcher.

His catcher, Donald Anderson, once said Cole “was on a fine line, control-wise” and would “barely miss the strike zone.” So, his wildness wasn’t just random—he missed by inches, which probably made it even more frustrating for his teammates.

The big hurdle was his inability to throw strikes when it counted. One Boston reporter noted Cole tended to “try too hard when he gets into a jam,” and that mental pressure just made things worse.

Manager Tommy Holmes nailed it: “If he can ever get his control lined up, he’ll be just plain murder.” Sadly, Cole never really figured out how to command his stuff.

Wildness and Control: Walks and BB/9

Cole’s BB/9 of 7.556 sits among the highest ever for pitchers with real innings under their belt. In his 1949 minor league season, he walked 151 batters in 203 innings—the control issues started early.

His big league numbers weren’t any better. In 1952, he issued 42 walks in just 44.2 innings. The next year, he managed 14 walks in only 14.2 innings.

Over his career, Cole handed out 177 walks in 237.2 innings. That meant he couldn’t get regular starts because of the walks, but without steady game action, how could he ever improve?

Cole himself complained that “he pitched his arm away in the bullpen just warming up” instead of getting real game chances to work on his control.

Unique MLB Feats and Records

Cole pulled off one of the strangest feats in baseball history while with the Boston Braves in 1952. He got three outs without throwing a single strike, which is nearly impossible and really sums up his wildness.

He finished with a 4.93 ERA and a 6-18 record—numbers that show how much his lack of control hurt him. Even though he struck out 119 batters, the walks always got in the way.

Cole ended up as the kind of pitcher who drives scouts and managers crazy—so much raw talent, but just out of reach. His career stands as a cautionary tale about what happens when you can’t harness your gifts.

People still remember Cole as a pitcher who could’ve been great if only he’d figured out his control. That wild BB/9 and his odd strikeout feats tell the story of both his promise and his limits as a big league pitcher.

Statistical Highlights and Career Analysis

Dave Cole spent six seasons in MLB, and his stats show a mix of promise and rough patches. If you look at his advanced numbers, you’ll see he really struggled with control and consistency, and that pretty much shaped his short run in the majors.

Career Statistics and Advanced Metrics

Cole wrapped up his career with a 6-18 record and a 4.93 ERA over 237.1 innings. He struck out 119 batters, but the bigger story was his control—he walked 199 hitters, ending up with a 0.60 strikeout-to-walk ratio that’s, well, not great.

His WHIP of 1.770 shows he let on almost two baserunners every inning. If you’re looking for a bright spot, it was 1950, when he posted a 1.13 ERA for Boston, though he didn’t pitch much that year.

The advanced stats really don’t let him off the hook. His FIP of 4.91 matched his ERA, so we can’t just blame bad luck or shaky defense.

With an 80 ERA+, Cole pitched about 20% worse than the average pitcher of his time. He walked 7.5 batters per nine innings, which, honestly, is way too high for any era.

Comparisons and WAR Evaluation

Cole finished with a career WAR of -0.6. That means, by today’s standards, he actually hurt his teams more than he helped.

His roughest year by WAR was 1951, when he posted -0.4 WAR in 67.2 innings. Only his rookie season in 1950 gave him a positive mark at 0.2 WAR.

He struck out 4.5 batters per nine innings, which lagged behind most pitchers of the 1950s. The best pitchers back then usually had better control and more command than Cole ever managed.

That mix of wildness and low strikeout numbers just didn’t make for a sustainable big league career.

Life After Baseball and Lasting Recognition

In the late 1950s, Dave Cole headed back to his hometown of Williamsport, Maryland. Folks there probably remember him more for what he did in the community than anything he did on a baseball diamond.

His life after baseball got him into local sports halls of fame, and baseball historians still keep track of his unusual stat lines.

Post-Baseball Life in Hagerstown

Once his pro career ended, Cole moved back to the Hagerstown area, close to where he grew up. He settled in during the late 1950s and started focusing on life away from the game.

He married Connie Kreps, his high school sweetheart, in October 1950. They had three kids: Dave Cole Jr. in June 1951, then twin daughters, Karla and Karen, in November 1953.

He lived quietly in western Maryland for years. Cole stayed close to the community where he first learned baseball as a teenager.

Cole passed away on October 26, 2011, at age 81.

His family life gave him some stability after bouncing around with different teams and cities. Coming home let him reconnect with the area where he’d first made a name for himself in high school sports.

Honors, Community Contributions, and Hall of Fame

People in the area recognized Cole more for his community work than for his time in the majors. The Washington County Sports Hall of Fame inducted him, honoring what he’d done both as an athlete and as a local supporter.

The citation highlighted his standout high school years at Williamsport High School from 1947 to 1950. His impact locally stretched well beyond his six MLB seasons from 1950 to 1955.

Around Hagerstown, Cole’s community involvement became his real legacy. Local writers liked to say he’d be remembered longer for what he did off the field than on it.

His spot in the county sports hall of fame put him alongside other athletes who’d made a mark in the region. That honor summed up his double impact—as a pro ballplayer and as someone who gave back to his hometown.

Legacy in Baseball Research and Records

Baseball researchers have kept Cole’s unique statistical records alive, especially through organizations like SABR (Society for American Baseball Research). If you look at his career stats, you’ll see the story of a pitcher with a ton of talent but some real control issues.

Cole actually set a wild record: he managed to record three outs without throwing a single strike while pitching for the Boston Braves. That odd moment really shows how much he struggled with command during his career.

Key Statistical Records:

• Career BB/9 ratio: 7.556, which is extremely high
• Total strikeouts: 119 over six seasons
• Career record: 6-18 in 237⅔ innings

You can find his full game logs and stats in research databases like Retrosheet. They show he walked 106 batters in just 112⅓ innings during his 1951-52 seasons with the Braves.

SABR researchers often look at Cole as an example of a pitcher whose raw talent just didn’t turn into consistent success. His story makes you think about the tough road so many promising prospects face when trying to make it in the majors.