Carl Linhart

{{Short description|Czechoslovakian baseball player (1929–2022)}}

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Carl Linhart

|position=Pinch hitter/Pinch runner

|image=Carl Linhart.webp

|caption=

|bats=Left

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date|1929|12|14}}

|birth_place=Zborov, Czechoslovakia

|death_date={{Death date and age|2022|1|4|1929|12|14}}

|death_place=Maryville, Illinois, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=August 2

|debutyear=1952

|debutteam=Detroit Tigers

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=September 19

|finalyear=1952

|finalteam=Detroit Tigers

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=At bats

|stat1value=2

|stat2label=Hits

|stat2value=0

|stat3label=Runs scored

|stat3value=0

|teams=

Detroit Tigers ({{mlby|1952}})}}

Carl James Linhart (born Karol Linhart, December 14, 1929 – January 4, 2022) was a professional baseball player who appeared in three Major League games played as a pinch hitter and pinch runner for the Detroit Tigers during the 1952 season. He was born in Zborov, Czechoslovakia. Linhart is one of three MLB players (along with John Stedronsky and Elmer Valo) born in the former Czechoslovakia or its pre-1918 territories.{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/bio/Czechoslovakia_born.shtml |website=baseball-reference.com |publisher=sports-reference.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304222420/http://www.baseball-reference.com/bio/Czechoslovakia_born.shtml |title=3 players born in Czechoslovakia |archive-date=2016-03-04 |access-date=January 9, 2022}}

Linhart grew up in Granite City, Illinois, and played eight minor league seasons (1948–1949; 1951–1956) as an outfielder, mostly in the Tigers' farm system. In his only Major Leaguer service, with the last-place 1952 Tigers, Linhart pinch hit for Hal Newhouser on August 2 against the Boston Red Sox, and grounded into a double play against Ralph Brickner.{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1952/B08020DET1952.htm |title=Boston Red Sox 10, Detroit Tigers 5 |date=1952-08-02 |publisher=Retrosheet |access-date=January 9, 2022 |archive-date=January 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220109233136/https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1952/B08020DET1952.htm |url-status=live }} Almost six weeks later, on September 11, 1952, he pinch ran for Matt Batts in another game against the Red Sox at Briggs Stadium.{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1952/B09110DET1952.htm |date=1952-09-11 |title=Detroit Tigers 5, Boston Red Sox 4 |publisher=Retrosheet |access-date=January 9, 2022 |archive-date=January 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220111044342/https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1952/B09110DET1952.htm |url-status=live }} Then, in his final big league appearance eight days later at Municipal Stadium, Linhart pinch hit for pitcher Hal White and made an out to second base against Early Wynn of the Cleveland Indians.{{cite web |url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1952/B09190CLE1952.htm |date=1952-09-19 |title=Cleveland Indians 4, Detroit Tigers 1 |publisher=Retrosheet |access-date=January 9, 2022 |archive-date=January 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220109234226/https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1952/B09190CLE1952.htm |url-status=live }} Linhart died on January 4, 2022, at the age of 92.{{cite web |title=Carl J. Linhart |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/belleville/name/carl-linhart-obituary?id=32163809 |website=legacy.com |access-date=9 January 2022 |date=9 January 2022 |archive-date=January 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220109011945/https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/belleville/name/carl-linhart-obituary?id=32163809 |url-status=live }}