Chuck Lindstrom

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Chuck Lindstrom

|image=Chuck Lindstrom.png

|position=Catcher

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date|1936|9|7}}

|birth_place=Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

|death_date={{death date and age|2021|9|29|1936|9|7}}

|death_place=Lincoln, Illinois, U.S.

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=September 28

|debutyear=1958

|debutteam=Chicago White Sox

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=September 28

|finalyear=1958

|finalteam=Chicago White Sox

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Batting average

|stat1value=1.000

|stat2label=Home runs

|stat2value=0

|stat3label=Runs batted in

|stat3value=1

|teams=

Chicago White Sox ({{mlby|1958}})

|highlights=

}}

Charles William Lindstrom (September 7, 1936 – September 29, 2021) was an American professional baseball catcher who played in one Major League Baseball game, for the 1958 Chicago White Sox. He was the son of National Baseball Hall of Fame inductee Freddie Lindstrom. Listed at {{convert|5|ft|11|in|m}} and {{convert|175|lb|kg}}, he batted and threw right-handed.

Biography

Lindstrom was born in Chicago in 1936, and graduated from New Trier High School. He was recognized as the American Legion Baseball player of the year for 1953. He then attended Northwestern University where he played college baseball for the Wildcats and graduated in 1958.

Lindstrom was signed by the Chicago White Sox as an amateur free agent on June 17, 1957. His career in Minor League Baseball spanned 1957 to 1961.{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=lindst001cha |title=Charlie Lindstrom Minor Leagues Statistics |website=Baseball-Reference.com |accessdate=April 13, 2024}}

Lindstrom's major-league debut came during the fifth inning of a game September 28, 1958, versus the Kansas City Athletics as a defensive replacement for Johnny Romano.{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1958/B09280CHA1958.htm |title=Chicago White Sox 11, Kansas City Athletics 4 |date=September 28, 1958 |website=Retrosheet |accessdate=April 13, 2024}} The first pitch from pitcher Hal Trosky was fumbled by Lindstrom as a passed ball, but he settled down and did not make another miscue.{{cite book|last=Rose|first=George|title=One Hit Wonders: Baseball Stories|year=2004|publisher=Excel/Kaleidoscope|location=United States|isbn=9780595318070|pages=212}} In his first plate appearance, in the bottom of the sixth inning, Lindstrom led off with a walk and later scored on a double by Don Mueller. Then, in the bottom of the seventh, he tripled, driving in Johnny Callison. Lindstrom was on deck when Sammy Esposito struck out looking to end the White Sox' last offensive inning in a game they won, 11–4. This was Lindstrom's only major-league game, as he was sent down to the minor leagues the following season and did not return to the major leagues.

Lindstrom is one of only four players to hit a triple in their one and only MLB at bat, the others being Eduardo Rodríguez (1973), Scott Munninghoff (1980), and Eric Cammack (2000). With a triple, a walk, a run, and a run batted in during two plate appearances, Lindstrom had one of the best one-game careers in major-league history, along with John Paciorek.{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/page2/s/list/onehitwonders.html |last=Merron |first=Jeff |title=The List: Baseball's one-hit wonders |website=ESPN.com}}

Lindstrom retired as a player shortly thereafter and went on to a successful 23-year coaching career with Lincoln College, highlighted by a 29–10 record in 1972, the first of five consecutive 20-win seasons.{{cite web |url=http://www.lincolncollege.edu/athletics/baseball/records_past.htm |title=Lincoln College Athletics: Historical Coaching Records |website=lincolncollege.edu |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214074205/http://www.lincolncollege.edu/athletics/baseball/records_past.htm |archive-date=December 14, 2007 |via=Wayback Machine}} He later ran two sports-related companies and retired in 2010. Lindstrom died in Lincoln, Illinois, in September 2021 at the age of 85.{{cite web |url=https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/L/Plindc102.htm |title=Charlie Lindstrom |website=Retrosheet |accessdate=April 13, 2024}} He was survived by his wife and five children.{{cite web |url=https://hbbfh.com/charles-william-lindstrom/ |title=Charles William Lindstrom |website=hbbfh.com |date=September 2021 |accessdate=April 13, 2024}}