Freddie Moncewicz

A native of Brockton, Massachusetts, Moncewicz was the son of Polish immigrants, and was a standout student and athlete at Brockton High School and Boston College.{{cite web |author=Bill Nowlin |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/8af77ce3 |title=Freddie Moncewicz |publisher=sabr.org |access-date=August 30, 2019 |archive-date=August 31, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190831012305/https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/8af77ce3 |url-status=dead }} He played shortstop for Boston College from 1925 to 1928, where his manager was former major leaguer Jack Slattery.{{cite news | title = Boston College Players | pages = 8 | newspaper = The Heights | location = Chestnut Hill, MA | date = May 12, 1925 | url = https://newspapers.bc.edu/?a=d&d=bcheights19250512 }}{{cite news | title = Eagles Overwhelm Middlebury, 21-3 | pages = 6 | newspaper = The Heights | location = Chestnut Hill, MA | date = May 25, 1926 | url = https://newspapers.bc.edu/?a=d&d=bcheights19260525 }}{{cite news | title = Ball Tossers Successful on New York Trip; Defeat Cornell and Colgate | pages = 5 | newspaper = The Heights | location = Chestnut Hill, MA | date = May 17, 1927 | url = https://newspapers.bc.edu/?a=d&d=bcheights19270517 }}{{cite news | title = Hank O'Day Still Leading Batters | pages = 5 | newspaper = The Heights | location = Chestnut Hill, MA | date = May 1, 1928 | url = https://newspapers.bc.edu/?a=d&d=bcheights19280501 }} While at B.C., he also played varsity football and basketball.{{cite news | title = Statistics of Boston College Football Team | pages = 1 | newspaper = The Heights | location = Chestnut Hill, MA | date = November 28, 1925 | url = https://newspapers.bc.edu/?a=d&d=bcheights19251128 }}{{cite news | title = Eight Men to Play Their Last for Boston College in Game Saturday | pages = 7 | newspaper = The Heights | location = Chestnut Hill, MA | date = November 22, 1927 | url = https://newspapers.bc.edu/?a=d&d=bcheights19271122 }}{{cite news | title = Basketball Season of 1925 One of Most Successful in Last Decade | pages = 3 | newspaper = The Heights | location = Chestnut Hill, MA | date = March 17, 1925 | url = https://newspapers.bc.edu/?a=d&d=bcheights19250317 }}

From 1923 to 1927, he played summer baseball in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Hyannis town team,{{cite news | title = Hyannis | pages = 6 | newspaper = Hyannis Patriot | location = Hyannis, MA | date = December 10, 1923 | url = http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/APA/Sturgis/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=HYP%2F1923%2F12%2F10&id=Ar00608&sk=E10D99EA&viewMode=image }}{{cite news | title = Moncewicz Hits Homer for Hyannis Victory | pages = 1 | newspaper = Hyannis Patriot | location = Hyannis, MA | date = August 5, 1926 | url = http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/APA/Yarmouth/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=HYP%2F1926%2F08%2F05&id=Ar00124&sk=9E254201&viewMode=image }} leading the team to league titles as player/manager in 1926 and 1927.{{cite news | title = Bearse Wins Another for Hyannis | pages = 6 | newspaper = Hyannis Patriot | location = Hyannis, MA | date = July 29, 1926 | url = http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/APA/Yarmouth/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=HYP%2F1926%2F07%2F29&id=Ar00610&sk=D91E888B&viewMode=image }}{{cite news | title = Barnstable Wins Penant | pages = 1 | newspaper = Falmouth Enterprise | location = Falmouth, MA | date = September 11, 1926 | url = http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/APA/Falmouth/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=FEN%2F1926%2F09%2F11&id=Ar00103&sk=3E08559F&viewMode=image }}{{cite news | title = The Hyannis Baseball Team, Champions of the Cape Cod League | pages = 13 | newspaper = Hyannis Patriot | location = Hyannis, MA | date = September 8, 1927 | url = http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/APA/Sturgis/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=HYP%2F1927%2F09%2F08&id=Ar01304&sk=0BB1A5E0&viewMode=image }} After his brief major league stint, Moncewicz returned to the league to play for the Hyannis/Barnstable team for several seasons through 1933,{{cite news | title = C.C.Baseball | pages = 1 | newspaper = Hyannis Patriot | location = Hyannis, MA | date = June 20, 1929 | url = http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/APA/Sturgis/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=HYP%2F1929%2F06%2F20&id=Ar00107&sk=8C73C119&viewMode=image }}{{cite news | title = Barnstable to play in league | pages = 8 | newspaper = Yarmouth Register | location = Yarmouth, MA | date = May 27, 1933 | url = http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/APA/Sturgis/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=SYR%2F1933%2F05%2F27&id=Ar00801&sk=0D3BE782&viewMode=image }} and for the Bourne team in 1934 and 1935.{{cite book |last=Jensen |first=Dudley |date=2000 |title=Baseball, Bourne and the Cape Cod League |url= |location=Bourne, Massachusetts |publisher=Bourne Braves |page= |isbn= |author-link=}}{{cite news | title = Cape League Opens | pages = 3 | newspaper = Yarmouth Register | location = Yarmouth, MA | date = July 14, 1934 | url = http://digital.olivesoftware.com/Olive/APA/Yarmouth/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=SYR%2F1934%2F07%2F14&id=Ar00317&sk=8381B57F&viewMode=image }} Moncewicz also played basketball on Cape Cod, and in December of 1923, his team, the Mill Hill Five, played a game in Yarmouth against the Brockton OKO's before a throng of fans that included Baseball Hall of Famer Babe Ruth.{{cite book |last=Setterlund |first=Christopher |date=2019 |title=Cape Cod Nights: Historic Bars, Clubs & Drinks |location=Charleston, SC |publisher=American Palate |page=Ch.20 |isbn=9781439667040 }}

After graduating from Boston College in 1928, Moncewicz was signed to a contract with the Boston Red Sox, and appeared in three games for the Red Sox during their 1928 season. His major league debut came on June 19 as Boston faced the Washington Senators in the second game of a doubleheader at Griffith Stadium. Moncewicz was inserted as a late-inning replacement for shortstop Wally Gerber, and was struck out by Washington hurler Firpo Marberry in his only at-bat. Red Sox Hall of Famer Red Ruffing took the loss in Boston's 16-7 defeat.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/WS1/WS1192806192.shtml |title=Boston Red Sox at Washington Senators Box Score, June 19, 1928 |publisher=baseball-reference.com |access-date=January 9, 2020}} The following day, Moncewicz was again brought in late for Gerber, but did not come to bat.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/WS1/WS1192806200.shtml |title=Boston Red Sox at Washington Senators Box Score, June 20, 1928 |publisher=baseball-reference.com |access-date=January 9, 2020}} Moncewicz's third and final major league appearance came on July 2 in the opener of a doubleheader at Shibe Park against Connie Mack's Philadelphia A's, a team that boasted several future Hall of Famers in the day's lineup, including Ty Cobb, Jimmie Foxx and Lefty Grove. Ruffing, though a pitcher, had been brought in to pinch-hit for Boston's starter, Merle Settlemire. Ruffing knocked a single, and Moncewicz was brought in to pinch-run, but did not score and did not remain in the game, which Boston lost, 9-2.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/PHA/PHA192807021.shtml |title=Boston Red Sox at Philadelphia Athletics Box Score, July 2, 1928 |publisher=baseball-reference.com |access-date=January 9, 2020}}

In the fall of 1928, Moncewicz married fellow Brockton native Margaret Chalitco.{{cite news | title = Moncewicz Marries Brockton Girl | pages = 1 | newspaper = The Heights | location = Chestnut Hill, MA | date = October 23, 1928 | url = https://newspapers.bc.edu/?a=d&d=bcheights19281023 }} In 1929, Moncewicz played for the Pittsfield Hillies of the Eastern League.{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=moncew001fre |title=Freddie Moncewicz |publisher=baseball-reference.com |access-date=January 9, 2020}} He returned to his alma mater in 1931 to serve as Boston College's freshman baseball coach,{{cite news | title = Through the Eagle's Eye | pages = 5 | newspaper = The Heights | location = Chestnut Hill, MA | date = April 15, 1931 | url = https://newspapers.bc.edu/?a=d&d=bcheights19310415 }} and in 1932 was assistant varsity coach under Frank McCrehan.{{cite news | title = Downes Appointed New Line Coach; Moncewicz to Assist McCrehan | pages = 5 | newspaper = The Heights | location = Chestnut Hill, MA | date = April 13, 1932 | url = https://newspapers.bc.edu/?a=d&d=bcheights19320413 }} Moncewicz later graduated from Boston College Law School.

During World War II, Moncewicz was a lieutenant commander in the United States Navy, and served aboard the aircraft carrier USS Antietam in the South Pacific. Following his service, Moncewicz was named to the post of state comptroller by Massachusetts Governor Maurice J. Tobin in 1946, serving continuously until 1958, when he retired for health reasons. Moncewicz died in 1969 at the age of 65 in his hometown of Brockton.

• 1928 Boston Red Sox season

{{Reflist}}

{{Baseballstats|br=m/moncefr01}}

• [http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/M/Pmoncf101.htm Baseball Reference]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20081120010815/http://thedeadballera.com/Obits/Moncewicz.Freddie.Obit.html The Deadball Era]
• Freddie Moncewicz biography from [https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/8af77ce3 Society for American Baseball Research (SABR)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190831012305/https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/8af77ce3 |date=August 31, 2019 }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moncewicz, Freddie}}

Category:1903 births

Category:1969 deaths

Category:Boston Red Sox players

Category:Major League Baseball shortstops

Category:Baseball players from Brockton, Massachusetts

Category:Boston College Eagles baseball players

Category:Bourne Braves players

Category:Hyannis Harbor Hawks players

Category:Cape Cod Baseball League players (pre-modern era)

Category:Cape Cod Baseball League coaches

Category:Brockton High School alumni

Category:Pittsfield Hillies players