{{short description|American baseball player (1917-1984)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name=Jimmy Pofahl |image=Jimmy Pofahl 1941.jpg |image_size=140px |caption=Pofahl, circa 1941 |position=Shortstop |bats=Right |throws=Right |birth_date={{birth date|1917|6|18}} |birth_place=Faribault, Minnesota |death_date={{death date and age|1984|9|14|1917|6|18}} |death_place=Owatonna, Minnesota |debutleague = MLB |debutdate=April 16 |debutyear=1940 |debutteam=Washington Senators |finalleague = MLB |finaldate=September 20 |finalyear=1942 |finalteam=Washington Senators |statleague = MLB |stat1label=Batting average |stat1value=.220 |stat2label=Home runs |stat2value=2 |stat3label=Runs batted in |stat3value=70 |teams= *Washington Senators ({{mlby|1940}}–{{mlby|1942}}) }} '''James Willard Pofahl''' (June 18, 1917 – September 14, 1984) was a shortstop in Major League Baseball. He played for the Washington Senators.<ref>[https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/pofahji01.shtml "Jimmy Pofahl Statistics and History"]. ''baseball-reference.com''. Retrieved 2010-12-11.</ref>
== Career == Pofahl played high school baseball at Faribault High School. He was discovered in Faribault Legion baseball.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1939 |title=Pofahl Night at Nicollet Park |url=https://dp.la/item/1c37661f80fe488cd308ef531eaf04fa |access-date=2025-07-08 |website=Digital Public Library of America}}</ref> He then played for the Minneapolis Millers, and at 22, led the American Association in hitting before he sprained his wrist. When the Washington Senators purchased his rights for $40,000, he held a .303 batting average.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Kirkpatrick |first=Rob |title=Cecil Travis of the Washington Senators: The War-Torn career of an All-Star Shortstop |publisher=University of Nebraska Press |year=2005 |isbn=978-0-8032-2475-9 |location=Lincoln and London |pages=83-86 |language=en}}</ref>
In 1940, Pofahl was slow to sign his contract as a rookie, which frustrated Senators owner Clark Griffith.<ref name=":0" /> Pofahl also had his arm smashed by a closing cab door and had some arm trouble, but still, he played shortstop regularly for the Senators.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Hart |first=Loren |date=2018-09-10 |title=Gopher Sport Founded By An Ex Major Leaguer |url=https://krforadio.com/did-you-know-gopher-sport-was-founded-by-an-ex-major-leaguero/ |access-date=2025-07-08 |website=AM 1390 KRFO |language=en}}</ref> He was traded in March of 1943 to the Philadelphia Athletics for Bob Johnson and cash. He never played another professional baseball game.<ref name=":1" />
Pofahl spent three years in the MLB and hit two home runs his rookie year (both were inside-the park). He averaged a .220 batting average with the Senators.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shea |first=Paul |date=2019-07-10 |title=Faribault's Forgotten Professional Athlete? Jimmy Pofahl |url=https://power96radio.com/faribaults-forgotten-professional-athlete-jimmy-pofahl/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250617114148/https://power96radio.com/faribaults-forgotten-professional-athlete-jimmy-pofahl/ |archive-date=2025-06-17 |access-date=2025-07-08 |website=Power 96 |language=en}}</ref>
== Personal life == Following his stint in the major leagues, Pofahl returned to Minnesota. In April 1947, he started Gopher Sport in Owatonna with Malcom Stephenson. Pofahl died in Owatonna in 1984 and was buried in Maple Lawn Cemetery in Faribault.<ref name=":1" />
In 1991, after his death, he was inducted into the Faribault Sports Hall of Fame.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1991-10-24 |title=Faribault Sports Hall of Fame will induct six new members |work=The Faribault Daily News}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Baseballstats|br=p/pofahji01}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pofahl, Jimmy}} Category:1917 births Category:1984 deaths Category:Major League Baseball shortstops Category:Washington Senators (1901–1960) players Category:20th-century American sportsmen Category:Baseball players from Minnesota Category:Sportspeople from Faribault, Minnesota Category:Indianapolis Indians players Category:Minneapolis Millers (baseball) players Category:Springfield Indians (baseball) players Category:Winnipeg Maroons (baseball) players Category:American expatriate baseball players in Canada
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