# Ray Mack

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**Raymond James Mack** (born ***Raymond James Mlckovsky***, August 31, 1916 – May 7, 1969) was an American [second baseman](/source/Second_baseman) in [Major League Baseball](/source/Major_League_Baseball) from 1938 to 1946 with the [Cleveland Indians](/source/Cleveland_Indians) and in 1947 with the [New York Yankees](/source/New_York_Yankees) and [Chicago Cubs](/source/Chicago_Cubs). In a nine-season career, he had a [batting average](/source/Batting_average_(baseball)) of .232 with 34 [home runs](/source/Home_run) and 278 [RBIs](/source/Runs_batted_in). He [stole 35 bases](/source/Stolen_base), [scored 273 runs](/source/Run_(baseball)), and accumulated 113 [doubles](/source/Double_(baseball)) and 24 [triples](/source/Triple_(baseball)). He had 629 career [hits](/source/Hit_(baseball)) in 2,707 at-bats.

Mack attended Case School of Applied Science, now known as [Case Western Reserve University](/source/Case_Western_Reserve_University), where he was known as an outstanding [football](/source/Case_Western_Reserve_Spartans_football) player, earning the nickname the "Case Ace."[1] In fact, he was drafted by the [Chicago Bears](/source/Chicago_Bears) in the [1938 NFL draft](/source/1938_NFL_draft), but declined professional football to play his passion of baseball.[1][2] After playing semipro baseball, we was eventually scouted and signed by the [Cleveland Indians](/source/Cleveland_Indians) in 1938.

Mack was born in [Cleveland, Ohio](/source/Cleveland,_Ohio). Listed as 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and 200 pounds (91 kg), he was known more for his fielding than his [hitting](/source/Batter_(baseball)), teaming up with Cleveland [shortstop](/source/Shortstop) [Lou Boudreau](/source/Lou_Boudreau) for a great [double play](/source/Double_play) combination in the early 1940s.[3] Mack was selected to the [1940 American League All-Star](/source/1940_Major_League_Baseball_All-Star_Game) team and [pinch hit](/source/Pinch_hitter) for starting second baseman [Joe Gordon](/source/Joe_Gordon) in the [eighth inning](/source/Inning_(baseball)). Mack [struck out](/source/Strikeout) against [Larry French](/source/Larry_French) of the Cubs and handled no [chances](/source/Chance_(baseball)) in the field as the AL bowed, 4–0, at [Sportsman's Park](/source/Sportsman's_Park). Ironically, Gordon would succeed Mack as the Indians' regular second baseman in .

Mack ended with a .966 career [fielding percentage](/source/Fielding_percentage) and helped complete 597 double plays. He saved [Bob Feller's](/source/Bob_Feller) 1940 [opening day](/source/Opening_Day) [no-hitter](/source/No-hitter) with a diving stop on the final out. After the season, Mack was traded to the Yankees by new Indians' owner [Bill Veeck](/source/Bill_Veeck).[4] It was one of many deals orchestrated by Veeck, but in it Cleveland obtained [pitcher](/source/Pitcher) [Gene Bearden](/source/Gene_Bearden), who would pitch the Tribe to the [1948 pennant](/source/1948_Cleveland_Indians_season) as a [rookie](/source/Rookie).

Mack died in [Bucyrus, Ohio](/source/Bucyrus,_Ohio). His son, [Tom](/source/Tom_Mack) played for the [Los Angeles Rams](/source/Los_Angeles_Rams) in the [National Football League](/source/National_Football_League) and was inducted into the [Pro Football Hall of Fame](/source/Pro_Football_Hall_of_Fame) in 1999.

## References

1. Wancho, Joseph. ["Ray Mack"](https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/Ray-Mack/). *Society for American Baseball Research*. Retrieved 2017-10-27.

1. ["1938 NFL Draft Listing"](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1938/draft.htm). *Pro-Football-Reference.com*. Retrieved 2023-03-25.

1. ["Ray Mack Nominated For Sporting Award"](https://www.newspapers.com/clip/51020698/feature-article-on-former-cleveland/). *[Telegraph-Forum](/source/Telegraph-Forum)*. November 7, 1962. p. 9. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

1. Petersen, Leo H. (1946-12-06). ["Yanks Trade Three Men for Mack, Lollar"](https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-news-yanks-trade-three-men-for/165993318/). *The Miami News*. United Press. p. 5-B. Retrieved 2025-02-17. – via [Newspapers.com](/source/Newspapers.com)

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