Charles Marion Hockenbery (born December 15,1950) is an American former professional baseball player who played one season,1975,for the California Angels of Major League Baseball. He coached the Onalaska Legion baseball team and at the Onalaska High School after retiring from the Major League.
Hockenbery was born in La Crosse,Wisconsin,on December 15,1950,to Mr. and Mrs. Gordon Hockenbery. He lived in Onalaska,Wisconsin,for most of his life.[1] Hockenbery began playing baseball as a child in 1961 in Onalaska's Pee Wee League. He continued playing baseball as a pitcher while he was enrolled in high school.[2] In 1969,he was part of a relay team and was a record holding league jumper.[3][4]
In May 1975,Hockenbery joined the Major Leagues as part of the California Angels. He pitched at the Oakland Coliseum on July 4,1975,against Oakland Athletics. During the same season,he pitched in relief against the New York Yankees. The California Angels placed Hockenbery on a waivers list in 1976. Hockenbery said that his career ended because when his manager during the 1975 season wanted him to hit an opponent in the head with a baseball during an upcoming pitch,Hockenbery refused to do so. He sat out during the 1977 season in Onalaska. In 1977,the Seattle Mariners wanted Hockenbery to join the team,but he had to refuse because of an ankle injury.[2] He signed to play with the Oakland Athletics,but he was traded shortly after. Hockenbery played for Jersey City of the Eastern League,and then he retired after briefly playing AAA ball for Vancouver in the Pacific League.[2]
Later life
Hockenbery coached the Onalaska Legion baseball team from 1990 to 2000,minus two years. From 1999 to 2000,he was the head baseball coach at the local high school. He had a stroke in 2005 that caused him to lose feeling on his right side,resulting in him having to be hospitalized for two and a half weeks.[5]
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