Bruce Von Hoff - Bulls' Portrait
Bruce Von Hoff ---

Bulls' Portrait

  BRUCE VON HOFF -- This 6' 195-pound, 22-year old righthander pitched himself into the Carolina League Hall of Fame in the Bulls last appearance at DAP.. .
His fabulous no-hitter was termed by Bull skipper Chuck Churn as the finest pitching performance he has seen in the minor leagues...Was born in Oakland, Calfi., and now makes his home in Batavia, Il.... In highschool at Batavia, he was the football quarterback for two years...Also lettered for one year in basketball. . .Pitched four years of high school baseball...In his senior year he was 11-1, pitching 90 innings
and striking out 207.. .His club lost the Illinois state championship in the finals on a one-hitter...Played in all the kid leagues and in two years of American Legion ball was 15 - 2 with 260 strikeouts in 145 innings. . .He attended 		 

 

 

Northern Illinois University for two years and roomed with their fabulous quarterback George Berk... Was 13 - 4 for his two years and finally signed for a bonus with the [San Francisco] Giants in 1964... Drafted by the Astros [on December 1 of that year]. . .Last season Bruce played with Amarillo of the Texas League (0-3), Cocoa of the Florida State League, and the Astros, where he made his major league debut against the Atlanta Braves...He saysof this experience in the Astrodome, "The mound was wobbly and the plate kept jumping around". . . Attends college in the offseason, where he is majoring in phys. ed. . . Would like to playwinter ball... Is the club comedian. . .says he owes his ability to "wheaties and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches".. .His brother Byron was a recent big bonus signee with the Mets.. .One of the outstanding pitching prospects in the Carolinba League in the opinion of most scouts. . .Known as the Batman for his participation in the routine of theSouthern High majorettes while they were performing at DAP. .

The Durham Sun, August 13, 1966

Von Hoff's year with Durham in 1966--even if you discount the no-hitter--was his best in professional baseball. Although he pitched adequately at Amarillo in 1967, his callups that year to Oklahoma City and Houston went similarly to the one from 1965, and Von Hoff never really proved he could get men out at AAA, let alone the majors. The back of his 1968 Topps # 529 said, "Bruce features a sweepoing curveball which forces batyters tolunge for the pitch, and therefore lose their hitting power. He will be used as a starter and middle inning relief specialist for Houston this season." I would expect that Von Hoff did make the Astros out of spring training for 1968, but he never did make a start in '68; his three losses were in relief. Von Hoff looks to have been released by the Astros after 1968, and he pitched for both for the Reds--for AA Asheville--and the Cardinals--at High A St. Petersburg--in 1969. He closed out his career for the AA Arkansas Travelers affiliate of the Cardinals in 1970, a year after his brother Byron had been released by the Mets organization.
Bruce Von Hoff's Statistics in the Astros Organization
Season TeamLeague WLERAK BB
1965Cocoa Astros Florida State 611  2.5311678
1965Houston Astros National 0  0  9.00    1  2
1965Amarillo Sonics Texas 0  213.50    4  4
1966Durham Bulls Carolina 9  4  2.8511059
1966Oklahoma City '89ers Pacific Coast 0  2  9.64  1911
1966Amarillo Sonics Texas 0  2  9.00    8  7
1967Houston Astros National 0  3  4.83  2228
1967Oklahoma City '89ers Pacific Coast 0  4  6.00  2720
1967Amarillo Sonics Texas 4  2  3.05  3133
1968Dallas-Fort Worth Spurs Texas 0  5  4.94    ?  ?

Von Hoff's one and only baseball card: the 1968 Topps # 529

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