1953 Atlanta Crackers Roster
Team Record: 84-70
Finished 3rd in the SA
Manager: Gene Mauch (84-70)
Affiliation: Milwaukee Braves
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Ballpark: Ponce de Leon Park II
Attendance: 290,510, Avg. 3,773
Playoffs - Nashville Vols 4 games, Atlanta Crackers 2
The Atlanta Crackers of the Southern Association ended the 1953 season with a record of 84 wins and 70 losses, finishing third in the SA.
The Crackers topped the circuit with just 659 runs allowed. Atlanta scored 770 runs. Dick Sinovic led the squad with 23 home runs, while Jack Parks and Pete Whisenant walloped 15 or more as well. Dick Sinovic drove in 126 runs and topped all regular batters by hitting .342. Art Fowler paced the team with 18 wins, and Bill George recorded a 2.93 ERA, best among pitchers with enough qualifying appearances.
Members of the 1953 Atlanta Crackers who played in Major League Baseball during their careers were Taylor Phillips, Pete Whisenant, Dick Donovan, Leo Cristante, Bob Giggie, Jesse Levan, Junior Wooten, Gene Mauch, Jack Brittin, Roy Jarvis, Chuck Tanner, Art Fowler and Fred Waters.
Gene Mauch served as manager.Click on column headings to sort.
| Player | Bats | Throws | Birth Date | Height | Weight | Hometown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billy Barrett | L | R | April 21, 1926 | 6'1" | 170 | |
| Howard Boles | R | March 25, 1927 | 6'4" | 220 | LaSalle, IL US | |
| Jack Brittin | R | R | March 4, 1924 | 5'11" | 175 | Athens, IL US |
| Jack Caro | R | R | February 2, 1931 | 6'1" | 174 | Pensacola, FL US |
| Leo Cristante | R | R | December 10, 1926 | 6'1" | 195 | Detroit, MI US |
| Bill Denney | R | R | December 28, 1931 | 6'2" | 186 | Paris, IL US |
| Dick Donovan | L | R | December 7, 1927 | 6'3" | 190 | Boston, MA US |
| John Fitzgerald | L | L | 5'11" | 170 | ||
| Mike Forline | R | R | December 23, 1921 | 6'0" | 192 | Durham, CT US |
| Art Fowler | R | R | July 3, 1922 | 5'11" | 180 | Converse, SC US |
| Bill George | L | L | August 12, 1927 | 6'0" | 180 | Summit, NJ US |
| Bob Giggie | R | R | August 13, 1933 | 6'1" | 200 | Dorchester, MA US |
| Roy Jarvis | R | R | June 7, 1926 | 5'9" | 160 | Shawnee, OK US |
| Ralph Kennedy | R | R | December 5, 1923 | 6'1" | 190 | |
| Larry Lassalle | R | L | March 18, 1930 | 5'10" | 188 | New Orleans, LA US |
| Jesse Levan | L | R | July 15, 1926 | 6'0" | 172 | Reading, PA US |
| Robert Mainzer | R | R | September 1, 1926 | 5'11" | 170 | Chicago, IL US |
| Gene Mauch | R | R | November 18, 1925 | 5'10" | 165 | Salina, KS US |
| Richard McMillin | R | R | June 1, 1929 | 6'1" | 165 | Atlanta, GA US |
| Jack Parks | L | R | June 12, 1928 | 6'2" | 205 | Sayreton, AL US |
| Vernon Petty | R | April 12, 1924 | 6'0" | 185 | Gastonia, NC US | |
| Harold Pfeiffer | L | 6'1" | 190 | |||
| Taylor Phillips | L | L | June 18, 1933 | 5'11" | 185 | Atlanta, GA US |
| John Raines | R | R | 5'9" | 170 | ||
| Dick Sinovic | R | July 30, 1925 | 6'0" | 185 | Portland, OR US | |
| Billy Smith | L | L | January 14, 1930 | 5'9" | 160 | High Point, NC US |
| Chuck Tanner | L | L | July 4, 1928 | 6'0" | 185 | New Castle, PA US |
| Jack Taylor | R | R | October 7, 1927 | 6'2" | 180 | Landis, NC US |
| Fred Waters | L | L | February 2, 1927 | 5'11" | 185 | Benton, MS US |
| Pete Whisenant | R | R | December 14, 1929 | 6'2" | 190 | Asheville, NC US |
| Charles Williams | R | R | June 12, 1928 | 5'10" | 170 | Dyersburg, TN US |
| Junior Wooten | R | L | January 16, 1924 | 5'11" | 160 | Pelzer, SC US |
Average attendance is based upon the number of actual home dates where known (most leagues from 1992 and later). Where the number of home dates is not known, the average is calculated using half the team's total games.
