TROSKY (TROJOVSKY), HAROLD ARTHUR "HAL" (11 Nov. 1912-18 June 1979), first-baseman with over 200 home runs for the CLEVELAND INDIANS (1933-41), was born in Mansay, Iowa and signed to play BASEBALL with the Cleveland Indians farm team at Cedar Rapids in 1931 after completing high school. By the fall of 1933, Trosky was a member of the Indians after hitting 33 home runs for Toledo that season. In a newspaper interview he remarked, "Out here [LEAGUE PARK] I figure I can hit the wall at least once in a while." From 1934-39, Trosky hit on and over the wall as he averaged over 100 RBIs each season. His greatest year was 1936, when he hit safely in 28 consecutive games, drove in a team-record 162 runs, slugged 42 home runs, and had a batting average of .343. In games played on 30 May 1934 and 5 July 1937, Trosky hit 3 consecutive home runs. During the late 1930s, Trosky began suffering from migraine headaches; he did not play for the Indians after the 1941 season. He returned to baseball in 1944 with the Chicago White Sox, remained out of the game in 1945, and finally retired after playing 88 games for Chicago in 1946. In retirement, Trosky became a successful hog and dairy farmer. He married Lorraine Glenn in 1933 and had 4 children, Hal, Jr., James, Lynn, and Mary Kay. Hal, Jr., pitched during the 1958 season for the Chicago White Sox. Inducted into the Iowa Sports Hall of Fame, Trosky died in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
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