“Skip” Lockwood Signs With A’s For Huge Bonus; Assigned To Midwestern League-This Day in Norwood History-July 2, 1964

IN K.C. UNIFORM — Norwood’s Skip Lockwood shown here wearing a Kansas City uniform as he worked out with the A’s for two weeks.

The Catholic Memorial team was to play Lowell in the state Class A baseball tourney and Skip was on the mound. In the stands were major league scouts from every team, watching every move made by the baseball phenomenon from Norwood. C. M. lost to Lowell even though Skip pitched a whale of a game. Thus ended Skip Lockwood’s high school baseball career.

After the game it was home for a good night’s rest before a big day ahead of the youngster in which he was to be sought by 16 major league clubs. Skip didn’t get much sleep that night, and who would, for the next day was to be the turning point in his young life.

That Wednesday morning started at 6:30 with all the clubs slated to have interviews with the lad and try to give him the right offer to enable him to sign with their particular club. If no offer suited him, Skip would attend Holy Cross College on a baseball scholarship.

The day dragged on as every half hour representatives of the various major league teams made their offers. At 8:30 on that Wednesday night at the ranch-style home of Mr. and Mrs. Claude Lockwood at 227 Ridgewood Drive, the amazing “Skip” Lockwood signed a major league contract with the Kansas City Athletics for a whopping $100,000. In making the decision, Skip narrowed it down to four teams, which included the Red Sox, Baltimore, Houston, and the A’s.

To quote Claude, Sr., after the signing: “I’m still numb now that it’s all over I’m just thrilled beyond belief ”

Skip himself was overwhelmed “It’s just like a dream come true as I love the game of baseball,” he said “I’ll do my best to show all those who have had faith in me through my years of Little League and high school and all my other fans in baseball that this faith was justified ”

Bill Enos, the A’s scout of the New England area, had been watching him all year. Enos got his first good look at Skip when he was a sophomore at C. M. He liked what he saw, and in Skip’s junior year, Enos was also a keen observer. Of course, no team could dicker with a junior, but the A’s and all the other major league clubs awaited Lockwood’s final year at C.M That year Enos watched 15 of C M.’s 21 contests. A major league scout does more than just watch a boy’s hitting. He watches every little move he makes, his base running, his fielding, bunting, the way he swings and many more little characteristics which go into judgment before the actual conference and the offers from the big boys.

According to Pat Friday, general manager of the Kansas City team, “This lad can be our third baseman in a couple of years. He has the physical ability, and most of all he has the mental attitude that means so much. Yes, we are certainly glad to have Skip Lockwood in our organization and we hope he is around for a good many years.”

After the numbness of the big signing, which was on Wednesday, the thrilled youngster was to take off by plane for Cleveland to join the parent club for a couple of weeks before being assigned to a top minor league club. Lockwood wasn’t to play in any of the A’s games but was just to get the feel of playing and traveling with a major league club.

Skip took off from Logan Airport Friday morning and his father, Claude, Sr., also made the trip with the youngster. Dad Lockwood, who hadn’t missed a game of Skip’s career from his high school days and Little League, wanted to be on hand when his son stepped into a major league uniform. Skip got off the plane in Cleveland and was greeted warmly by the K. C. brass. He was quartered at the hotel with all the other major league ball players whom he had so long idolized. Here was a youngster who only three days ago was playing high school baseball and now he was with a major league club. That night at Cleveland he put on a major league uniform for the first time. He strolled down to third base and was welcomed wholeheartedly by the A’s. Skip worked out with the A’s for a week and impressed the parent club greatly with the way he handed himself. He worked out in Cleveland, Detroit, and Kansas City. He showed that he could belt the long ball even though it was only in batting practice. The amazing Lockwood belted 14 out of these parks.

After his sojourn with the major league now it was time to get down to business Lockwood was assigned to the Burlington B’s of the Midwest League in Burlington, Iowa, He will play 3rd base for the club for the remainder of the year. However, there is a possibility that he will come up later in the year for another peak at the majors, this time on an active basis.

There you have it, the Cinderella story of Claude (Skip) Lockwood from his days as a youngster m the Norwood Little League, through Babe Ruth, Legion, and High School, and up to his present signing with a major league club. Certainly, the rise to fame of a youngster from our own backyard should be an inspiration to all the young ball players of Norwood.

By FRANK WALL
(Last of a Series)

(All articles were originally published in the Norwood Messenger unless otherwise noted)