1976 Topps #637 - Bruce Bochte

• Bruce Bochte was drafted  by the California Angels in 1972. He played in the minors from 1972-1974 and was brought up to the majors in July 1974 after  batting .355 in half a season for AAA Salt Lake City. Bruce backed up in the outfield and at first base and batted .270 in 57 games for the Angels.
• In 1975 Bochte batted .285 in 107 games as a first baseman and designated hitter. Bruce played in 146 games in 1976 and batted .258. 
• Bochte started the 1977 season with the Angels (.290 in 25 games) and was traded with Sid  Monge and $250,000 to the Cleveland Indians for Dave LaRoche and Dave Schuler. Bruce ended up batting .301 with 7 HR in 137 games in 1977.
• After the 1977 season Bochte became a free agent and signed with the Seattle Mariners, where he had his best seasons.
• In 1978 Bruce was mostly a left fielder and designated hitter and batted .263 with 11 HR in 140 games.
• Bochte  made the 1979 AL All Star team and was 1 for 1 with one RBI and a sacrifice hit. Bruce was the starter at firs base for the Mariners and batted .316 with 16 HR and 100 RBI in 1979.
• Bruce batted .300 with 13 HR and 78 RBI in 1980. In the strike year of 1981 Bochte batted .260 with 6 HR in 99 games.
• In 1982 Bochte batted .297 with 12 HR and 70 RBI. After the 1982 season Bruce couldn't come to terms with the Mariners on a new contract and decided to retire. After taking the 1983 season off Bruce signed with the Oakland A's. 
• Bochte spent three seasons with the A's. Bruce batted .264 with 5 HR and 52 RBI in 1984 and batted .295 with 14 HR and 60 RBI in 1985. Bochte batted .256 with 6 HR and 43 RBI in 1986 and retired after the season. Bochte joined the Chinook Learning Center on Whidbey Island in Washington and wanted to write a book about environmental issues for children.
• Bruce worked for the California Institute for Integral Studies in San Francisco in the 1990s and 2000s, where he studied cosmology. He was invited to the 2001 All Star Game, which was played in Seattle, but he declined the invitation. Bruce has little contact with anyone in the baseball world.
• Liked to face: Mike Torrez (.548 in 42 AB); Paul Splittorff (.500 in 54 AB); Jerry Koosman (.472 in 36 AB)
• Hated to face: John Tudor/Joe Coleman (.071 in 14 AB); Len Barker (.091 in 33 AB)

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