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Erv Palica
baseball player
- February 9, 1928 · Lomita
- May 29, 1982 · Huntington Beach
- 54 years
About Erv Palica
Erv Palica, 54, American baseball player
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Full Biography
|Ervin Martin Palica (born Pavliecevich; February 9, 1928 – May 29, 1982) was an American professional baseball player, a right-handed pitcher who appeared in 262 games played and 246 games pitched in Major League Baseball over ten seasons between 1945 and 1956 with the Brooklyn Dodgers and Baltimore Orioles. Born in Lomita, California, and of Yugoslav descent (described variously as Slovenian, Croatian[citation needed] and Serb–Montenegrin), he was listed as 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) tall and 180 pounds (82 kg). Three brothers (Alex, Ambrose "Bo" and Nick) played minor league baseball.
Brooklyn Dodgers
At 17, Palica was the youngest player in the National League during 1945 at the time of his April debut with two pinch-running appearances for the Dodgers. (He did not score any runs in games played April 21 and 29, both against the rival New York Giants). He then began honing his skills as a pitcher in the minors, before returning to Brooklyn for three late-season mound appearances for the pennant-bound 1947 Dodgers. He spent the full seasons of 1948–51 with the Dodger varsity, getting into 152 games, most of them in relief. During his best season, 1950, he made 19 starts, won 13 of 21 decisions, and threw 10 complete games with two shutouts. He appeared in the 1949 World Series, throwing two shutout innings in relief against the New York Yankees in a losing cause during the Yanks' Game 5 clincher.
But 1951 was a terrible season on the field for Palica. On July 18, brought in to face the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates with the Dodgers behind 10–6 in the fifth inning, Palica held the fort, allowing one run over three innings while the Dodgers overcame the deficit and went ahead, 12–11, in their half of the sixth. But in the eighth frame, Palica could not hold the lead, allowing a solo home run to slugger Ralph Kiner and an RBI single to former Dodger star Pete Reiser. Pittsburgh went on to a 13–12 triumph, and, after the game—which had featured angry battles between the Dodgers and the umpiring crew—Brooklyn manager Chuck Dressen lost his temper and witheringly questioned Palica's courage in "on the record" remarks to the assembled media. Having lost confidence in Palica, Dressen used him in only four more games and 41⁄3 innings pitched in August 1951. Palica did not pitch after August 27, as the archrival Giants roared back from a 131⁄2-game mid-August deficit to tie the Dodgers and force a playoff, which they won on Bobby Thomson's famous walk-off homer.
Korean War and Baltimore Orioles
By that point, Palica was in the United States Army performing military service during the Korean War. He missed the 1952–53 seasons completely, and returned in 1954 to appear in 25 games for new Dodger manager Walter Alston, most of them as a reliever. During the offseason of 1954–55, he was traded to the Orioles, a second-division American League team that gave Palica a chance to reclaim a starting pitcher role. He got into 62 games over two seasons with Baltimore, 39 as a starter, but posted only a 9–22 record. During his big-league career, Palica allowed 806 hits and 399 bases on balls in 8391⁄3 innings pitched. He struck out 423, threw 20 complete games and three shutouts, and was credited with a dozen saves.
After major league career
Palica spent the final seven seasons of his pro career (1957–63) back in the minors, winning 15 games three different times in the top-level Pacific Coast League.
In retirement, Palica worked as a longshoreman in Southern California, and died from a heart attack at age 54 in Huntington Beach.
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
15 Verified Trivia Questions About Erv Palica
Every question below is stored in the archive and checked against Erv Palica's record and biography. The correct answer and the reasoning behind it are given with each question.
1.In which city was Ervin Martin Palica born?
- A.Brooklyn, New York
- B.Baltimore, Maryland
- C.Lomita, CaliforniaCorrect
- D.Huntington Beach, California
The biography states that Ervin Martin Palica was born in Lomita, California.
Source: introduction
2.How many brothers did Ervin Martin Palica have that also played minor league baseball?
- A.ThreeCorrect
- B.Two
- C.One
- D.Four
The biography mentions that three brothers, Alex, Ambrose and Nick, played minor league baseball.
Source: introduction
3.What was Ervin Martin Palica's original surname before it was changed?
- A.Pavlicek
- B.PavliecevichCorrect
- C.Palicovich
- D.Palicevich
Ervin Martin Palica was born with the surname Pavliecevich.
Source: introduction
4.What position did Ervin Martin Palica play during his professional baseball career?
- A.Catcher
- B.Right-handed pitcherCorrect
- C.Shortstop
- D.Center fielder
Ervin Martin Palica was a professional baseball player and a right-handed pitcher.
Source: introduction
5.At what age did Ervin Martin Palica make his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1945?
- A.16
- B.18
- C.19
- D.17Correct
At the age of 17, Ervin Martin Palica was the youngest player in the National League during 1945.
Source: Brooklyn Dodgers section
6.Which season does the biography identify as Ervin Martin Palica's best season with the Brooklyn Dodgers?
- A.1947
- B.1950Correct
- C.1948
- D.1951
The biography explicitly identifies 1950 as Ervin Martin Palica's best season.
Source: Brooklyn Dodgers section
7.Against which team did Ervin Martin Palica pitch in the 1949 World Series?
- A.New York YankeesCorrect
- B.Baltimore Orioles
- C.Pittsburgh Pirates
- D.New York Giants
Ervin Martin Palica appeared in the 1949 World Series, throwing two shutout innings in relief against the New York Yankees.
Source: Brooklyn Dodgers section
8.Which Brooklyn Dodgers manager questioned Ervin Martin Palica's courage after a 1951 game?
- A.Walter Alston
- B.Casey Stengel
- C.Chuck DressenCorrect
- D.Leo Durocher
After a loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1951, manager Chuck Dressen questioned Ervin Martin Palica's courage.
Source: Brooklyn Dodgers section
9.During which conflict did Ervin Martin Palica serve in the United States Army?
- A.Vietnam War
- B.Cold War
- C.Korean WarCorrect
- D.World War II
Ervin Martin Palica performed military service during the Korean War, missing the 1952–53 seasons.
Source: Korean War and Baltimore Orioles section
10.Which manager did Ervin Martin Palica play for when he returned to the Dodgers in 1954?
- A.Walter AlstonCorrect
- B.Leo Durocher
- C.Branch Rickey
- D.Chuck Dressen
Upon returning to the Dodgers in 1954, Ervin Martin Palica played for new manager Walter Alston.
Source: Korean War and Baltimore Orioles section
11.How many games did Ervin Martin Palica play in total over his ten-season Major League Baseball career?
- A.839
- B.246
- C.262Correct
- D.423
Ervin Martin Palica appeared in 262 games played during his career in Major League Baseball.
Source: introduction
12.In which professional league did Ervin Martin Palica spend the final seven seasons of his career?
- A.Pacific Coast LeagueCorrect
- B.American Association
- C.International League
- D.Southern Association
Ervin Martin Palica spent the final seven seasons of his pro career in the Pacific Coast League.
Source: After major league career section
13.What occupation did Ervin Martin Palica hold after his retirement from professional baseball?
- A.LongshoremanCorrect
- B.Baseball scout
- C.Police officer
- D.Construction worker
In retirement, Ervin Martin Palica worked as a longshoreman in Southern California.
Source: After major league career section
14.At what age did Ervin Martin Palica die?
- A.50
- B.54Correct
- C.56
- D.52
Ervin Martin Palica died from a heart attack at age 54.
Source: After major league career section
15.What was the cause of death for Ervin Martin Palica?
- A.Heart attackCorrect
- B.Cancer
- C.Stroke
- D.Pneumonia
Ervin Martin Palica died from a heart attack in Huntington Beach.
Source: After major league career section
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erv_Palica
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- October 21, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
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