Bill Skowron
A powerhouse slugger nicknamed 'Moose' who was the quiet, consistent engine of the New York Yankees' dynasty in the late 1950s.
1930–2012 (age 82)·American baseball player·Birthday: December 18·The Silent Generation
Biography
In an era of Yankee legends like Mantle and Berra, Bill 'Moose' Skowron was the bedrock. With a thick, powerful build that earned him his nickname, he was a pure hitter who specialized in driving in runs. From 1955 to 1962, he was a fixture at first base in the Bronx, a seven-time All-Star who played in six World Series and won five rings. Skowron wasn't flashy, but he was devastatingly clutch; his grand slam in Game 7 of the 1956 Series was a backbreaker. After a trade to the Dodgers in 1963, he proved his championship pedigree wasn't tied to pinstripes, hitting a key home run to help Los Angeles sweep the Yankees in the World Series. For over a decade, Moose was the kind of player winning teams are built around.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Bill was born in 1930, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bill Was Born
The biggest hits of 1930
#1 Movie
All Quiet on the Western Front
Best Picture
All Quiet on the Western Front
Bill's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1930Born
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1935Started school
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1943Became a teenager
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1946Could drive
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1948Could vote
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1951Turned 21
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1960Turned 30
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1970Turned 40
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1980Turned 50
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1990Turned 60
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 70
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 80
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2012Died at 82
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
Key Achievements
- Won five World Series championships, four with the New York Yankees (1956, 1958, 1961, 1962) and one with the Los Angeles Dodgers (1963).
- Was selected as an American League All-Star eight times during his career.
- Hit a grand slam in Game 7 of the 1956 World Series to help secure the championship for the Yankees.
- Finished his 14-year MLB career with a .282 batting average and 211 home runs.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Moose' originated in childhood after his grandfather said he resembled Benito Mussolini, which was shortened to 'Moose'.
He was a standout football fullback at Purdue University, turning down a contract with the Chicago Bears to play baseball.
He hit a home run in his first World Series at-bat in 1955.
After his playing career, he worked for over 20 years as a community relations representative for the Chicago White Sox.
“I just tried to hit the ball hard somewhere.”
