| Byron Houck | |
| Position: | Pitcher |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Birth Name: | Byron Simon Houck |
| Birth Date: | 28 August 1891 |
| Birth Place: | Prosper, Minnesota |
| Death Place: | Santa Cruz, California |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Debutdate: | May 15 |
| Debutyear: | 1912 |
| Debutteam: | Philadelphia Athletics |
| Finalleague: | MLB |
| Finaldate: | August 27 |
| Finalyear: | 1918 |
| Finalteam: | St. Louis Browns |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Stat1label: | Win–loss record |
| Stat1value: | 26–24 |
| Stat2label: | Earned run average |
| Stat2value: | 3.30 |
| Stat3label: | Strikeouts |
| Stat3value: | 224 |
| Teams: |
|
Byron Simon Houck (August 28, 1891 – June 17, 1969) was an American professional baseball pitcher and cinematographer. He played in Major League Baseball for the Philadelphia Athletics, Brooklyn Tip-Tops, and St. Louis Browns from 1912 to 1914 and in 1918. After his baseball career, he worked on Buster Keaton's production team as a camera operator.
Houck was born in Prosper, Minnesota. He was the fifth of six children. His family moved to Portland, Oregon, when he was young.[1] He attended Washington High School in Portland, and pitched for the school's baseball team all four years.[2] In his senior year, he was voted president of the athletic association.[3] Houck graduated from high school in 1910 and enrolled at the University of Oregon and played college baseball for the Oregon Ducks. He was a member of Kappa Sigma at Oregon.[4]
Houck signed with the Spokane Indians of the Class B Northwestern League in July 1911.[5] After the season, the Philadelphia Athletics selected Houck in the Rule 5 draft.[6] He made his major league debut with the Athletics in 1912.[7] He pitched to a 8–8 win–loss record with a 2.94 earned run average (ERA).[8] He was a member of the 1913 World Series champions, pitching to a 14–6 record and a 4.14 ERA in 1913,[9] but he did not appear in the series. In 1914, after making three appearances for the Athletics,[10] he was released to the Baltimore Orioles of the International League. Houck refused to report to Baltimore, and jumped to the Brooklyn Tip-Tops of the outlaw Federal League.[11] He signed a three-year contract with Brooklyn[12] paying him $3,500 per season ($ in current dollar terms).[1] He pitched to a 2–6 record with a 3.13 ERA for Brooklyn.[13] In 1915, Brooklyn assigned him to the Colonial League, a minor league affiliated with the Federal League, and he played for the New Haven White Wings and Pawtucket Rovers.[1] Brooklyn gave him his unconditional release after the 1915 season, and Houck accepted a payout of half of his salary for the 1916 season.[12] [14]
In 1916, following the collapse of the Federal League, Houck's rights reverted to the Athletics,[1] [15] and they allowed Houck to become a free agent.[1] He signed with the Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League (PCL).[16] He had a 17–19 record and a 3.36 ERA in 1916.[17] Houck returned to Portland in 1917, but struggled at the beginning of the season.[18] He improved to finish the season with a 23–15 record and a 2.21 ERA.[19] After the 1917 season, he was drafted by the St. Louis Browns for the 1918 season.[20] He had a 2–4 record and a 2.39 ERA for the Browns.[21] In February 1919, St. Louis sold Houck to the Vernon Tigers of the PCL.[22] He had a 19–16 record and a 3.88 ERA in 1919.[23] In 1920, Babe Borton, Houck's teammate with Vernon, was caught bribing opponents to throw games. He alleged that the plan was discussed at Louis Anger's house with Houck present.[24] Houck was not punished by the PCL.[1] He finished the 1920 season with a 10–17 record and a 2.62 ERA.[25] Houck played semi-professional baseball in 1921, and briefly returned to the PCL to pitch for Vernon and Portland in 1922.[1] [26] [27]
In 1919, Fatty Arbuckle purchased the Tigers, and he made Anger the team president. Houck's first wife and Anger's wife were sisters. This connection led to Houck working as a camera operator on Buster Keaton's silent films.[1] He worked on the 1924 films Sherlock Jr.[28] and The Navigator,[29] the 1925 film Seven Chances,[30] and the 1926 film The General.[31]
Houck married Kittye Isaacs in September 1913.[1] [32] She died in March 1923.[33] He remarried to Rose Carr in 1927.[1]
Houck died in Santa Cruz, California, on June 17, 1969.[34] He was interred at Rosedale Cemetery in Los Angeles.[35]