Paul Hinrichs

Paul Edwin Hinrichs (August 31, 1925 – April 9, 2023) was an American baseball player who was briefly a relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball during the 1951 season. After his baseball career, Hinrichs became a Lutheran minister.

Early life Hinrichs was born to a family of German descent in Marengo, Iowa, the son of a Lutheran pastor, on August 31, 1925. He married Frances Rauscher in 1948, and they had five children, one of whom predeceased him.

Career Hinrichs was signed to the Detroit Tigers organization in 1946, and first played in the West Texas–New Mexico League before going to the Dallas Rangers, the Tigers' Double A team.

Hinrichs then signed with the New York Yankees, and was the first player to be given a signing bonus by the team. He played for their Double-A affiliate, the Kansas City Blues. However, his performance was hampered by an injury, and in the Rule 5 draft after the 1950 season, he was drafted by the Boston Red Sox. Hinrichs was sent to open a church in Aiken, South Carolina, followed by one in La Puente, California, before returning to St. Louis. He opened a congregation in Litchfield, Illinois, before retiring at age 63 and moving to Kentucky. Hinrichs died at a hospital in Greenville, Kentucky, on April 9, 2023, at age 97.