Bouchee's arrest stunned Spokane
Ed Bouchee had been a genuine sports hero in his adopted hometown of Spokane, Washington. Bouchee had been a three-sport star athlete at Spokane's Lewis and Clark High School. After leaving Washington State University, Bouchee had starred for the Spokane Indians in 1952 by batting .313. Two years of military service during the Korean War interrupted his baseball career.
After Bouchee returned to Spokane, the Indians sold his contract to the Philadelphia Phillies. In 1957, he became the Phillies' starting first baseman. That was the best season of his major league career. Bouchee played in all 154 games while batting .293 with 17 home runs and 76 RBI's. The Sporting News named him the National League Rookie of the Year.
At the age of 24, Bouchee seemed to have it all - a wife and son, a measure of fame and a promising major league baseball career. It all came crashing down in January 1958 when the Spokane newspapers reported that their hometown hero had been arrested for exposing himself to several young girls.
A confrontation and a confession
On January 17, 1958, a front page story in the Spokane Daily Chronicle reported that Bouchee had been identified in a lineup by three young girls who had complained to the police. The girls had given the police a description of the man they were seeking and the make, model, year and colors of a station wagon that the man had been driving. A car matching that detailed description was registered to Bouchee.
The following day another Spokane paper, The Spokesman Review, reported that Bouchee had been arrested and then released after posting a $2500 bond. According to prosecutor, John J. Lally, Bouchee: "has been following children in his station wagon for over a month." The story also reported that Bouchee: "... said he has hoped for a long time that he would be picked up."
Bouchee admitted to five incidents involving girls 6, 10, 11, 14 and 18 years old.
Bouchee pleads guilty to two counts
Bouchee was sentenced in March 1958. After pleading guilty to two counts of indecent exposure involving children, he was placed on probation for three years. Judge Ralph P. Edgerton made the probation order conditional on Bouchee continuing to receive medical treatment for what a psychiatrist called "compulsive exhibitionism".
Bouchee was sent to the Institute of Living in Hartford, Connecticut. Phillies general manager, Roy Hamey, told a reporter: "The first thing we want to do is get him well. We hope he can play again some day."
MLB Commisioner Ford Frick issues a quick reinstatement
That some day came rather quickly. By early June, Bouchee was working out with the Phillies. MLB Commissioner, Ford Frick, had placed Bouchee under an indefinite suspension, but in early July 1958 he issued a reinstatement on a temporary basis. Frick emphasized that the Phillies had to assume full responsibility for Bouchee's conduct on and off the field. Yet, he sent a mixed message by saying: "Bouchee has responded completely to treatment and is now ready to take his place in society."
Topps pulls copies Bouchee's 1958 baseball card
One unexpected result of Bouchee's arrest and conviction was the disappearance of his 1958 Topps baseball card. Topps had already assigned his card #145, but they canceled printing it. Still a few copies were distributed. That rare card has now become a highly valued collectible. They did issue a card the following season. On the back of the card they wrote: "Ed got a late start last season..."
Stayed in baseball until 1963
After rejoining the Phillies, Bouchee kept a low profile and apparently stayed out of trouble. In 1960, the Phillies traded him to the Chicago Cubs. After one year there, he was released by the Cubs to enter the expansion draft for the two new National League teams - the New York Met and the Houston Colt .45s - that began playing in 1962. Bouchee became a member of the memorable, last place 1962 Mets.
Bouchee batted a meager .161 in 50 games for the Mets. That made him expendable. He then played two seasons of Triple A ball before retiring in 1963. Today, he's reportedly retired in Arizona.
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