Rance Pless

Rance Pless (born December 6, 1925) is an American former professional baseball player. A third baseman, first baseman and outfielder over the course of a 14-year professional career, he played part of one season of Major League Baseball with the 1956 Kansas City Athletics. He threw and batted right-handed, stood 6 feet (1.8 m) tall and weighed 195 pounds (88 kg).

Pless' career began in the New York Giants' minor league organization as an outfielder in 1947. In nine seasons in the Giants' farm system, he won two batting championships, in the 1952 Double-A Southern Association (.364) and the 1955 Triple-A American Association (.337). After the latter season, he was acquired by the Kansas City A's, who played him in 48 games as a third baseman, first baseman and pinch hitter during 1956. Pless collected 23 hits in 85 at bats, including three doubles and one triple. He also played part of that season for the Triple-A Richmond Virginians.

Pless retired from baseball after the 1960 season with a career minor league batting average of .303 in 1,755 games.

1. ^ Spink, J.G. Taylor, ed., The 1956 Official Baseball Register. St. Louis: The Sporting News, 1956, page 107
2. ^ Minor league statistics from Baseball Reference