Bobby Chouinard

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Wikipedia

Bobby Chouinard
Pitcher
Born: (1972-05-01) May 1, 1972 (age 53)
Manila, Philippines
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
May 26, 1996, for the Oakland Athletics
Last MLB appearance
September 9, 2001, for the Colorado Rockies
MLB statistics
Win–loss record11–8
Earned run average4.57
Strikeouts110
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

Robert William Chouinard (born May 1, 1972) is a Filipino-American former professional baseball pitcher who played five seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). A right-handed pitcher, he was selected by the Baltimore Orioles as the 145th overall pick in the fifth round of the 1990 MLB draft. He has played for the Oakland Athletics, Milwaukee Brewers, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Colorado Rockies throughout his career. Born in Manila, Philippines, Chouinard became the first player born in the Philippines to appear in the MLB since Claudio Manela in 1925 and the first to do so following the league’s racial integration.[1][2]

High school career

Chouinard attended Forest Grove High School in Forest Grove, Oregon, where he played for the school’s baseball team.[3][4]

Professional career

After being traded from the Baltimore Orioles to the Oakland Athletics along with Allen Plaster on January 15, 1993, in exchange for Harold Baines,[5] Major League Baseball debut with the Athletics on May 26, 1996. He went on to appear in his final major league game on September 9, 2001, as a member of the Colorado Rockies. His MLB career also included stints with the Milwaukee Brewers and Arizona Diamondbacks, during which he served primarily as a relief pitcher.

In December 1999, Chouinard was arrested on Christmas Day following an incident in which he held a loaded firearm to his wife’s head and threatened her life.[6] The following year, he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and was sentenced to serve four three-month prison terms during Major League Baseball’s offseasons.[7] The sentence allowed him to continue his professional career, with court permission to spend up to 42 hours each week training at Coors Field and visiting his family.[8] As part of the plea agreement, Chouinard was ordered to donate $25,000 to a domestic violence charity and to appear in ten public service announcements promoting awareness of domestic abuse.[9]

References

  1. ↑ "Bobby Chouinard". MLB.com. Retrieved October 25, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Players by birthplace: Philippines Baseball Stats and Info". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  3. ↑ Vondersmith, Jason (May 17, 1990). "Forest Grove misses playoffs". The Oregonian. p. D8. Retrieved February 17, 2025 – via Newspapers.com. When Forest Grove badly needed its superstar to play his best game of the year, Bobby Chouinard was there on the mound and at the plate, even though the effort was in vain.
  4. ↑ "Bobby Chouinard MLB, Minor League, Independent Baseball Statistics". The Baseball Cube. Archived from the original on May 26, 2008. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Baseball; Orioles' Quest for Baines Ends With A's Trade". The New York Times. Associated Press. January 15, 1993. p. B13. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  6. ↑ "D'Backs Chouinard Arrested". CBS News. Associated Press. December 29, 1999. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Baseball: Chouinard begins serving sentence". Amarillo Globe-News. Associated Press. November 29, 2000. Archived from the original on September 17, 2017.
  8. ↑ "Jail time changes Chouinard's life". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Associated Press. February 18, 2001. Archived from the original on September 16, 2017. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
  9. ↑ "PLUS: COURT NEWS; Chouinard Gets Split Jail Time". The New York Times. Associated Press. November 28, 2000. Retrieved September 16, 2017.