Leon Brinkopf

Leon Clarence Brinkopf (October 20, 1926 – July 2, 1998) was a right-handed shortstop in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs in 1952.

Brinkopf was originally signed by the St. Louis Browns in 1944 but found himself released a year later. He made his way to the Chicago Cubs' farm system after they acquired him from his independent minor league team in Dallas, Texas, in exchange for former Cub big-leaguer Roy Easterwood. Brinkopf debuted with the Cubs on April 18, 1952, and appeared in a total of nine games, including his final big-league contest on May 5. The sum of his Major League Baseball experience was four hits (all singles) in 22 at-bats (a .182 batting average), 2 RBI and a run scored.

Brinkopf died on July 2, 1998, in his birthplace of Cape Girardeau, Missouri.