How a Former San Francisco Giants Catcher Found New Life at PG&E

Before John Boccabella donned PG&E colors in 1975, he wore a rather different uniform: the San Francisco Giants’ orange and black.

The former Santa Clara University baseball star spent 12 years in Major League Baseball, playing in 551 games. Boccabella debuted with the Chicago Cubs in 1963, and his teammates included Baseball Hall of Famers Ernie Banks, Billy Williams and Ferguson Jenkins. He was an original member of the expansion Montreal Expos (now Washington Nationals) in 1969. Boccabella concluded his big-league career by playing at home for the Giants in 1974.

Toward the end of his last year with the Expos, Boccabella suffered a severe knee injury. Montreal traded him to the Giants before the 1974 season and he only played in 29 games. Rather than take a pay cut to be a reserve in 1975 and with his knee still bothering him, Boccabella retired at 33 and after the season, he was on his way to a 19-year career at PG&E.

Two Home Runs in One Inning

Boccabella, who grew up in the Marin County town of San Anselmo, was the 1959 California high school player of the year at Marin Catholic. He then led the Santa Clara Broncos to the finals of the 1962 College World Series, earning second team All-American honors and leading the team with a .357 batting average.

Unfortunately, Boccabella’s run in the Major Leagues had fewer accolades. Sure, he had a steady career, but he wasn’t a starting catcher until 1973 with the Expos when he set career highs in games played, hits, home runs and RBIs.

That memorable 1973 season also produced a career highlight for Boccabella. In a game against the Houston Astros, he became one of three catchers to hit two home runs in one inning—the second being a grand slam. That wasn’t the first time he homered twice in one game. In 1965 at Candlestick Park, Boccabella, who was with the Cubs, went deep twice on future Hall of Famer Warren Spahn, who was finishing his career with the Giants.

During the last road trip of that 1973 season, Boccabella was feeling pain in his left knee. “Every day, the pain was getting worse,” he said. “I caught the games, but I could barely walk.”

Boccabella had surgery during the offseason and went to Spring Training with the Expos. But with a younger prospect ready to become a starter and with future Hall of Famer Gary Carter waiting in the minors, the Expos traded Boccabella to the Giants before the 1974 season.

Boccabella knew his career was soon coming to an end. “The Giants told me they wanted me as a backup catcher, but I’d have to take a pay cut,” he said. “I was 33. I told them I appreciated the offer, but I’ve got three kids. It’s time to get a job.”

‘My Work Was Interesting’

While Boccabella was playing for the Expos, he started thinking about the future. “I didn’t play very much,” he said. “The numbers I was posting weren’t Hall of Fame stuff. I started thinking about what I was going to do when I quit. I kept wondering if every year was my last year.”

Boccabella’s mother-in-law introduced him to someone who was running a personnel agency. “I’d tell him, ‘I don’t know when I’m going to quit, but what can we do for work?’”

This went on for five years. One of the options he gave to Boccabella was working for PG&E. When the time came, Boccabella was ready.

“I always thought PG&E was a great company. It was solid and reliable, and that’s all I was looking for,” said Boccabella.

Boccabella was hired as a new-business representative in the marketing department. The job also came at the right time. The Bay Area was growing as homes and apartments were constantly under construction. Boccabella’s job was simple. “Say someone’s building a house or a subdivision,” he said. “I’d meet with the builder and coordinate getting the gas and electric service.

“You’d meet the builder at the site, bring the electric and gas maps and see what you were going to do,” continued Boccabella. “My services were valuable, because people were leaving San Francisco and the Peninsula and going to Marin County.

“My work was interesting,” added Boccabella. “It was fun. ... You had to coordinate things and get along with everybody in different departments.”

Boccabella also visited service clubs, such as the Rotary, to talk to people about PG&E’s energy programs. One thing he talked about was how PG&E brought in liquid natural gas from Alaska and turned it into gas to be used in the company’s system.  

Boccabella said his Major League Baseball history would come up from time to time in his new career. “It was a good conversation piece,” he said. “I had a pretty good name growing up playing sports in Marin County. But being a college graduate with a degree in business helped me with getting the job.”

‘If I Needed to Work, I Would’ve Stayed at PG&E’

 In 1993 at the age of 51, Boccabella took an early retirement package. Thanks to his Major League Baseball and PG&E pensions, Boccabella and his wife live comfortably in Marin County.  They have three children and nine grandchildren.

A devout Catholic, the 82-year-old Boccabella goes to daily mass and prays for everyone “because the world is in kind of a mess, in my eyes.”

Indeed, Boccabella had an MLB career many who played the game would envy. Who gets to play 12 seasons, be an original member of the first Major League Baseball team in Canada, hit two homers in one inning, and hit two in the same game against a future Hall of Famer?

His post-MLB life wasn’t so bad, either. “If I needed to work,” said Boccabella, “I would’ve stayed at PG&E.”