He initially signed with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1942, and hurled in Class D that season and in 1943 before joining the United States Navy for two years of World War II military service.

He bounced from the Cardinals to the New York Giants organization before the pitching-poor Philadelphia Athletics acquired his contract prior to the 1952 season.

After winning a dozen games for the Triple-A Ottawa A's, he was purchased by the MLB Athletics in August, and posted a 2–2 record and a poor earned run average of 6.46 in six appearances, with five starts, over the final weeks of that American League campaign.

During the 1952–53 winter ball season, Bishop tossed a one-hit shutout in the 1953 Caribbean Series, then he blanked the Boston Red Sox in his first 1953 start.

Bishop began 1955 with the relocated Athletics and worked in four games out of the bullpen before being sent back to the minors a final time during the May roster cutdown.