Josh Gibson

Catcher

Class of 1972

Josh Gibson

Catcher

Class of 1972
Josh Gibson was an imposing power hitter who dominated at bat and behind the plate in the Negro Leagues.

Games

Birth year

About Josh Gibson

Was the myth larger than the reality? Not really.

But the applause Josh Gibson received should have been louder. He was considered the best power hitter of his era in the Negro Leagues and perhaps even the majors.

Gibson was born on Dec. 21, 1911, in Buena Vista, Ga. His father moved his family to Pittsburgh in 1923 rather than try and continue to nurse a crop from his meager farm.

Josh’s education ended after the ninth grade. His introduction to organized baseball came at age 16 when he joined the Gimbels A.C. In 1929, the Crawford Colored Giants, a semi-pro team in Pittsburgh, convinced him to leave the Gimbels and join their squad.

He became a professional by accident July 25, 1930 while sitting in the stands. When Homestead Grays catcher Buck Ewing injured his hand, Gibson was invited to replace him because his titanic home runs were already well known in Pittsburgh.

“If someone had told me Josh hit the ball a mile, I would have believed them,” said Sam Jethroe, who starred for the Cleveland Buckeyes.

His legendary feats with the Homestead Grays have many experts regarding Gibson as the sport’s greatest home run hitter. Negro Leagues statistics of the time are largely incomplete, but the legend of Gibson’s power has always been larger than life.

The 6-1, 220-pound Gibson was nearly indestructible behind the plate. He occasionally played left field or third base, but never for more than a game or two.

Gibson’s natural skills were immense. His powerful arm, quick release and agility made base runners wary of trying to steal.

But hitting is what made Gibson the second-highest paid player in black baseball behind Satchel Paige, another future Hall of Famer.

The Sporting News, baseball’s written authority for decades, credited Gibson in 1967 with hitting a 580-foot home run in Yankee Stadium. The ball landed two feet from the top of the bleacher wall.

“Josh was a better power hitter than Babe Ruth, Ted Williams or anybody else I’ve ever seen,” said former Cleveland Buckeye pitcher and manager Alonzo Boone. “Anything he touched was hit hard. He could power outside pitches to right field. Shortstops would move to left field when Josh came to the plate.”

In 1972, Gibson was elected to the Hall of Fame. He passed away on Jan. 20, 1947.

Paige may have put it best when describing Josh at the plate: “You look for his weakness and while your lookin’ for it, he’s liable to hit 45 home runs.”

The Basics

Year inducted
1972
Birth Place
Buena Vista, Georgia
Birth Year
1911
Died
1947, Pittsburgh Pennsylvania

Career at a Glance

Primary Team
Homestead Grays
Primary Position
Catcher
Played For
Memphis Red Sox, 1930
Pittsburgh Crawfords, 1933-1936
Homestead Grays, 1937-1940
Homestead Grays, 1942-1946

Career MLB Stats

Games
598
At bats
2,155
Hits
806
Walks
330
Runs
611
Doubles
132
Triples
58
Home Runs
165
RBI
725
Stolen Bases
40
Batting Average
.374
Ops
1.177
On Base %
.458
Slugging %
.719

Josh Gibson Stories

Explore the archives and go deep into the lives, careers, and stories of the Hall of Fame's honorees.

Negro Leagues Researchers and Authors Group

Buck Leonard and Josh Gibson are elected to the Hall of Fame