Executive
Executive
Primary Team Or Role
Birth year
At the turn of the 20th century, Will Harridge worked as a ticket agent for the Wabash Railroad Company and was in charge of booking and transportation for American League teams and umpires.
By 1931, Harridge was directing AL policies as the league’s third president.
“Harridge’s life was like something straight out of Horatio Alger,” wrote the Sporting News upon his death. “He was a poor boy who climbed to the top through diligence, courage and integrity. In his case, the story wasn’t fiction.”
Pitcher
Pitcher
Games
Birth year
"I'd rather be lucky than good," Lefty Gomez once said.
Vernon Louis Gomez, or "Lefty" as he'd come to be known, was far more talented than he'd ever give himself credit for.
Famous for an overpowering fastball as he was for his razor-sharp wit, Gomez's lighthearted nature belied a ferocious desire to win.
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Catcher
Catcher
Games
Birth year
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 across the entire sport.
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.
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Catcher
Catcher
Games
Birth year
Yogi Berra is a cultural icon whose fame transcended the baseball diamond. “Yogi-isms” such as “it ain’t over till its over” and "a nickel ain't worth a dime anymore” have found their way into the vernacular.
People think of Yogi as funny, but as his manager Casey Stengel once put it: "They say he's funny. Well, he has a lovely wife and family, a beautiful home, money in the bank, and he plays golf with millionaires. What's funny about that?”
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Right Fielder
Right Fielder
Games
Birth year
Though the career of Ross Youngs was ended prematurely, he made an impact on the baseball world during his 10 seasons in the big leageus.
Youngs made his major league debut in 1917 with the New York Giants. His first full season came in the following year when he was sixth in the league with a .302 batting average.
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Pitcher
Pitcher
Games
Birth year
One of the greatest hitters of all time, Ted Williams, once called fellow Hall of Famer Early Wynn “the toughest pitcher I ever faced.”
Undoubtedly, the Splendid Splinter’s sentiment was shared by many big league hitters for more than two decades.
Wynn combined his physical gifts with intimidation and determination to overcome early struggles and become one of the most dominant hurlers of his era.
“Since the first time I saw my father play semipro ball in Alabama, it has been my greatest ambition and desire to be a big league ballplayer,” Wynn once said.
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1st Baseman
1st Baseman
Games
Birth year
Walter “Buck” Leonard was one of the best pure hitters to play in the Negro Leagues. He was also a key part of the Homestead Grays dynasty of the 1930s and 1940s.
The first baseman spent his entire 15-year career with the Grays, the longest term of service for a player with one team in Negro League history. He played in a league-record 11 East-West All-Star Games.
Beginning in 1942, the Grays advanced to four consecutive Negro World Series, winning in 1943 and 1944.
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Pitcher
Pitcher
Games
Birth year
When Sandy Koufax was awarded a basketball scholarship to the University of Cincinnati in 1953, his plans included a career in architecture.
Instead, Koufax made a living on a baseball diamond, becoming one of the most dominating left-handers of all time.
"Either he throws the fastest ball I've ever seen, or I'm going blind,” said Hall of Famer Richie Ashburn.
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