Harry Simpson
| Harry Simpson | |
|---|---|
 Simpson in about 1953. |
|
| Outfielder / First baseman | |
| Born: December 3, 1925 Atlanta, Georgia |
|
| Died: April 3, 1979 (aged 53) Akron, Ohio |
|
| Batted: Left | Threw: Right |
| MLB debut | |
| April 21, 1951 for the Cleveland Indians | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 27, 1959 for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| Career statistics | |
| Batting average | .266 |
| Hits | 752 |
| RBI | 381 |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
Harry Leon "Suitcase" Simpson (December 3, 1925 – April 3, 1979) was an African American outfielder and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for a number of teams. He played in the World Series with the New York Yankees in 1957, where they lost.
He was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and died in Akron, Ohio. He was one of the earliest black player in the American League, playing first with the Cleveland Indians in 1951. Casey Stengel once called him the best defensive right fielder in the American League.[1]
That his nickname of "Suitcase" came from his being frequently traded during his playing career is a common misconception. According to the 1951 Cleveland Indians Sketch Book, he was called "Suitcase" by sportswriters after the Toonerville Trolley character, Suitcase Simpson because of his size 13 shoe with feet as large as suitcases. This is years before his many trades. His real nickname was "Goody" which came from his willingness to run errands and help neighbors in his hometown of Dalton, Georgia.[2]
Contents |
[edit] In popular culture
The character Luther "Suitcase" Simpson in the Jesse Stone novels, and made for TV movies, by author Robert B. Parker, is given the nickname "Suitcase" or "Suit", by the Jesse Stone character, because of Harry Simpson.
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes
[edit] Sources
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
.jpg){kind=small}   |
This biographical article relating to an American baseball outfielder born in the 1920s is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- Baseball players from Georgia (U.S. state)
- 1925 births
- 1979 deaths
- Cleveland Indians players
- Kansas City Athletics players
- New York Yankees players
- Chicago White Sox players
- Pittsburgh Pirates players
- San Diego Padres (minor league) players
- Wilkes-Barre Indians players
- Indianapolis Indians players
- Major League Baseball outfielders
- American League All-Stars
- People from Akron, Ohio
- Major League Baseball center fielders
- Major League Baseball right fielders
- Major League Baseball first basemen
- American baseball outfielder, 1920s birth stubs
