Possum Whitted
Possum Whitted | |
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Outfielder | |
Born: Durham, North Carolina | February 4, 1890|
Died: October 16, 1962 Wilmington, North Carolina | (aged 72)|
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 16, 1912, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |
Last MLB appearance | |
April 23, 1922, for the Brooklyn Robins | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .269 |
Home runs | 23 |
Runs batted in | 451 |
Teams | |
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Career highlights and awards | |
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George Bostic "Possum" Whitted (February 4, 1890 – October 16, 1962) was an outfielder and third baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals (1912–14), Boston Braves (1914), Philadelphia Phillies (1915–19), Pittsburgh Pirates (1919–21) and Brooklyn Robins (1922).
Whitted was born in Durham, North Carolina.
In 1914, Whitted was a member of the Braves team that went from last place to first place in two months, becoming the first team to win a pennant after being in last place on the Fourth of July.[1] The team then went on to defeat Connie Mack's heavily favored Philadelphia Athletics in the 1914 World Series.
He played for the Phillies in 1915, which won the National League Pennant.
He was the first rookie in history to start at every position (except pictcher and catcher) during the season.
In 11 seasons he played in 1,025 games and had 3,630 at bats, 440 runs, 978 hits, 145 doubles, 60 triples, 23 home runs, 451 RBI, 116 stolen bases, 215 walks, .269 batting average, .313 on-base percentage, .361 slugging percentage, 1,312 total bases and 180 sacrifice hits.
He died in Wilmington, North Carolina at the age of 72 from complications from a hip injury sustained in a fall. As a United States Army Sergeant First Class in the Quartermaster Corps during World War I, he was buried at the Wilmington National Cemetery.[2]
Sources
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)
- Baseball players from North Carolina
- Major League Baseball left fielders
- Major League Baseball third basemen
- St. Louis Cardinals players
- Boston Braves players
- Philadelphia Phillies players
- Pittsburgh Pirates players
- Brooklyn Robins players
- Accidental deaths in North Carolina
- Accidental deaths from falls
- 1890 births
- 1962 deaths
- Minor league baseball managers
- Savannah Indians players
- Jacksonville Jays players
- Jacksonville Tarpons players
- Toledo Mud Hens managers
- Toledo Mud Hens players
- Salisbury Colonials players
- Durham Bulls players
- Durham Bulls managers
- Sportspeople from Durham, North Carolina