Page 16 - Florida Sentinel 2-2-18

The History Of Baseball
Brooklyn Royal Giants, Pitts- burgh Crawfords, and New York Black Yankees.
He was born in Tampa and died at the age of 96 in North Las Vegas, Nevada, where he lived, on November 29, 2014.
Walter Gibbons pitched for the Indi-
anapolis
Clowns. He
was ex-
tended an in-
vitation to
meet Jackie
Robinson’s team after he pitched against Robinson during a 1950 game. How- ever, he was drafted and sent on a tour of duty in Korea.
Art Hamilton was a catcher for the Negro League All-Star for a Detroit team. Mr. Hamilton also played for Indianapolis during his ca- reer.
Harold “Buster” Hair, Jr., was a member of the 1938 Jacksonville Red Caps,
Negro League Local Players
John Wiggins played with the Haines City Hornets at the age of 14. Wiggins also played with the Bartow All Stars.
Joe Wright played for the Tampa Blue Socks and The Stars. He was in the U.S. Army.
the only Negro American League team based in Florida. After playing with the Birm- ingham Black Barons and Kansas City Monarchs, he was drafted and played in the Canadian League.
Leon Harris was a right fielder for the Kansas City Monarchs. He played during the 1953 and 1954 season.
Lawrence Keys played for Haines City Hornets, Bar- tow All Stars and the Braden- ton Nine Devils. Mr. Keys was in the U.S. Army.
Raydell “Bo” Maddix
earned the
nickname of
“Lefty” be-
cause he was
a left-handed
pitcher for
the Indi-
anapolis Clowns. Maddix also interrupted his career to serve in the Korean War. However, after being away for 21 months, he returned to
baseball and played for three other teams.
Bob “Peach Head” Mitchell pitched for the Kansas City Mon- archs and earned a ca- reer record of 30-14 in 4 sea-
sons.
Odell Norris played with
the Indianapolis Clowns. Mr. Norris was an Army Vietnam Veteran.
Jack Postell played for the Tampa Lookouts.
Silas Simmons, known as “Si,” was
born on Oct.
14, 1895. He
was a left-
handed
pitcher who
player for several teams be- tween 1912 and 1929.
He was honored as the oldest living Negro League player on his birthday in 2006. The celebration was held at his nursing home in St. Petersburg.
He died on October 29, 2006, two weeks after his 111th birthday.
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