Alonzo Perry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alonzo Perry |
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| First baseman/Pitcher | |
| Born: April 14, 1923 Birmingham, Alabama |
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| Died: October 13, 1982 (aged 59) Birmingham, Alabama |
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| debut | |
| 1940, for the Homestead Grays | |
| Last appearance | |
| 1963, for the Sultanes de Monterrey | |
| Teams | |
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Alonzo Thomas Perry (born April 14, 1923 – died October 13, 1982) was a professional baseball player. He played as a first baseman and a pitcher. Alonzo Perry played in the Negro leagues and the Mexican League. His career lasted from 1940 to 1963, and he played for several different teams.
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Early Career and Willie Mays
Alonzo Perry was a very strong hitter. He was even part of the reason Willie Mays, a famous baseball legend, was discovered! Scouts came to watch Perry play. But they also noticed the amazing talent of his younger teammate, Willie Mays. The scouts ended up signing both players. Perry was then sent to play in a higher minor league level called AAA.
While playing for the Birmingham Black Barons in the late 1940s, Perry was teammates with Willie Mays. The team's manager, Piper Davis, asked most players to look out for the young Mays.
Pitching and Hitting Skills
Alonzo Perry started his career as a pitcher. But he was such a good hitter that he soon became an everyday player. This means he played in most games.
In 1948, as a pitcher for the Birmingham Black Barons, he had a great record. He won 10 games and only lost 2. He was also an excellent pinch hitter. A pinch hitter is a player who bats in place of another player. Perry was also known for being smart on the field. He could figure out what the other team was planning. In 1948, he hit for a batting average of .325. The next year, his pitching record was 12 wins and 4 losses.
By 1950, Perry was playing mostly as a first baseman. He continued to hit very well. He had a batting average of .313. He hit 14 home runs, 17 triples, and 14 doubles that year. He was even chosen to start at first base for the West team in the 1950 All-Star game.
Moving to First Base
In 1946, Alonzo Perry played for the Homestead Grays as a pitcher. He had a strong start with 4 wins and no losses. Later that season, he joined the Birmingham Black Barons. He continued to pitch, but he also started playing more at first base.
Perry became very good at playing first base. He was skilled at stretching to catch throws from other infielders. He was also known for being a showman on the field. He was a good base runner, but his hitting was what he was best known for.
Success in Latin America
Alonzo Perry became a legend in Mexico because of his amazing statistics. When he played for Mexico City from 1955 to 1959, his batting averages were very high. They included .375, .392, .352, .365, and .333. Later, with Monterrey in 1962-63, he hit .318 and .353.
His best season was in 1956. He led the league in many categories. He had 177 hits, 33 doubles, 33 triples, and 28 home runs. He also scored 103 runs and had 118 RBIs (runs batted in). His batting average that year was .392 in 123 games.
Perry also played very well in the Caribbean Leagues. This included Cuba, where people called him "His Majesty." He also played in the Dominican Republic during the winters from 1951 to 1959. He won the batting title twice, in 1954 and 1957. He also led the league in home runs twice. In 1951, he set a record by getting a hit in 32 games in a row!
Later Life
Even with all his success in Latin American leagues, Alonzo Perry never got to play in Major League Baseball. After he stopped playing baseball, he faced some challenges in his life.
See Also
- List of Negro league baseball players
Images for kids
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Alonzo Perry in his baseball uniform.
