Bob Thurman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bob Thurman
Outfielder / Pitcher
Born: (1917-05-14)May 14, 1917 Kellyville, Oklahoma
Died: October 31, 1998(1998-10-31) (aged 81) Wichita, Kansas
Batted: Left Threw: Left
Professional debut
NgL: 1946, for the Homestead Grays
MLB: April 14, 1955, for the Cincinnati Redlegs
Last appearance
April 21, 1959, for the Cincinnati Redlegs
MLB statistics
Batting average	.246
Home runs	35
Runs batted in	106
Teams
Negro leagues Homestead Grays (1946–1948) Kansas City Monarchs (1949) Major League Baseball Cincinnati Redlegs (1955–1959)
Military career Allegiance  United States Service/branch  United States Army Years of service 1942–1945 Battles/wars World War II (Pacific Theater)

Robert Burns Thurman (born May 14, 1917 – died October 31, 1998) was a talented professional baseball player. He was a pitcher, outfielder, and pinch-hitter. Bob Thurman played in the Negro leagues, the Puerto Rican winter league, and later in Major League Baseball with the Cincinnati Reds. He is a respected member of the Puerto Rican Baseball Hall of Fame.

Bob Thurman's Early Life and Military Service

Some old baseball books say Bob Thurman was born in 1921. But like many players from the Negro Leagues, he made himself seem younger. This was to get more attention from scouts. His real birth year was 1917. This means he started playing in the major leagues when he was 38 years old! He was still playing at age 42.

Bob was a left-handed player. He was about 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighed around 205 pounds.

Before joining the pros, Thurman played baseball for local teams in Wichita. He then joined the U.S. Army during World War II. He served in places like New Guinea and Luzon. He was part of battles in the Pacific Ocean area. After the war ended in 1945, the Homestead Grays offered him a contract. They were a famous team in the Negro National League.

Playing in the Negro Leagues

Bob Thurman started with the Homestead Grays in 1946. He played alongside baseball legends. These included catcher Josh Gibson and first baseman Buck Leonard. He also played with outfielder Cool Papa Bell.

Bob wasn't known for his pitching skills. But he was a great outfielder. In his first season, he hit an amazing .408! The next year, he hit .338 and hit 6 home runs.

In 1948, he won 6 games as a starting pitcher and lost 4. He also hit .345. This helped the Grays win their league's championship. They then won the World Series against the Birmingham Black Barons. After this season, the Grays team broke up. The Negro Leagues also started to decline. This was because black players could now join Major League Baseball. This change began in 1947.

A Star in Puerto Rico

Thurman also played baseball in Puerto Rico during the winter. He played for twelve seasons there. Eleven of those seasons were with the Cangrejeros de Santurce. He was a huge fan favorite with this team.

Bob led the Puerto Rican league in home runs in 1947–48 with 9. The next season, he hit 18 homers! When his career in Puerto Rico ended, he was the all-time home run leader. He had hit 120 home runs there.

In 1949, he joined the Kansas City Monarchs. This team was part of the new Negro American League. Buck O'Neil managed the Monarchs. Their team had many future stars. Players like Willard Brown and Elston Howard were on the roster.

Moving to the Minor Leagues

Bob Thurman's great playing in Puerto Rico caught the eye of Major League teams. On July 29, 1949, the New York Yankees bought his contract. He was sent to the Newark Bears team. He hit three home runs in his first week there! He hit .317 for the Bears in 59 games. But then, a hand injury stopped him from playing more.

The Yankees later traded him to the Chicago Cubs. In 1950, he played for Springfield. His batting average was .269 there. For the next two years, he played for the San Francisco Seals. He hit .274 and .280 with them. At this time, the Cubs had not yet allowed black players on their main team.

Playing in the Dominican Republic

Thurman kept playing for Santurce in Puerto Rico. He was one of the most famous players in Latin American baseball. In the early 1950s, the Dominican Summer League started. This league was not connected to Major League Baseball. It offered good salaries to attract talented players. Thurman signed with a team called Escogido in this new league. Because of this, he was suspended from official baseball. He played in the Dominican Republic for two years. In 1954, he led the league in home runs and runs batted in. He also pitched sometimes.

The "Perfect Machine" Team

When the Dominican League joined official baseball in 1955, Thurman was in a tricky spot. He was still with the Cubs, but they weren't interested in him. He was still playing winter baseball in Puerto Rico. His great 1954–55 season got him noticed again. He hit .323 with 14 home runs for the Santurce Crabbers.

This Santurce team was amazing. Some people called it "the best winter league baseball club ever assembled." Others called it "The Perfect Machine." Willie Mays played center field and led the league in batting. Roberto Clemente played left field and hit .344. Bob Thurman played right field. Many other great players were on this team. Thurman still pitched sometimes too.

Joining the Cincinnati Reds

The Cincinnati Reds were impressed by his winter season. They bought his contract from the Cubs for about $2,000. Bob Thurman made his Major League Baseball debut on April 14, 1955. On the same day, Elston Howard became the first black player for the New York Yankees.

Thurman hit 7 home runs in only 152 times at bat. His batting average was .217. The next year, he hit .295 in fewer chances, with 8 home runs. On August 18, 1956, he had an incredible game. He hit three home runs in a row and a double against the Milwaukee Braves!

In 1957, he started strong with the Reds. But his average dropped later in the season. He was sent to the Seattle Rainiers minor league team. He hit 8 home runs there. The Reds called him back later that August. For the 1957 Reds, Thurman hit 16 home runs in 190 times at bat. He hit home runs more often than Duke Snider, a famous player.

Later Career and Retirement

Thurman played the whole 1958 season with the Reds. He also had a few chances to pinch-hit in 1959. His last Major League game was on April 21, 1959. He was sent back to the minor leagues that year. He played for Seattle and Omaha. In 1960, he played for Charleston. He was 43 years old then. In 1961, he finally stopped playing baseball. He played 21 games for Charlotte before retiring.

After Baseball

Bob Thurman finished his Major League career with a .246 batting average. He played in 334 games. He hit 35 home runs and helped score 106 runs. He played 12 seasons in the Puerto Rican winter league. He is still the all-time home run leader there. He is also in the Puerto Rican Baseball Hall of Fame.

After he stopped playing, Thurman became a scout. He looked for new talent for the Minnesota Twins. Later, he scouted for the Reds and the Royals. He passed away in Wichita, Kansas in 1998. He was 81 years old.

See also

• List of Negro league baseball players who played in Major League Baseball
• List of Major League Baseball players from Puerto Rico