Buster Clarkson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Buster Clarkson |
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| Shortstop/Third baseman | |||
| Born: March 13, 1915 Hopkins, South Carolina |
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| Died: January 18, 1989 (aged 73) Jeannette, Pennsylvania |
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| Professional debut | |||
| NgL: 1938, for the Pittsburgh Crawfords | |||
| MLB: April 30, 1952, for the Boston Braves | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| June 22, 1952, for the Boston Braves | |||
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Negro leagues
Major League Baseball
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James Buster Clarkson (born March 13, 1915 – died January 18, 1989) was an amazing baseball player. He played for many years in different leagues. These included the famous Negro Leagues and the minor leagues. He even got to play a short time in MLB. People also called him Buzz.
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Buster Clarkson's Baseball Journey
Buster Clarkson grew up in Hopkins, South Carolina. He loved playing baseball there. He became a shortstop, a very important position on the field.
Starting Out in the Negro Leagues
Buster started his professional career in the Negro Leagues. He played shortstop for the Crawfords. This team moved around to different cities. He played for them in Pittsburgh in 1937–38. Then he played in Toledo in 1939. In early 1940, he was with the team in Indianapolis before it stopped playing.
He also played a short time for the Newark Eagles in 1940. After that, he went to play in the Mexican League. He played there in 1940–41 and again in 1946–47.
In 1942, Buster came back to the Negro Leagues. He joined the Philadelphia Stars. That year, he was a great hitter, getting a hit almost 36% of the time. From 1943 to 1945, he served in the US Army during World War II. After the war, he played for the Philadelphia Stars again in 1946 and 1949-50. In 1948, he played in an independent league in Canada.
Playing in the Minor Leagues
In 1950, when Buster was 35 years old, he started playing in the minor leagues. He joined the Milwaukee Brewers. This team was part of the American Association. He played third base and shortstop. He hit very well, with a batting average of .302 in 1950 and .343 in 1951.
His Time in Major League Baseball
In 1952, Buster Clarkson got his chance to play in MLB. This was five years after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier. Buster was 37 years old. He played fourteen games for the Boston Braves. He got five hits in 25 tries and had one RBI.
After his short time in MLB, he went back to Milwaukee for the rest of 1952. He continued to hit well, with a .318 batting average. In 1953 and 1954, he played for Dallas in the Texas League. He hit .330 and .324. In 1954, he led the league with 42 home runs!
In 1955, he played for the Los Angeles Angels in the Pacific Coast League. He hit .294. His last year in the minor leagues was 1956. He played for Los Angeles, Tulsa, and Des Moines.
Baseball in Puerto Rico
When he was younger, Buster Clarkson also played a lot in the Caribbean. He became very famous there, especially in Puerto Rico. He played in Puerto Rico's winter baseball league until he was in his 40s.
In early 1955, when he was 39, he played in the Caribbean Series. He was with the Santurce Crabbers. During the 1940s and 1950s, Buster lived in Puerto Rico. He helped the Crabbers win many championships.
With the Crabbers, Buster played alongside two future baseball legends: Roberto Clemente and Willie Mays. Buster helped the team win the 1955 national title. They also became the first team from Puerto Rico to win a Caribbean Series championship.
After Baseball
After he stopped playing baseball, Buster Clarkson lived a quiet life in Pennsylvania. He passed away on January 18, 1989, in the town of Jeannette. He is buried at the Brush Creek Cemetery in nearby Irwin.
Some of the things Buster used as a baseball player are now on display. You can see them at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
