Carl Holden facts for kids

Carl Holden (born August 22, 1941) is an American former baseball player. He was a catcher who played in the Negro leagues in 1960. Holden played for the Birmingham Black Barons. After his professional career, he helped share the important history of Negro league baseball.

Carl Holden's Early Life and Baseball Start

Carl Holden was born in Madison, Alabama. His parents were Thornton and Mattie. As a teenager, he went to William H. Council High School. During this time, he played for a semi-professional team. This team was called the Rocket City Dodgers. He played as an infielder.

Joining the Huntsville Hawks

In 1958, Carl joined another team. They were the Huntsville Braves. Later, they changed their name to the Hawks. Holden became the team's main catcher. He remembered, "They notice I was getting a little size on me...They were just looking for someone chunky who had a good arm on them." He played with the Hawks for two years.

College and Injuries

In 1959, Holden started going to Alabama A&M University. He also played college football for a short time. However, a knee injury kept bothering him. This injury made him stop playing football.

Playing in the Negro Leagues

In 1960, Major League Baseball had its spring training. A scout from the Baltimore Orioles invited Carl Holden to join. His name was Fred Hoffman. But injuries troubled Holden again during the camp. The Orioles decided to let him go after a few weeks.

Joining the Birmingham Black Barons

Carl Holden did not give up. He trained hard. Then, he signed with the Birmingham Black Barons. This was a team in the Negro leagues. He earned $300 each month. In his first game, he got two hits.

The Negro leagues were baseball leagues. They were for African American players. This was at a time when Black players were not allowed in Major League Baseball.

Leaving the Black Barons

After the 1960 season, Carl Holden left the Black Barons. He said he needed to go home because of money problems.

After Professional Baseball

In 1961, Carl Holden went back to play for the Huntsville Hawks. He played with them for two more seasons.

Playing for the American Legion Team

A local group called the American Legion sponsored a baseball team. Holden was chosen as the team captain. He played for this team from 1963 to 1968. His baseball career ended when he hurt his ankle.

Spreading Awareness of Negro League History

After his time playing baseball, Carl Holden started a successful small business. He also spent time sharing the history of the Negro leagues. He helped people learn about the important players and teams from that era. In 2004, he was honored. He was put into the Madison County Athletic Hall of Fame. Carl Holden is married to Hattie. They have two children.