Carl Long (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carl Long |
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| Outfielder | |||
| Born: May 9, 1935 Rock Hill, South Carolina |
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| Died: January 12, 2015 (aged 79) Kinston, North Carolina |
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| debut | |||
| 1952, for the Birmingham Black Barons | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| 1957, for the Mexico City Tigers | |||
| Minor League statistics | |||
| Plate appearances | 1648 | ||
| Batting average | .275 | ||
| Home runs | 57 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
Carl Russell Long (born May 9, 1935 – died January 12, 2015) was a talented American baseball player. He played as an outfielder in both the Negro Leagues and in minor league baseball. Carl Long was also known for helping to break down racial barriers in baseball. Along with another player named Frank Washington, he helped integrate the Carolina League in Kinston, North Carolina.
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Playing Baseball: Carl Long's Career
Starting in the Negro Leagues
Carl Long began his professional baseball journey in 1952. He played for the Birmingham Black Barons in the Negro American League. In his first year, he was excellent at hitting triples, leading the league with 8 of them.
He continued to play for the Black Barons through the 1953 season. That year, he was chosen to play in the Negro League East-West All-Star Game. This was a very special game that featured the best players from the East and West teams. Carl Long started the game as a third baseman for the East team.
Playing in Minor League Baseball
In 1954, the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team signed Carl Long. They sent him to play for their minor league team, the St. Jean Canadians. This team was part of the Provincial League in Quebec, Canada.
In 1955, Carl Long played for two different teams. He played for the Billings Mustangs in the Pioneer League. He also spent some time with the Phoenix Stars in the Arizona–Mexico League.
Making History in Kinston
Carl Long joined the Kinston Eagles team on April 17, 1956. During that year, he had a great season. He hit for a .291 average, meaning he got a hit nearly three out of every ten times he batted.
He also hit 18 home runs and had 111 runs batted in (RBIs). An RBI means he helped a teammate score a run. The Carolina League had already started allowing Black players in 1951, thanks to Percy Miller Jr. Carl Long's 111 RBIs in 1956 was a record for Kinston players. No player for Kinston has ever scored more RBIs in a single season.
Finishing His Playing Days
After playing for the Kinston Eagles in 1956, Carl Long played for the Beaumont Pirates in the Big State League. He also played in the Mexican League for the Mexico City Tigers in 1957. Sadly, a shoulder injury ended his playing career. After his injury, he decided to live in Kinston.
Life After Baseball
Carl Long continued to be a trailblazer even after his baseball career. He became Kinston's first Black bus driver. Later, he also became the first Black Deputy Sheriff and detective in Lenoir County, North Carolina. This showed his dedication to his community.
Carl Long loved baseball and often went to Grainger Stadium to watch the Kinston Indians play. The team honored him with special "Carl Long Day" games. In 2003, he was added to the Kinston Professional Baseball Hall of Fame. He also traveled a lot to help promote the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, which teaches people about the history of Black baseball players.
Carl Long passed away on January 12, 2015. He was 79 years old.
