Charlie Peete facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Charlie Peete |
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| Centerfielder | |||
| Born: February 22, 1929 Franklin, Virginia |
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| Died: November 27, 1956 (aged 27) Caracas, Venezuela |
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| Professional debut | |||
| NgL: 1950, for the Indianapolis Clowns | |||
| MLB: July 17, 1956, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| August 16, 1956, for the St. Louis Cardinals | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .192 | ||
| Home runs | 0 | ||
| Runs batted in | 6 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Charles Peete (born February 22, 1929 – died November 27, 1956) was a talented American professional baseball player. He was known for his amazing batting skills. In 1956, he was the best hitter in a league called the Triple-A American Association.
Charlie Peete got a chance to play for the St. Louis Cardinals in Major League Baseball (MLB) that same year. Many people thought he would be the Cardinals' main center fielder in 1957. Sadly, Charlie Peete died in a plane crash in November 1956. This happened near Caracas, Venezuela, while he was traveling to play winter baseball. His wife, Nettie, and their three young children also died in the crash. There were 25 victims in total.
Contents
Charlie Peete: A Baseball Story
Early Days and Baseball Beginnings
Charlie Peete was nicknamed "Mule." He was 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighed 190 pounds. He batted left-handed and threw right-handed. Charlie was born in Franklin, Virginia. He started his professional baseball journey in the Negro leagues with the Indianapolis Clowns. He also played semi-professional baseball in Canada.
In 1952, Charlie Peete joined the United States Army during the Korean War. He served for 15 months, mostly in Asia. During his service, he played football and baseball for the Special Services Division. He was honorably discharged in 1953.
After leaving the Army, Peete signed with the Portsmouth Merrimacs. This team was in the Class B Piedmont League. Charlie Peete was the first African-American player to play in that league since 1946. He hit for a .275 average in 125 games for Portsmouth.
The St. Louis Cardinals noticed his talent. They signed him to their team system. In 1954, he played for the Lynchburg Cardinals, another team in the Piedmont League. He had a great year, hitting .311 with 17 home runs. He was even named to the league's all-star team.
Charlie Peete moved up quickly in the Cardinals' system. In 1955, he played in Triple-A, which is just below Major League Baseball. He hit .310 while playing for two top farm teams: the Rochester Red Wings and the Omaha Cardinals. In 1956, he was outstanding for Omaha. He led the league with a .350 batting average. He also hit 16 home runs and had 63 runs batted in in 116 games.
Playing for the St. Louis Cardinals
Because of his excellent performance, the St. Louis Cardinals called Charlie Peete up to the major leagues in July 1956. He made his first MLB appearance on July 17. This was a home game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. He came into the game as a pinch hitter. He got a walk and then played center field.
During his time with the Cardinals, Charlie Peete got ten hits in 52 at bats. He also hit two doubles and two triples. His last MLB game was on August 16, 1956. After that, he was sent back to the Omaha Cardinals.
A Tragic End
Even though his first time in the major leagues was short, Charlie Peete was still seen as a top choice for the Cardinals' starting center fielder in 1957. The player who had the job in 1956, Bobby Del Greco, had only hit .215. If Charlie Peete had won the job, he would have been the first African-American regular starting player for the Cardinals.
To get more experience, Charlie Peete decided to play winter baseball. He joined a team in Valencia, Venezuela. Sadly, Charlie Peete died at the age of 27. He and his family were on Linea Aeropostal Flight 253. The plane crashed into Avila Mountain near Caracas during a rainstorm.
Charlie Peete was the first Major League Baseball player to die in Venezuela.
See also
- List of Negro league baseball players who played in Major League Baseball
- List of baseball players who died during their careers
