Chuck Harmon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Chuck Harmon |
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Harmon at Great American Ballpark in 2008
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| Third baseman/Outfielder | |||||||||||||||
| Born: April 23, 1924 Washington, Indiana, US |
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| Died: March 19, 2019 (aged 94) Golf Manor, Ohio, US |
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| Professional debut | |||||||||||||||
| NgL: 1947, for the Indianapolis Clowns | |||||||||||||||
| MLB: April 17, 1954, for the Cincinnati Redlegs | |||||||||||||||
| Last appearance | |||||||||||||||
| September 15, 1957, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||||||||||||||
| MLB statistics | |||||||||||||||
| Batting average | .238 | ||||||||||||||
| Home runs | 7 | ||||||||||||||
| Runs batted in | 59 | ||||||||||||||
| Teams | |||||||||||||||
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Charles Byron Harmon (April 23, 1924 – March 19, 2019) was an American professional baseball player. He was known as a utility player, meaning he could play many different positions. Harmon played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Cincinnati Redlegs (1954–1956), St. Louis Cardinals (1956–1957), and Philadelphia Phillies (1957). He batted and threw with his right hand.
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Early Life and Sports
Chuck Harmon was one of twelve children. He learned to play sports at Dunbar Elementary School. His coach was Burl Friddle, a famous basketball player. Harmon played for Washington High School in Indiana. His team, the Hatchets, won two state basketball championships. They won in 1941 and 1942. His brother Bill was also on the 1941 team.
Harmon also served in the Navy during World War II. He spent three years at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station. During this time, he played baseball for the Navy team.
College Sports Career
After his time in the Navy, Harmon went to the University of Toledo. He played basketball there with his friends Art Grove and Davage Minor. Their team, made of all first-year players, reached the championship game of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT). They lost to St. John's. Grove and Minor later became professional basketball players.
Harmon was also a baseball star at the University of Toledo. In the summer of 1947, he played professional baseball briefly. He joined the Negro league Indianapolis Clowns. To keep his college eligibility, he used the name "Charlie Fine."
Professional Basketball Journey
In the 1950–51 season, the National Basketball Association (NBA) allowed black players to join. Harmon tried out for the Boston Celtics. He did not make the team, but Chuck Cooper did. Harmon then became a player-coach for a team in Utica. This team was part of the American Basketball League. He might have been one of the first African Americans to coach a professional basketball team that included players of all races.
Major League Baseball Career
On April 17, 1954, Chuck Harmon made history. He became the first African American player for the Cincinnati Reds team. At that time, the team was called the Redlegs. In his first game, he came in to bat for the pitcher. He hit a fly ball out. Another player, Nino Escalera, who was also black, batted just before Harmon. Escalera was the first black player to appear for the Cincinnati team.
Harmon got his first hit on April 25, 1954. He started the game for the Reds at their home field, Crosley Field. He hit a single in the first inning. Later, he hit a double and scored a run. He also walked once. His last game was on September 15, 1957, in Milwaukee. He was a pinch runner for the Philadelphia Phillies and scored his final run.
Harmon played well in the minor leagues, hitting over .300 for five years. However, he did not reach those numbers in the major leagues. He also played for the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies.
During the off-season, Harmon played "winter ball" in Puerto Rico. He played for the Leones de Ponce and Criollos de Caguas teams. He also played in the 1956 Caribbean Series with the Caguas team.
In his four years in Major League Baseball, Harmon had a batting average of .238. He hit seven home runs and had 59 RBI in 289 games played. After his MLB career, he played four more seasons in the minor leagues.
After he stopped playing, Harmon became a scout. He looked for new talent for the Cleveland Indians and Atlanta Braves baseball teams. He also scouted for the Indiana Pacers basketball team. Later, he worked for the Hamilton County Court System in Cincinnati, Ohio. He stayed active in community programs, helping young people.
Legacy and Personal Life
In 1977, Chuck Harmon was honored by the University of Toledo. He was part of the first group of athletes inducted into their Hall of Fame. In 1995, he was also inducted into the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame.
In 1997, a street in Golf Manor, Ohio, was renamed "Chuck Harmon Way." This was to honor him as a long-time resident. A baseball field in Volunteer Park was also named after him.
On April 20, 2004, the Cincinnati Reds honored Harmon. This day marked 50 years since he became the team's first African-American player. They held a special "Chuck Harmon Recognition Night" at Great American Ball Park. A special plaque was revealed, which is now near the ballpark entrance.
Harmon was married to Daurel "Pearl" Harmon for 62 years. She passed away in 2009. They had three children.
Chuck Harmon passed away on March 19, 2019.
See also
