Cowan Hyde facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cowan Hyde |
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| Left fielder | |||
| Born: April 10, 1909 Pontotoc, Mississippi, United States |
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| Died: November 20, 2003 (aged 94) St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| 1924, for the Memphis Red Sox | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| 1951, for the Chicago American Giants | |||
| Career statistics | |||
| Batting average | .266 | ||
| Hits | 218 | ||
| Home runs | 1 | ||
| Runs batted in | 85 | ||
| Stolen bases | 45 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Cowan "Bubba" Hyde (born April 10, 1909 – died November 20, 2003) was an American professional baseball player. He played as an outfielder for many years. Most of his career was spent in the Negro leagues, from the 1920s to the 1950s.
Bubba Hyde played for teams like the Memphis Red Sox, Birmingham Black Barons, Indianapolis Athletics, and the Cincinnati Tigers. He was known for being a great base stealer. He was also a good contact hitter, meaning he often hit the ball. Hyde was chosen to play in two East-West All-Star Games during his career.
Early Life and Baseball Start
Bubba Hyde was born in Pontotoc, Mississippi. He got his nickname "Bubba" from his sister when he was a child. This nickname stuck with him his whole life.
When he was only 14 years old, scouts from the Memphis Red Sox noticed his amazing athletic skills. They offered him a chance to try out for their team. After a short time with the Red Sox, Bubba missed home. He decided to go back to Pontotoc to finish high school.
The Red Sox still wanted him on their team. They convinced him to return in 1927. That season, he had a .190 batting average. Bubba also continued his education. He attended Morris Brown College and Rust College. There, he played baseball, football, and was on the track team. In 1930, he played briefly with the Birmingham Black Barons, batting .237.
Playing in the Negro Leagues
Bubba Hyde was not a very big player, standing 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing 150 pounds. But he made up for his size with incredible speed and quickness. In 1937, he played with the Indianapolis Athletics. His skills impressed manager Double Duty Radcliffe. Radcliffe then signed Bubba to play for the Cincinnati Tigers.
The next season, Radcliffe moved to the Red Sox team. He immediately signed Bubba Hyde to be their starting left fielder. This started a 12-year period where Bubba played for the Red Sox. Because he could hit with power and was very fast, Radcliffe often put Bubba at the leadoff spot. This meant Bubba was the first batter in the lineup. Radcliffe also gave him the "green light" to steal bases whenever he thought he could make it.
Throughout his time in the Negro leagues, Bubba Hyde usually had a batting average around .300. He was selected to play in the East-West All-Star Game in both 1943 and 1946.
Later Career and Legacy
Besides the Negro leagues, Bubba Hyde also played in the Mexican league in 1940. He had a .306 batting average there. He then played with the Palmer House All-Stars in Chicago.
In 1950, when he was 40 years old, he joined the Bridgeport Bees. This was a minor league team connected to the Boston Braves organization. He had a great season, batting .327. This earned him a spot on the Braves' spring training team. However, he had to leave camp to be with his pregnant wife at the hospital. Because of this, he was cut from the team.
Bubba Hyde finished his baseball career with the Chicago American Giants in 1951. He then played four more years in the Mandak League. Even in his mid-forties, he continued to hit well above .300.
After baseball, Bubba Hyde settled in St. Louis, Missouri. He worked for the General Cable company. He retired in the mid-1980s. Bubba Hyde was one of the first players to be honored on the Negro Leagues Wall of Fame. His uniform was even put on display in the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
Before he passed away on November 20, 2003, Bubba Hyde had a special honor. He was the last living player who had played in the Negro leagues earlier than anyone else still alive.
