Hugh Alexander (baseball) facts for kids

Hugh Alexander (July 10, 1917 – November 25, 2000) was an American professional baseball player and a very famous scout. He played as an outfielder for a short time. But after a serious injury at age 20, he became one of baseball's most well-known talent scouts.

Hugh Alexander's Early Life and Playing Days

Hugh Alexander was born in Buffalo, Missouri. When he was five, his family moved to Oklahoma. He was a tall player, about 6 feet (1.8 meters) and weighed 190 pounds (86 kg). He batted and threw with his right hand.

Playing for the Cleveland Indians

In 1936 and 1937, Hugh played in the lower levels of the Cleveland Indians' farm system. He was a great hitter, batting .348 and .344 in those years. Because he played so well, he was called up to the Major Leagues.

He played in seven games for the Cleveland Indians in August 1937. He got one hit in eleven tries. He also played one more game in September as a pinch runner.

An Unexpected End to His Playing Career

After the 1937 season, Hugh was working in his family's oil fields in Oklahoma. He had an accident with a drilling machine and lost his left hand. This sad event meant his playing career had to end. He was only 20 years old.

Hugh Alexander: A Legendary Baseball Scout

Right after his accident, Hugh Alexander was given a job as a scout for the Cleveland Indians. This was very unusual because he was so young. Also, scouting jobs were hard to find during The Great Depression, a time when many people didn't have jobs.

Discovering Future Baseball Stars

Even though he was young, Hugh was amazing at finding new talent. The first two players he signed for Cleveland became huge stars: pitcher Allie Reynolds and outfielder Dale Mitchell. A sportswriter named Allen Barra said Hugh was a "superb judge of talent."

Hugh Alexander worked as a scout for 64 years! He worked for many teams, including the Indians, Chicago White Sox, Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, and Chicago Cubs. People often called him "Uncle Hughie."

He helped many famous players join the Dodgers, like Steve Garvey, Frank Howard, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell, and Don Sutton. These players became very important to their teams.

Honoring Baseball Scouts

In 1984, Hugh Alexander helped start the "Scout of the Year Program." This program celebrates the best scouts in the country every year. In 1996, Hugh himself was given the "Scout of the Year" award. He retired from scouting in 1998 and passed away on November 25, 2000.