Jim Zapp facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jim Zapp |
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| Left fielder | |||
| Born: April 18, 1924 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. |
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| Died: September 30, 2016 (aged 92) Harker Heights, Texas, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| 1945, for the Baltimore Elite Giants | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| 1954, for the Birmingham Black Barons | |||
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James Stephen Zapp (born April 18, 1924 – died September 30, 2016) was a talented American baseball player. People often called him "Zipper". He played as an outfielder in the Negro leagues and minor leagues. His career lasted from 1945 to 1955.
Jim Zapp spent most of his time playing for the Baltimore Elite Giants. He was known as a great power hitter and contact hitter. This means he could hit the ball hard and often. Later in his career, he played in integrated baseball. He even broke a league record for RBIs in one season. That record still stands today!
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Jim Zapp's Early Life and Military Service
Jim Zapp was born in Nashville, Tennessee. When he was young, he went to a Catholic school. This school did not have a baseball team. He played softball sometimes as a teenager. But his real baseball journey started in an unexpected way.
In 1942, Zapp joined the United States Navy. He was stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. There, he joined a military baseball team. This team was segregated, meaning only Black players were on it. His coach, Edgar "Special Delivery" Jones, was very impressed. Jones was a former running back in the NFL.
Coach Jones moved Zapp to his white team. This made Zapp and first baseman Andy Ashford the only two Black players on the integrated team. Zapp helped his team win championships in 1943 and 1944. He played navy baseball until 1945. That's when World War II ended, and he left the Navy.
Jim Zapp's Baseball Career Highlights
While in the Navy, Jim Zapp was signed by the Baltimore Elite Giants. He started as a backup corner outfielder. He played for them on weekends at first. Then he joined full-time for the winter season.
In 1946, Zapp went home and played for the Nashville Cubs. The next year, he joined the Atlanta Black Crackers. He showed his power hitting skills there. He hit 11 home runs in just half a season.
Zapp sometimes left teams if he felt owners weren't treating him fairly. He told a reporter, "If I didn't think the owners was treating me right, I'd quit." This might have stopped him from playing in Major League Baseball later on.
Playing with the Birmingham Black Barons
In 1948, a talent scout spotted Zapp in New York City. He then signed to play for the Birmingham Black Barons. This was his fourth year as a professional player. Zapp became the starting left-outfielder for the Barons. He even played alongside baseball legend Willie Mays.
Exact statistics were not always kept back then. But Zapp was known as an excellent power and contact hitter. He often batted over .300 for his career. This means he got a hit more than 30% of the time.
Zapp played a key role in the Black Barons winning the Negro American League pennant in 1948. They won in seven games against the Kansas City Monarchs. Zapp hit a walk-off home run in Game 3. This was a home run that won the game in the final inning. He said it was the best moment of his career.
The Black Barons then played in the Negro World Series. They faced the Homestead Grays. The Grays won the series in five games. But in the Barons' only win, Zapp hit another game-tying home run in the ninth inning. This led to an extra-innings victory.
Integrated Baseball and Record Breaking
After his time with the Black Barons, Zapp played for semi-professional teams. He returned to the Elite Giants for the 1950 and 1951 seasons.
In 1952, a former Negro leaguer named Butch McCord suggested Zapp to a team owner. Zapp then joined the Paris Lakers in the Mississippi-Ohio Valley League. This was a big step, as he was now playing in integrated baseball.
Zapp had an amazing season with the Lakers. He batted .330 and hit 20 home runs. He also had 136 RBIs. This set a league record for RBIs that still stands today! He said his teammate McCord helped him get so many RBIs. McCord often got on base right before Zapp, with a high batting average of .390.
Later Minor League Years
The next season, Zapp played briefly for the Danville Dans. He then had two strong years with the Big Spring Broncs in 1954 and 1955. In 1954, he batted .290 with 32 home runs in 90 games. He led the league in home runs that year. In 1955, he batted .311 with 29 home runs in 89 games.
Between seasons, Zapp returned to the Barons and then the Elite Giants. This was when the Negro leagues were starting to end. After the 1955 season, Zapp retired from baseball. He then worked as a civil service worker for 24 years. In the 1970s, he was an athletic director at Webb Air Force Base in Texas.
Jim Zapp's Later Life
In his later years, Jim Zapp faced health challenges. He lived in Harker Heights, Texas. He passed away on September 30, 2016.
