Joe Reliford facts for kids

Joe Louis Reliford was born on November 29, 1939. He is famous for being the youngest person ever to play in a professional baseball game. This amazing event happened on July 19, 1952, when Joe was just 12 years old. He was a batboy for the Fitzgerald Pioneers team.

A Historic Baseball Moment

On that special day, Joe's team, the Fitzgerald Pioneers, was playing against the Statesboro Pilots. The Pioneers were losing by a lot, 13–0, as they headed into the eighth inning. The fans in the crowd started cheering loudly. They wanted the team's manager, Charley Ridgeway, to "put in the batboy!"

Manager Ridgeway listened to the crowd. He sent young Joe Reliford to bat. Joe faced the pitcher, Curtis White, and hit the ball. It was a ground out to third base. After his turn at bat, Joe stayed in the game. He played as the center fielder.

Breaking Barriers and Facing Consequences

Playing in that game made Joe Reliford the youngest person to ever play professional baseball. He was only 12 years and 234 days old! But that wasn't the only important thing he did. Joe also broke the color barrier in the Georgia State League. This meant he was the first African-American player in that league.

After the game, there were some consequences. Joe Reliford was released from the team. Manager Ridgeway was suspended for five days and had to pay a $50 fine. Luckily, local fans helped him pay the fine. The umpire, Ed Kubrick, was also fired by the league.

Life After the Game

Later that summer, Joe Reliford continued to play baseball. He worked for a semi-pro team called the Fitzgerald Lucky Stars. He even played in a few of their games.

However, Joe's chance at a long baseball career ended in college. He suffered a broken collarbone, which stopped him from playing sports professionally. After finishing college, Joe became an electrical technician. He moved to Douglas, Georgia.

In Douglas, Joe made history again. He became one of the first African-American police officers in the city. Later, he was promoted to deputy sheriff. Joe worked as a deputy sheriff until he retired in 1998.