Leon Day facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Leon Day |
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: October 30, 1916 Alexandria, Virginia, United States |
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| Died: March 13, 1995 (aged 78) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| 1934, Baltimore Black Sox | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| 1950, Baltimore Elite Giants | |||
| Career statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 48–21 | ||
| Earned run average | 3.50 | ||
| Batting average | .318 | ||
| Teams | |||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 1995 | ||
| Election Method | Veterans Committee | ||
Leon Day (October 30, 1916 – March 13, 1995) was an amazing American baseball player. He spent most of his career in the Negro leagues. Leon was known for being super versatile. He could play almost any position on the field, except for catcher. Sometimes, he even played second baseman or center fielder when he wasn't pitching.
Leon was a right-handed pitcher with a special way of throwing. He didn't use a big wind-up, which made his pitches seem even faster! He was great at striking out batters, especially with his super-speedy fastball. But Leon wasn't just a pitcher. He was also a really good contact hitter. He was fast on the bases and a tough fielder. All these skills made him one of the most exciting players of his time.
Leon started playing in the Negro leagues in 1934. He played for teams like the Baltimore Black Sox, Newark Eagles, and Baltimore Elite Giants. In 1937, he had an incredible season with the Eagles, winning all 13 of his games. He also had a batting average over .300! Leon also played winter baseball in Puerto Rico. He holds records for the most strikeouts in a single game in both the Negro and Puerto Rican leagues. He also played in the most East–West All-Star Games.
Because Leon was a quiet person, his amazing achievements weren't always noticed right away. Other famous pitchers like Satchel Paige got more attention. But many people think Leon Day was one of the best pitchers in the Negro leagues. He was often as good as, or even better than, his rivals. In 1995, Leon was chosen for the Baseball Hall of Fame. This happened just six days before he passed away at 78 years old.
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Early Life and Baseball Dreams
Leon Day was born in Alexandria, Virginia, on October 30, 1916. His family moved to Mount Winans, a neighborhood in Baltimore, when he was very young. Their home didn't have electricity or indoor plumbing.
From a young age, Leon loved baseball. He often played games in empty lots. He also walked a long way to watch the Baltimore Black Sox play at Maryland Ball Park. When he was 12 and 13, Leon played for the Mount Winans Athletic Club. His high school didn't have a baseball team. So, in 1933, at 17, Leon left school to join a semi-professional team called the Silver Moons. He mostly played second baseman, but he was always ready to pitch if his team needed him.
Leon Day's Baseball Career
Playing in the Negro Leagues
Leon Day was discovered by Herbert "Rap" Dixon. Dixon was a former Negro leagues player and manager for the Black Sox. He noticed Leon's amazing fielding and pitching skills. In 1934, Leon signed his first professional contract for $60 a month. He learned a lot from his teammate Lamon Yokeley. However, the Black Sox team ran into money problems and closed down that year.
Leon and some of his teammates then joined the Brooklyn Eagles in 1935. There, pitcher Ted "Double Duty" Radcliffe taught Leon how to improve his pickoff move. The Eagles' general manager, Ben Taylor, saw Leon's potential. He put Leon into the starting pitching lineup. In his first full season as a pitcher, Leon had a great record of 9 wins and 2 losses. He even pitched a one-hitter game! He also made his first of seven appearances in the East–West All-Star Game.
By 1936, Leon was the top pitcher for the Newark Eagles. His teammate Max Manning said Leon brought "tenacity," "speed," and "dedication" to every game. His best season was in 1937. He had a perfect record of 13 wins and 0 losses! His earned run average (ERA) was 3.02, and his batting average was .320. He even hit eight home runs! When he wasn't pitching, Leon played almost every other position. He was a dangerous hitter, so good that some compared him to the legendary Babe Ruth.
On July 31, 1942, Leon set a Negro league record. He struck out 18 batters from the Baltimore Elite Giants in a game where he only allowed one hit. The only hit was a small single to left field. In the 1942 East-West All-Star Game, Leon came in as a relief pitcher. He struck out seven batters, which was the most ever in an East-West All-Star game.
Serving in World War II
On September 1, 1943, Leon Day was drafted into the military. He was part of the 818th Amphibian Battalion. Six days after Operation Overlord (D-Day), he landed on Utah Beach to deliver supplies. After VE-Day, he was stationed in France. Leon and fellow Negro leaguer Willard Brown joined the OISE All-Stars team. Their team easily won games and reached the ETO World Series. They played against a team mostly made up of Major League Baseball players.
In Game Two of the series, Leon pitched for a 2–1 victory. The OISE All-Stars eventually won the championship in five games. This big game was played in front of 50,000 fans in Germany.
Returning to Baseball
After leaving the military, Leon returned to the Eagles for Opening Day on May 5, 1946. Even though he hadn't pitched professionally for a long time, he threw a no-hitter against the Philadelphia Stars. He only allowed three players to reach base, one walk and two errors by his teammates. Despite an arm injury, Leon led the league that season in wins, strikeouts, and complete games.
In the 1946 Negro League World Series, he pitched in two games. The Eagles beat the Monarchs in seven games to win the championship. Leon played his last season in the Negro leagues in 1949 with the Baltimore Elite Giants. Records from that time were not always perfect. Some statistics show he had a 67–29 record, but historians believe he might have won as many as 300 games.
Other Leagues and Retirement
During the off-season in 1935, Leon went to Puerto Rico to play in their winter baseball league. He played six seasons there, mostly with the Aguadilla Sharks. He set a league record by striking out 19 batters in a game in 1939.
In 1940, Leon also played in the Venezuelan League and for the Veracruz Red Eagles in the Mexican Baseball League. He had a perfect 6–0 record in Mexico that year. He returned to the Mexican League in 1947 and 1948.
After leaving the Negro leagues in 1950, Leon played for the Winnipeg Buffalos. In 1951, he finally played in organized baseball, but in the minor leagues. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, a Triple-A team. He also played for two other teams, the Scranton Miners and the Edmonton Eskimos. Leon retired from professional baseball in 1955 at age 39.
Later Life and Legacy
After his baseball career, Leon Day worked as a bartender in Newark. In 1970, he moved back to Baltimore and worked as a security guard until 1979. For many years, people tried to get Leon inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. This was a big dream of his.
Baltimore's Mayor Kurt Schmoke even declared January 31, 1992, "Leon Day's Day" in the city. The Governor of Maryland made a similar announcement for Annapolis later that year. Leon was a humble and quiet person, which might have made it harder for him to get noticed by the Hall of Fame voters. After missing induction by just one vote in 1993, Leon was finally elected to the Hall of Fame on March 7, 1995. Sadly, he passed away just six days later, on March 13, 1995, at 78 years old.
Historians often compare Leon Day to his rival, Satchel Paige. Paige was loud and promoted himself, while Leon was quiet and avoided attention. Paige was tall, and Leon was shorter and slender. Even though they were very different, their games against each other were legendary pitching duels. Leon won three of these matchups against Paige.
After his death, many efforts were made to honor Leon. In 1997, Baltimore renamed a park "Negro League Hall of Famer Leon Day Park." Leon's wife, Geraldine, started the Leon Day Foundation in 2001. This foundation helps support sports and teaches people about the importance of the Negro leagues. In 2013, Leon Day was honored with the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award for his service in the United States Army during World War II.
