Pumpsie Green facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pumpsie Green |
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Green c. 1961
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| Infielder | |||
| Born: October 27, 1933 Boley, Oklahoma, U.S. |
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| Died: July 17, 2019 (aged 85) San Leandro, California, U.S. |
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| debut | |||
| July 21, 1959, for the Boston Red Sox | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 26, 1963, for the New York Mets | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .246 | ||
| Home runs | 13 | ||
| Runs batted in | 74 | ||
| Teams | |||
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Pumpsie Green (born October 27, 1933, died July 17, 2019) was an American baseball player. He played as an infielder in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox (1959–1962) and the New York Mets (1963). He was a switch-hitter, meaning he could bat from both sides of the plate. He threw the ball with his right hand.
Green made history as the first Black player for the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox were the last team from the original major leagues to allow Black players. When he played for Boston, he often came into games as a pinch runner (a player who runs for another player already on base). He also filled in for other infielders when they needed a day off. His first game was on July 21, 1959. He entered as a pinch runner in a game where the Red Sox lost 2–1 to the Chicago White Sox.
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Early Life and Family
Green was born in Boley, Oklahoma. He was the oldest of five children. His brother, Cornell Green, became a famous safety for the Dallas Cowboys football team. Another brother, Credell Green, played football at the University of Washington. He was later drafted by the Green Bay Packers.
Green's real name was Elijah, like his father. But his mother called him "Pumpsie" from a young age. Green said he never knew why she gave him that nickname. He grew up in Richmond, California. In high school, he was a talented athlete in three different sports.
Back then, major league baseball teams were not yet on the West Coast. So, Green grew up cheering for the Oakland Oaks, a team in the Pacific Coast League. Green later thought he might have been even better at basketball. However, he chose baseball when he got a scholarship offer from Fresno State University.
Instead, Green decided to go to Contra Costa College. His high school baseball coach, Gene Corr, became the coach there. Coach Corr promised Green he could play shortstop if he joined the team. In his last year of college, Green tried out for the Oakland Oaks and signed a contract with them.
Minor League Baseball Journey
In 1954, Green played his second season with the Wenatchee Chiefs. This team was connected to the Oakland Oaks. He had a good batting average of .297 that year. In 1955, he moved up to the Stockton Ports, which was the Oaks' top team.
The Boston Red Sox bought Green's contract during the 1955 season. But he was allowed to finish the year with Stockton. In 1956, he played for the Albany Senators, a team linked to the Red Sox. Green spent 1957 with the Oklahoma City Indians and San Francisco Seals. In 1958, he played for the Minneapolis Millers.
In 1959, Green was invited to the Red Sox's main team training camp. He played very well and got a lot of attention from the media. Still, he was sent back to Minneapolis. But he kept playing great, hitting .320 in 98 games. Because of his strong performance, he was finally called up to the major league Red Sox team.
Major League Career Highlights
Green played his first MLB game on July 21, 1959. It was against the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park. He entered the game in the eighth inning as a pinch runner. He then played shortstop in the bottom of the eighth. This moment made him the first Black player for the Red Sox. The next day, he started the game at second base. He batted second in the lineup but did not get any hits.
His first MLB hit came in his fourth game, on July 28 in Cleveland. He singled off pitcher Jim Perry. On the same day, pitcher Earl Wilson also made his MLB debut. This made Wilson the Red Sox' second Black player. Green's first time batting at Fenway Park was on August 4. He hit a triple off the famous Green Monster wall against the Kansas City Athletics. Green played 50 games for the 1959 Red Sox. He batted .233 and mostly played second base.
In 1960, Green played much more often. He appeared in 133 games, playing 69 at second base and 41 at shortstop. He finished the season with a .242 batting average.
Green had one of his best seasons in 1961. He set new personal records for home runs (6), RBI (27), doubles (12), and stolen bases (4). However, he also made the most errors of his career that year, with 16. Green started the season strong. But in May, he got appendicitis in Washington, D.C.. This kept him out of the lineup for about four weeks. It also affected his play for even longer.
In 1962, after some tough losses to the New York Yankees, Green and teammate Gene Conley got off the team bus in a traffic jam. They were looking for a restroom. The bus driver then drove away without them.
After the 1962 season, Green was traded to the New York Mets. He went with Tracy Stallard and Al Moran in exchange for Felix Mantilla. Green spent most of the 1963 season playing for the Buffalo Bisons. He also played 17 games with the Mets. His last major league game was with the Mets on September 26, 1963. Green played two more seasons in the minor leagues before he retired in 1965. In his five years in the major leagues, Green had a .246 batting average. He hit 13 home runs and had 74 RBI in 344 games. He also had 31 doubles and 12 triples.
Life After Baseball
After he stopped playing baseball, Green worked at Berkeley High School in Berkeley, California. He worked there for over 20 years. He helped students who missed school, coached baseball, and taught math in summer school. Green lived in El Cerrito, California, for many years after retiring from baseball. He was married to his wife, Marie, for over 50 years.
On April 17, 2009, the Red Sox honored Green. They held a special ceremony before a game. This was to celebrate 50 years since he broke the team's color barrier. In February 2012, the city of El Cerrito also honored Green. They gave him a special award for his "distinguished stature in baseball history." In April 2012, he threw out the first pitch before a Jackie Robinson Day game at Fenway Park. He also attended Fenway's 100th anniversary celebrations that same month.
Pumpsie Green passed away on July 17, 2019, at the age of 85. The cause of his death was not announced.
See also
