Rap Dixon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rap Dixon |
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| Born: September 15, 1902 Kingston, Georgia |
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| Died: July 20, 1944 (aged 41) Detroit, Michigan |
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Herbert Allen "Rap" Dixon (born September 15, 1902 – died July 20, 1944) was an amazing American baseball player. He was an outfielder in the Negro Leagues, playing for many different teams. Rap was born in Kingston, Georgia.
He started playing semi-pro baseball with the Keystone Giants when he was just 14 years old, in 1916. A man named William Strothers noticed Rap's amazing hitting skills and brought him onto his team.
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Rap Dixon: A Baseball Star
Rap Dixon was known for being a "triple threat" on the baseball field. This means he was great at three things: speed, hitting, and power. He could run fast, hit the ball well, and hit it with a lot of force.
When Dixon played for the Giants in the 1920s, their outfield was one of the best ever. It included Dixon, Oscar Charleston, and Fats Jenkins. This team scored runs faster than even the famous 1927 New York Yankees! In 1929, Rap Dixon had a great year, hitting the ball well and leading the league in triples.
Discovering Talent
Rap Dixon wasn't just a great player; he also helped discover another future baseball star. He found Baseball Hall of Famer Leon Day playing baseball in the sandlots (informal fields) of Baltimore.
Making History at Yankee Stadium
On July 5, 1930, Rap Dixon helped make history at Yankee Stadium. For the very first time, two Negro League teams played a doubleheader (two games in one day) at this famous stadium. About 20,000 fans came to watch!
Dixon was playing for the Baltimore Black Sox. He hit one home run in the first game and two more in the second game. His powerful hitting helped his team get a split, meaning they won one game and lost one, against the Lincoln Giants.
Playing with Legends
Throughout his career, Rap Dixon played alongside many other baseball legends. He was a teammate of future Hall of Famers like Satchel Paige and Judy Johnson when he played for the Pittsburgh Crawfords.
Later in his career, Rap also played with his brother, Paul Dixon, and with Leon Day on the Black Sox. Rap Dixon was chosen to play in the East-West All-Star Game in 1933, which was a special game featuring the best players from the East and West teams in the Negro Leagues. He also had a very good hitting average when playing against white major league players.
Rap Dixon passed away at the age of 41 in Detroit, Michigan.
