Sam Jethroe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sam Jethroe |
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Sam Jethroe with the Boston Braves.
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| Center fielder | |||
| Born: January 23, 1917 Columbus, Mississippi |
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| Died: June 16, 2001 (aged 84) Erie, Pennsylvania |
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| Professional debut | |||
| NgL: 1938, for the Indianapolis Clowns | |||
| MLB: April 18, 1950, for the Boston Braves | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| April 15, 1954, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .275 | ||
| Home runs | 57 | ||
| Runs batted in | 264 | ||
| Stolen bases | 134 | ||
| Teams | |||
Negro leagues
Major League Baseball
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| Career highlights and awards | |||
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Samuel Jethroe, known as "The Jet" because of his amazing speed, was an American center fielder in both Negro league and Major League Baseball. He was born on January 23, 1917, and passed away on June 16, 2001.
With the Cincinnati & Cleveland Buckeyes, he won two batting titles. He also helped his team win two pennants and the 1945 Negro World Series. In 1950, he was named the National League's Rookie of the Year with the Boston Braves. He also led the National League in stolen bases in his first two seasons.
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Early Life of "The Jet"
Sam Jethroe was born in Columbus, Mississippi. He grew up in East St. Louis, Illinois. People called him "The Jet" because he was incredibly fast.
For a long time, it was thought he was born in 1922. However, later information showed he was born in 1917 or 1918. After high school, he played semi-pro baseball in the St. Louis area. In 1938, he briefly played as a catcher for the Indianapolis ABCs.
Playing in the Negro Leagues
From 1942 to 1948, Sam Jethroe played for the Cleveland Buckeyes. This team was part of the Negro American League. He led the league in stolen bases three times.
In 1942, his first season, he batted an impressive .487. That year, a car accident happened on September 7. Several Buckeyes players were hit while standing near their broken-down bus. Two players, Buster Brown and Smoky Owens, sadly died.
Sam Jethroe did not serve in World War II due to a physical deferment. In 1943, he batted .291. He also led the league in doubles (8) and triples (4).
In 1944, he won his first batting title with a .353 average. He also led the league with 14 doubles and 18 stolen bases.
Trying Out for Major League Baseball
On April 16, 1945, Sam Jethroe and two other Black players, Marvin Williams and Jackie Robinson, tried out for the Boston Red Sox. This happened because a city councilman pushed for it. However, the Red Sox did not sign any of them. At that time, Major League Baseball teams did not allow Black players.
Jethroe went back to the Buckeyes and won his second batting title. He batted .393 and led the league with 10 triples and 21 stolen bases. The Buckeyes won the pennant that year. They then swept the Homestead Grays in the 1945 Negro World Series. Jethroe batted .333 in the Series, and the Buckeyes won easily.
In 1946, Jethroe batted .310 and led the league in steals again with 20. In 1947, he batted .340. The Buckeyes won another pennant but lost the Negro World Series to the New York Cubans. Jethroe was chosen for the East-West All-Star Game five times. He finished his time with Cleveland in 1948 with a .296 batting average.
Joining Major League Baseball
Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball in 1947. Seeing his success, the Brooklyn Dodgers bought Sam Jethroe's contract from Cleveland. This cost about $5,000.
From 1948 to 1949, Jethroe played for the Dodgers' minor league team, the Montreal Royals. He batted .322 in 1948. In 1949, he led the league with 89 stolen bases and scored 154 runs. In October 1949, he was sold to the Boston Braves for $150,000.
Rookie of the Year
On April 18, 1950, Sam Jethroe became the first Black player for the Boston Braves. In his first game, he got two hits, including a home run. He was named Rookie of the Year that season. He was 32 years old, though people thought he was 28 at the time.
He batted .273 with 100 runs, 18 home runs, and 58 runs batted in. His 35 stolen bases led the National League. This was the most stolen bases by a Braves player since 1913. He is still the oldest player to win the Rookie of the Year award.
Jethroe had another great season in 1951. He batted .280, scored 101 runs, and had 65 RBI. He also hit 18 home runs and stole 35 bases again, leading the league.
Later Seasons
In 1952, his batting average dropped to .232. He reportedly had trouble with his eyesight. He also led the National League in errors in the outfield in each of his three full seasons.
On June 7, 1952, he hit the last grand slam in Boston Braves history. After that season, the team moved to Milwaukee.
Jethroe spent 1953 playing for the Triple-A Toledo Sox, where he batted .307. In 1954, he joined the Pittsburgh Pirates but only played two games. He then spent five more seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the International League. Even though he was good at getting hits, runs, and stolen bases, he never played in the major leagues again.
In his four seasons in Major League Baseball, he batted .261. He had 460 hits, 49 home runs, 280 runs, 181 RBI, and 98 stolen bases in 442 games. His former teammate, Don Newcombe, called him "the quickest human being I've ever seen."
Later Life
After his baseball career, Sam Jethroe lived in Erie, Pennsylvania. He worked in a factory and played in a local semi-pro league. Later, he opened a bar.
In 1994, Jethroe sued Major League Baseball. He wanted to receive pension payments. Many former Negro League players could not get pensions because racial discrimination had delayed their careers. In 1997, Major League Baseball decided to give yearly payments to Negro League veterans, including Jethroe.
Sam Jethroe passed away from a heart attack in 2001 in Erie. In 2019, he was inducted into the International League Hall of Fame.
See also
- 1949 Caribbean Series
- List of first black Major League Baseball players
- List of Negro league baseball players who played in Major League Baseball
- List of Major League Baseball annual stolen base leaders
