Samuel "Bay" Taylor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Samuel Taylor |
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| Catcher | |||
| Born: January 27, 1929 Charleston, Missouri |
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| Died: April 8, 2019 (aged 90) St. Louis, Missouri |
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| debut | |||
| 1952, for the Kansas City Monarchs | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| 1954, for the Indianapolis Clowns | |||
| Teams | |||
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Samuel "Bay" Taylor (born January 27, 1929 – died April 8, 2019) was an American baseball player. He was a catcher and left fielder in the Negro leagues. These leagues were professional baseball teams for African American players. They existed before baseball fully allowed players of all races. Bay Taylor was 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighed 195 pounds. He batted and threw with his right hand.
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Early Life and Baseball Career
Samuel Taylor was born in Charleston, Missouri. He began his baseball journey in East St. Louis, Illinois. He played for a local team called the East St. Louis White Sox. Later, he joined other teams in East St. Louis.
In 1952, Taylor joined the famous Kansas City Monarchs. This team was part of the Negro American League. He played for the Monarchs until 1954. His manager there was the legendary Buck O'Neil. After leaving the Monarchs, Taylor played for the Indianapolis Clowns in late 1954.
Playing Style and Inspiration
Bay Taylor once shared that he looked up to Brooklyn Dodgers catcher Roy Campanella. He tried to play baseball in a similar way to his idol. This shows how much he admired Campanella's skills on the field.
Baseball Achievements
It's hard to find official statistics for the Negro leagues from this time. This is because baseball was starting to allow players of all races. But Bay Taylor remembered his best season. He said he hit for a .325 batting average. He also hit 25 home runs and had 51 RBI for a St. Louis team called the Midgets. These numbers show he was a strong player.
Later Years and Recognition
In 2018, Bay Taylor was honored by the St. Louis Cardinals. He was invited to throw the ceremonial first pitch at a game. This special event took place at Busch Stadium. It was a great way to celebrate his contributions to baseball.
Samuel "Bay" Taylor passed away in 2019. He died in St. Louis, Missouri when he was 90 years old.
