William McCrary facts for kids
Quick facts for kids William McCrary |
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| Shortstop | |
| Born: November 5, 1929 Beloit, Wisconsin |
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| Died: July 21, 2018 (aged 88) Hot Springs Village, Arkansas |
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| debut | |
| 1946, for the Kansas City Monarchs | |
| Last appearance | |
| 1947, for the Kansas City Monarchs | |
| Teams | |
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William L. McCrary (born November 5, 1929 – died July 21, 2018) was a talented American baseball player. People often called him "Youngblood." He played as a shortstop in the Negro American League. His main team was the famous Kansas City Monarchs in the late 1940s. He also played for teams linked to the New York Yankees and Chicago Cubs.
William "Youngblood" McCrary's Story
William McCrary was born in Beloit, Wisconsin, on November 5, 1929. He was adopted by Bud and Estella McCrary when he was just seven weeks old. A famous baseball player named Satchel Paige gave him his special nickname, "Youngblood."
Life After Baseball
After his time playing baseball, William McCrary worked as a foreman for big companies like Alcoa and General Motors. He also owned his own cleaning business. In 2014, he was honored and added to the Beloit (Wisconsin) Sports Hall of Fame.
Later in his life, McCrary became an important person for the Negro leagues. He often met with people and shared his stories. He talked about what it was like to play baseball when teams were separated by race. This was a time called "segregated baseball." His life story was even written in a book called "A Legend Among Us: The Story of William 'Youngblood' McCrary." Linda Pennington Black wrote this book in 2014.
William McCrary passed away on July 21, 2018, in Hot Spring Village, Arkansas. He was 88 years old.
