William Powell (baseball) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids William Powell |
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| Pitcher | |||
| Born: May 8, 1919 Comer, Georgia |
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| Died: August 21, 2004 (aged 85) Birmingham, Alabama |
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| debut | |||
| 1946, for the Birmingham Black Barons | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| 1950, for the Birmingham Black Barons | |||
| Teams | |||
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William Henry Powell (born May 8, 1919 – died August 21, 2004) was an American baseball player. He was a talented pitcher who played in the Negro leagues. From 1946 to 1950, he played for the Birmingham Black Barons.
Contents
William Powell's Baseball Journey
William Powell was born in Comer, Georgia. Before he became a baseball star, he served in the United States Army during World War II. This was a very big war that happened many years ago.
Joining the Black Barons
In 1946, Powell joined the Birmingham Black Barons. This team was part of the Negro leagues, where many amazing Black baseball players competed. He quickly became one of the team's top four starting pitchers. A starting pitcher is the player who begins the game on the mound. His teammates in this "big four" group were Jay Heard, Curtis Hollingsworth, and Jimmy Newberry.
All-Star Games and World Series
William Powell was a very good pitcher. In 1948, he was chosen to play in the first East–West All-Star Game. This special game featured the best players from the East and West teams in the Negro leagues. Powell was the starting pitcher and helped his team win!
That same year, he also pitched in two games for the Black Barons in the 1948 Negro World Series. This was like the championship series for the Negro leagues. His team played against the Homestead Grays, but they did not win the series.
Later Career and Minor Leagues
Powell was nominated for the All-Star Game again in 1950. He had a fantastic year, winning 15 games and only losing 4. This is called a win–loss record. After this great season, the owner of the Black Barons, Tom Hayes, let Powell try out for a team called the Sacramento Solons. This team played in the Pacific Coast League.
From 1951 to 1956, William Powell played for many different teams in Minor League Baseball. These are teams that help players get better and maybe play in the major leagues someday. He played in several different leagues across the country. In 1957, he played for teams in the United States and Mexico. He continued to play baseball until 1961, when he ended his professional career.
William Powell passed away in Birmingham, Alabama, in 2004. He was 85 years old.
