Ace Adams
From BR Bullpen
- Note: This page links to Ace Adams, former major league pitcher. For college and minor league pitching coach, see Ace Adams (coach).
Ace Townsend Adams
- Bats Right, Throws Right
- Weight 182 lb.
- Debut April 15, 1941
- Final Game April 24, 1946
- Born March 2, 1912 in Willows, CA USA
- Died February 26, 2006
[edit] Biographical Information
Ace Adams was a star pitcher in the war years before jumping to the Mexican League and being blacklisted from the majors.
"Ace" was the name he was given at birth, not a nickname.
Prior to becoming a baseball player for a living, he tried professional boxing. In 1935, he was in the minors in Oklahoma and Georgia. He was a member of Cordele's entry in Georgia-Florida League. In 1941, he was with Nashville when noticed by the Giants.
He had also played with Nashville in 1940, on one of the great minor league teams that won 101 games. He had a 13-5 record, a 4.06 ERA and led the league in strikeouts.
Bill Terry was the manager when Ace came up, and for most of his time in the majors, Mel Ott managed the New York Giants, the only team for whom Ace played.
Ace's main teammates with the Giants included Mel Ott (1192), Mickey Witek (427), Harry Feldman (418), Billy Jurges (410), Ernie Lombardi (394), Johnny Mize (384), Dick Bartell (358), Bill Voiselle (355) and Cliff Melton (332).
Ace was 29 years old when he broke into the majors, and 34 when he last played for the Giants.
Although saves were not an official statistic then, that's what Ace did. He finished games and saved them. He also posted as many as 11 wins in a season.
He led the league three times in appearances by a pitcher, and four times in games finished by a pitcher. He was an All Star in 1943.
For a while, after he retired as a player, he owned and operated the Fitzgerald Pioneers minor league team.
After his baseball career, he lived and worked in Albany, GA for many decades.
Primarily wore number 27.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- NL All-Star (1943)
- 3-times NL Games Pitched Leader (1942-1944)
- 2-times NL Saves Leader (1944 & 1945)
[edit] Related Sites
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