Bill McGhee
From BR Bullpen
William Mac McGhee (Fibber)
- Bats Left, Throws Left
- Weight 185 lb.
- Debut July 5, 1944
- Final Game September 16, 1945
- Born September 5, 1905 in Shawmut, AL USA
- Died March 10, 1984 in Decatur, GA USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Aged nearly 39, Bill McGhee was the oldest player ever to hit his first home run. This record lasted 59 years, before being broken by Randy Johnson in 2003.
McGhee broke into the majors at age 38, but he was a long-time minor league player. He appeared in 2,292 minor league games, almost all in the South. He hit .321 with nearly 2800 hits in the minors. In 1946 as a player-manager, he hit .349 in the Southeastern League to lead the league - at age 41. Two years later, at age 43, he played on the 1949 Pensacola Fliers who won 98 games. Source: 1949 Pensacola Fliers.
In the majors, he was a first baseman the first year and mostly an outfielder (primarily left field) the second year. In 1944, although the oldest regular position player on the team, his .289 average was higher than most of the regulars (the team as a whole hit .257). The following year, when his average slipped to .252, the team average went down to .245.
Only one other major leaguer has had the last name "McGhee" through July 2007. Ed McGhee was also a Southerner and also played for the Philadelphia Athletics.
[edit] Year-by-Year Managerial Record
| Year | Team | League | Record | Finish | Organization | Playoffs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | Pensacola Fliers | Southeastern League | 85-48 | 1st | Washington Senators | Lost in 1st round | |
| 1947 | Gadsden Pilots | Southeastern League | 75-65 | 2nd | none | Lost League Finals | |
| 1948 | Gadsden Pilots | Southeastern League | -- | Washington Senators | -- | replaced by Jimmy Zinn May 1 | |
| Brewton Millers | Alabama State League | 5th | none | replaced Joseph Beaugez | |||
| 1950 | Gadsden Pilots | Southeastern League | 50-51 | -- | none | Team disbanded August 1 | |
| 1951 | El Dorado Oilers | Cotton States League | 77-62 | 5th | none | ||
| Fitzgerald Pioneers | Georgia State League | -- | none | -- | replaced John Duncan replaced by J.B. Ruark | ||
| 1954 | Hazlehurst-Baxley Cardinals | Georgia State League | 5th | St. Louis Cardinals | replaced Arnold Riesgo July 18 |
