Curt Roberts

From BR Bullpen

Curtis Benjamin Roberts

Bats Right, Throws Right
Height 5' 8", Weight 165 lb.
High School McClymonds High School
Debut April 13, 1954
Final Game June 8, 1956
Born August 16, 1929 in Pineland, TX USA
Died November 14, 1969 in Oakland, CA USA

[edit] Biographical Information

Curt Roberts was the first black player in Pittsburgh Pirates history, Roberts was signed by Branch Rickey in October of 1953 after three years with the Denver Bears in the class A Western League where he was the All-Star second baseman in '53. The second sacker hit just .232 in 134 games in his only full season with the Pirates in 1954. He was also with the Pirates for part of 1955, getting in to only six games and was with the Hollywood Stars of the Pacific Coast League for the remainder of the year appearing in 123 games and hitting at a .321 clip. Roberts, who was fluent in Spanish, was helpful in the transition to the majors of Roberto Clemente in 1955.

It was just about the same scenario in 1956 with the exception a 19 year old second baseman named Bill Mazeroski would appear on the scene and Curt would be with the Pirates for 31 games, his last in the majors, and spend the balance of the season with the Williamsport Grays and the Columbus Red Birds hitting .318 with nine home runs in the combined season. While with Columbus, Curt would hit four home runs in an International League game on August 27, 1956.

After last playing for Pittsburgh in '56 Curt would spend the rest of his pro career in the high minors. He would hit .304 with 10 homers for the Denver Bears in 1957 and also hit .307 with the Spokane Indians in 1961. Roberts finished his three year major league run in '56 with a .223 average in 171 games and would wind up his 12 season minor league career in 1963 with a .293 batting average with 87 home runs.

Roberts baseball career started when he was signed by the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro Leagues out of McClymonds High School in Oakland, CA, where he preceeded major league stars, Frank Robinson, Vada Pinson and Curt Flood. Roberts, who was working in campus security at the University of California, died tradgically on November 14, 1969, at age 40 when he was hit by a vehicle whike changing a flat tire on a freeway in Oakland, CA.