George Crowe
From BR Bullpen
George Daniel Crowe (Big George)
- Bats Left, Throws Left
- Height 6' 2", Weight 212 lb.
- School Indiana Central College
- High School Franklin (IN) High School
- Debut April 16, 1952
- Final Game April 30, 1961
- Born March 22, 1921 in Whiteland, IN USA
- Died January 18, 2011 in Rancho Cordova, CA USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Before his major league career, George Crowe also played in the NBL, a predecessor to the NBA. Crowe is best known for hitting 31 home runs as an injury replacement for Ted Kluszewski (he was the only member of the Cincinnati Redlegs not selected by fans in Cincinnati ballot stuffing for the 1957 All-Star Game - Stan Musial beat him). Crowe was chosen as All-Star reserve when he had a good first half in 1958.
George, who made his major league debut at age 31, was a 35-year-old teammate when Frank Robinson came up to the 1956 Redlegs as a 20-year-old rookie.
Crowe was the first Indiana-born African American to play in the majors and was inducted into the Indiana Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004. A graduate of Franklin High School in Franklin, Indiana, Crowe was the first recipient of the Indiana Mr. Basketball award in 1939.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- NL All-Star (1958)
- 20-Home Run Seasons: 1 (1957)
- 30-Home Run Seasons: 1 (1957)
