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

[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 Reds 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.

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 Indiana, Crowe was the first recipient of the Indiana Mr. Basketball award in 1939.