George Strickland

From BR Bullpen

George Bevan Strickland (Bo)

Bats Right, Throws Right
Height 6' 1", Weight 180 lb.

Debut May 7, 1950
Final Game July 23, 1960
Born January 10, 1926 in New Orleans, LA USA

[edit] Biographical Information

Seventeen year old George Strickland was signed as an amateur free agent by the Brooklyn Dodgers before the 1943 season. The youngster appeared in only three games with his hometown team, New Orleans Pelicans, getting to the plate only eight times with two base hits. George was drafted into the United States Navy in March of 1944, serving in the Pacific Theater of Operations, during World War II, mustering out in May of 1946. After being picked up by the Boston Red Sox in an unknown transaction in 1946 He would report back to the New Orleans Pelicans, where he hit .242 in 78 games. He would spend the next three seasons (1947-49) sharpening his game in the minors and hitting .261 for the Birmingham Barons in 1949 was his ticket to the major leagues.

On November 17, 1949 Strickland was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates from the Red Sox in the '49 rule V draft. A light hitting but excellent fielding shortstop, George first appeared with the Pirates in 1950. He was traded to the Cleveland Indians late in the '52 season and solidified the Indians defense by replacing Ray Boone, who had ailing knees.

George led American League shortstops in double plays in 1953 and fielding in 1955. George was the regular shortstop on the 1954 pennant winning Indians but his season was cut short when on July 23, he broke his jaw in a game at Yankee Stadium when he was hit by a throw by pitcher Marlin Stuart while sliding into third base. George healed in time to make it into three games in the World Series, and had nine plate appearances, but failed to hit and the Giants swept the series in four games.

George was the regular Cleveland shortstop until Chico Carrasquel came in 1956. Thereafter he played more games at third base than at shortstop. George wound down his ten year major league career in 1960 with a .224 batting average and a .963 fielding percentage. Strickland had also spent five active seasons in the minors where he hit at a career .240 average. Strickland was quoted, "I was lucky to get traded to Cleveland in '52. Ted Wilks and I went over for Johnny Berardino and cash. 1953 was my best year, I hit .284 and had a fielding percentage of .974. They said I was brittle, but I lasted ten years in the majors and that's something I'm proud of."

Following his playing days Strickland coached for the Indians, Twins and the Kansas City Royals through the early '70s. George managed the Indians in the final weeks of the '66 season after the firing of Birdie Tebbetts. After baseball George was a mutual ticket manager at the Fairgrounds and Jefferson race tracks in New Orleans, LA where he still resides.

Preceded by
Birdie Tebbetts

Cleveland Indians Manager
1964

Succeeded by
Birdie Tebbetts

Preceded by
Birdie Tebbetts

Cleveland Indians Manager
1966

Succeeded by
Joe Adcock