Verdes Drake
From BR Bullpen
Reynaldo Verdes Drake
- Bats Left, Throws Left
- Height 5' 8", Weight 150 lb.
Verdes Drake was an outfielder for 10 years in the Negro Leagues. The 1953 Chicago Defender wrote that Drake was "recognized as the best defensive outfielder in the league." He never played in his homeland's Cuban Winter League.
Drake hit .232 as a rookie for the 1945 Cincinnati-Indianapolis Clowns. He batted .227 for the Indianapolis Clowns in 1946, then backed up Joe Scott, Neil Robinson and Bubba Hyde in 1947. Verdes hit .275 in 1949, .206 in 1949 and .300 in 1950. He remained with Clowns through 1954.
In the 1953 East-West Game, Drake hit second and played center field for the East. He went 0 for 4 in a 5-1 loss. He briefly surfaced in the minors, hitting .238 and slugging .303 for the '58 Yakima Bears.
[edit] Sources
- The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues by James Riley
- Black Baseball's National Showcase by Larry Lester
