Gene Baker
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Eugene Walter Baker (June 15, 1925 – December 1, 1999) was an American Major League Baseball infielder who played for the Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates during eight seasons between 1953 and 1961, and was selected for the National League team in the 1955 All-Star Game. He threw and batted right-handed, and was listed at 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m), 170 pounds (77 kg).
A native of
Minor leagues
In 1950, Baker joined the Cubs' organization, playing briefly at Springfield and Des Moines before joining the Los Angeles Angels, of the Triple-A and Open Classification Pacific Coast League, where he impressed all with his fielding and baserunning. Bobby Bragan, manager of the Angels’ chief rivals, the Hollywood Stars, said Baker was "as good a shortstop as I’ve ever seen – and that includes Pee Wee Reese."[1]
Major leagues
The Cubs purchased Gene Baker's contract and he made his major league debut September 20, 1953. A few days after acquiring Baker, the Cubs acquired another shortstop, future Hall of Famer
Post-playing career
In 1961, Baker became the first
Death
He died in Davenport at the age of 74. He is buried in Rock island National Cemetery.
See also
References
- ^ a b Gene Baker at the SABR Baseball Biography Project , by Charles F. Faber, Retrieved February 14, 2015.
- ^ Gene Baker Statistics Baseball-Reference.com
- ^ "Baker Bows in Manager Debut". Chicago Defender. June 21, 1961.
- ^ "Pirates Reward Baker for Batavia Job; Move Him Up as Player-Coach for Jets". Pittsburgh Courier. January 13, 1962.
- ^ "GENE BAKER MADE PIRATE COACH". Pittsburgh Courier. February 2, 1963.
- ^ "Pittsburgh Pirates' Gene Baker quietly crossed baseball's color lines". Pittsburgh Gazette. February 7, 2016.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)