Marv Rackley
Marv Rackley | |
---|---|
Center fielder | |
Born: Seneca, South Carolina, U.S. | July 25, 1921|
Died: April 24, 2018 Greenville, South Carolina, U.S. | (aged 96)|
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
MLB debut | |
April 15, 1947, for the Brooklyn Dodgers | |
Last MLB appearance | |
May 8, 1950, for the Cincinnati Reds | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .317 |
Runs scored | 87 |
Runs batted in | 35 |
Teams | |
Marvin Eugene Rackley (July 25, 1921 – April 24, 2018) was an American baseball player who was an outfielder in Major League Baseball. He played from 1947 to 1950 with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Cincinnati Reds. He appeared in the 1949 World Series as a member of the Dodgers.
Career
Rackley was born in Seneca, South Carolina. He signed with the Dodgers in 1941, at the age of 19. In his first professional season, he hit .322 in the Georgia–Florida League.[1] After the 1942 season, Rackley enlisted in the Army Air Force. He spent three years in the service and also played some semi-pro baseball.[2]
In 1946, Rackley was discharged and returned to organized baseball. The Dodgers sent him to the Montreal Royals of the International League, where he was teammates with Jackie Robinson in Robinson's first minor league season. While Robinson was the star of the team, Rackley also played well, batting .305 and leading the league in triples (14) and stolen bases (64). Montreal won the pennant and the Junior World Series.[3] After the season, Robinson hired Rackley to play on the Jackie Robinson All-Stars exhibition team.[4]
Rackley joined the Dodgers in 1947. He made his major league debut as a pinch-runner on April 15, in the same game that Jackie Robinson made his debut as the starting first baseman. Rackley would be the last surviving player from either team in that game.
In 18 games in 1947, Rackley batted .222. He finished the season in the
References
- ^ a b "Marv Rackley Minor League Statistics & History". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 2010-11-03.
- ^ "Marv Rackley Could Fly!" Archived 2011-07-08 at the Wayback Machine. baseballinwartime.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2010-11-03.
- ^ "1946 Montreal Royals". minorleaguebaseball.com. Retrieved 2010-11-03.
- ^ Moore, Joseph Thomas. Pride Against Prejudice: The Biography of Larry Doby (ABC-CLIO, 1988), p. 35.
- ^ Marvin Eugene Rackley Obituary
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)