Sammy Vick

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Sammy Vick
Right fielder
Born: (1895-04-12)April 12, 1895
Batesville, Mississippi, U.S.
Died: August 17, 1986(1986-08-17) (aged 91)
Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 20, 1917, for the New York Yankees
Last MLB appearance
September 24, 1921, for the Boston Red Sox
MLB statistics
Batting average.248
Home runs2
Runs batted in50
Teams

Samuel Bruce Vick (April 12, 1895 – August 17, 1986) was an American professional

right-handed. He was born in Batesville, Mississippi, and attended Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi
.

After playing one season of

minor league baseball in 1917, Vick was signed by the Yankees and was used sparingly by them later that same season. He became their starting right fielder in 1919. With Babe Ruth's arrival, and Bob Meusel's emergence in 1920, Vick's productivity and playing time diminished. Following the season, he was traded to the Red Sox in a deal that brought future Hall of Famer pitcher Waite Hoyt to the Yankees. In his five-season career, Vick had a .248 batting average, with two home runs and 50 RBIs
in 213 games played.

After his major league career ended after the 1921 season, he returned to the minor leagues and played in various leagues until 1930. Vick died, after a long illness, in Memphis, Tennessee, at age 91.

Early life

Samuel Bruce Vick was born on April 12, 1895 in

minor league baseball contract with the Memphis Chickasaws of the Southern Association (SA).[3][4] He played one season in Memphis, playing in 126 games, and had a .322 batting average along with 24 doubles and 12 triples.[4] When the SA season was completed, he signed a contract with the New York Yankees of the American League
 (AL).

Career

New York Yankees

Vick made his

Washington Senators on April 25, and failed to collect a hit.[7]

In 1919, Vick became the Yankees's starting right fielder.

Allan Sothoron in a game on August 7: an 8–2 victory over the St. Louis Browns.[10][11] For the remainder of the season, Vick's production had a steady, slow decline; he finished the season with a .248 batting average, along with 27 RBIs, 15 doubles, and nine triples.[3]

Vick's playing time dwindled in 1920 with the arrival of Babe Ruth, an off-season purchase from the Red Sox.[12] The Yankees now had an outfield that consisted of Ruth, established players of Duffy Lewis and Ping Bodie, and Bob Meusel, a rookie.[13] Injuries to Lewis and Bodie allowed for periods of lengthy playing time for Vick in July and September.[14][15] Later in the season, Vick and his manager Miller Huggins got into a heated argument, during which Vick punched Huggins. Appreciating Vick's spirit, the manager quickly forgave him.[16] Vick's final totals in 1920 consisted of a .220 batting average in 51 games.[3] During his time with the Yankees, the New York City sportswriters noted that he was prodigious eater. He was so much so that they proclaimed that any time someone ate a large meal, they were "doing a Sammy Vick."[17]

Boston Red Sox

The Yankees felt that Vick had not lived up to his potential during his four seasons with the team. Considering the team now had a solid outfield of Ruth, Meusel, Lewis, and Bodie, and the Yankees needed pitching; Vick became expendable.[18] On December 15, 1920, the Yankees traded Vick, Muddy Ruel, Del Pratt and Hank Thormahlen to the Red Sox for Waite Hoyt, Harry Harper, Wally Schang and Mike McNally.[1]

Vick began the 1921 season with an injured leg, which did not allow him to play in either April or May.[19] He did not appear in a game until June 2, and was mostly used as a pinch hitter and late-game replacement. He was absent from the line-up for most of July as well, until August when again, he was used mainly as a pinch hitter.[20] In total, he played in just 44 games for the Red Sox, with only 15 games in the outfield; 12 of them starting the game. Vick had a season-total of 77 at bats, a .260 batting average, and nine RBIs.[1]

Post major league career

After the 1921 season, Vick continued his baseball career in the minor leagues. In 1922, he played for the

player-manager, and he produced the best offensive numbers up to this point in his career. He batted .322 with 16 home runs, 21 doubles, and 11 triples.[4]

In 1925, Vick stayed in the CSL and became the

Laurel Lumberjacks player-manager for two seasons. However, in 1926, his tenure was short, and he joined the New Orleans Pelicans of the SA as a player only for the remaining 32 games of the season. After batting .348 in 1926, he improved his average to .350 in 1927, along with career-highs in hits with 194, doubles with 39, and triples with 16. Staying in New Orleans for the 1928 season, his offensive numbers dropped, but he still batted .302 in 109 games played. His 1929 season was split between three teams; the Pelicans, the Chattanooga Lookouts of the SA, and the Dallas Steers of the Texas League. That season, he hit a career-high 17 home runs, along with a .333 batting average. He finished his minor league career back with Memphis in 1930.[4]

Later life

According to the 1930 U.S. Census, he became a teacher at a public school in Panola County, Mississippi, following his baseball career. He was married to Lois Monteith, had three sons, and one daughter.[21] Vick died on August 17, 1986 at age 91 in Memphis, Tennessee after a long illness, and is interred at Forrest Memorial Park located in Batesville.[1][22]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Sammy Vick". retrosheet.org. Retrosheet, Inc. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  2. ^ "1910 United States Federal Census about Samuel B Vick". ancestry.com. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  3. ^ a b c "Sammy Vick". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d "Sammy Vick (minors)". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  5. ^ Stout, p. 73
  6. ^ "Boston Red Sox 9, New York Yankees 5 (2)". retrosheet.org. Retrosheet, Inc. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  7. ^ "Washington Senators 7, New York Yankees 5". retrosheet.org. Retrosheet, Inc. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
  8. ^ "The 1919 New York Yankees Regular Season Roster". retrosheet.org. Retrosheet, Inc. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  9. ^ a b "The 1919 NY A Regular Season Batting Log for Sammy Vick". retrosheet.org. Retrosheet, Inc. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  10. ^ a b "Sammy Vick Career Home Runs". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  11. ^ "New York Yankees 8, St. Louis Browns 2 (2)". retrosheet.org. Retrosheet, Inc. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  12. ^ "Babe Ruth". retrosheet.org. Retrosheet, Inc. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  13. ^ "The 1920 New York Yankees Regular Season Roster". retrosheet.org. Retrosheet, Inc. Retrieved May 18, 2012.
  14. ^ "Desperate Battles in Major Drives". The Toronto World. September 9, 1920. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  15. ^ "The 1920 NY A Regular Season Batting Log for Sammy Vick". retrosheet.org. Retrosheet, Inc. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  16. ^ Gallagher, p. 276
  17. ^ Wagenheim, p. 63
  18. ^ "Yanks And Boston Close Big Trade". The New York Times. December 16, 1920. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  19. Boston Globe
    . July 5, 1921. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  20. ^ "The 1921 BOS A Regular Season Batting Log for Sammy Vick". retrosheet.org. Retrosheet, Inc. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  21. ^ "1930 United States Federal Census about Samuel B Vick". ancestry.com. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  22. ^ "The Obit for Sammy Vick". The New York Times. Retrieved May 16, 2012 – via thedeadballera.com.

Bibliography

External links
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