Harry Simpson

Harry Simpson
Simpson in about 1953.
Outfielder / First baseman
Born: December 3, 1925(1925-12-03) Atlanta, Georgia
Died: April 3, 1979(1979-04-03) (aged 53) Akron, Ohio
Batted: Left	Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 21, 1951 for the Cleveland Indians
Last MLB appearance
September 27, 1959 for the Pittsburgh Pirates
Career statistics
Batting average	.266
Hits	752
RBI	381
Teams
Cleveland Indians (1951-1953, 1955) Kansas City Athletics (1955-1957, 1958-1959) New York Yankees (1957-1958) Chicago White Sox (1959) Pittsburgh Pirates (1959)
Career highlights and awards
All star in 1956 Led AL in triples in 1956 with 11 and 1957 with 9

Harry Leon "Suitcase" Simpson (December 3, 1925 - April 3, 1979) was an African American outfielder and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for a number of teams. He played in the World Series with the New York Yankees in 1957, where they lost.

He was born in Atlanta, Georgia and died in Akron, Ohio. He was one of the earliest black player in the American League, playing first with the Cleveland Indians in 1951. Casey Stengel once called him the best defensive right fielder in the American League.^[1]

That his nickname of "Suitcase" came from his being frequently traded during his playing career is a common misconception. According to the 1951 Cleveland Indians Sketch Book, he was called "Suitcase" by sportswriters after the Toonerville Trolley character, Suitcase Simpson. This is years before his many trades. His real nickname was "Goody" which came from his willingness to run errands and help neighbors in his hometown of Dalton, Georgia.^[2]

In popular culture

The character Luther "Suitcase" Simpson in the Jesse Stone novels, and made for TV movies, by author Robert B. Parker, is given the nickname "Suitcase" or "Suit", by the Jesse Stone character, because of Harry Simpson.

See also

• List of Major League Baseball triples champions

Notes

1. ^ Cleveland Indians Official 1952 Sketch Book.
2. ^ Cleveland Indians Official 1951 Sketch Book.

Sources

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference

Persondata
Name	Simpson, Harry
Alternative names
Short description	American baseball player
Date of birth	December 3, 1925
Place of birth	Atlanta, Georgia
Date of death	April 3, 1979
Place of death	Akron, Ohio