- Spot Poles
Spottswood Poles (
December 9 1887 -September 12 1962 ) was an Americanoutfielder inbaseball 's Negro Leagues. Born inWinchester, Virginia , he died at age 74 inHarrisburg, Pennsylvania .He was generally recognized as one of the fastest players of his day. His speed was said to be compared to that of
Cool Papa Bell , a star of the Negro Leagues of the 1930's, andTy Cobb . He was a left-handed batter with a noted eye, who hit for exceptionally highbatting average s. He started playing organized Negro ball for the Harrisburg Colored Giants in 1906 and first became a professional forSol White 'sPhiladelphia Giants in 1909. Poles soon followed White to the New YorkLincoln Giants in 1911, where he really blossomed. Statistics for the Negro Leagues are incomplete at best, but records show that Poles attained batting averages of .440, .398, .414, and an incredible .487 in 1914. Poles then spent the next few seasons jumping between the New York Lincoln Stars,Brooklyn Royal Giants , and the Hilldale Daisies. While Spottswood was with the Daisies, he joined the Army infantry to serve duringWorld War I . Poles served his country with honor, earning aPurple Heart , as a sergeant in France. He returned home and continued a successful baseball career with several teams, including the Hellfighters, a team of black former servicemen.He is credited with a lifetime batting average of over .400, and hit .319 in four winters in Cuba. A tantalizing aspect of his career is his success against white Major League teams. Poles hit an incredible .594 against these "superior" teams, including three straight hits of the great Grover Alexander. Poles spent his post-baseball years as a taxi cab operator and retired comfortably. Because of his Army service, Spottswood Poles was buried in
Arlington National Cemetery .References
Riley, James A., "The Biographical Encyclopedia of The Negro Leagues" (1994), Carrol & Graf Publishers, Inc. New York City
External links
* [http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/poles_spottswood.htm Baseball Hall of Fame candidate biography]
* [http://www.baseballlibrary.com/baseballlibrary/ballplayers/P/Poles_Spot.stm Baseball Library profile]
*findagrave|3020 Retrieved on2008-02-11
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