Sam Leslie

Infobox MLB retired
name=Sam Leslie
position=First Baseman


bgcolor1=black
bgcolor2=black
textcolor1=white
textcolor2=white
bats=Left
throws=Left
birthdate=July 26, 1905
deathdate=death date and age|1979|1|21|1905|7|26
debutdate= October 6
debutyear= 1929
debutteam= New York Giants
finaldate=September 27
finalyear=1938
finalteam=New York Giants
stat1label=Batting average
stat1value=.304
stat2label=Home runs
stat2value=36
stat3label=Runs batted in
stat3value=389
teams=
* New York Giants (1929-1933)
* Brooklyn Dodgers (1933-1935)
* New York Giants (1936-1938)
highlights=
* Participated in the 1936 & 1937 World Series

Samuel Andrew Leslie (Sambo) (July 26, 1905, Moss Point, Mississippi—January 21, 1979, Pascagoula, Mississippi) was a first baseman for major league baseball's New York Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1929 to 1938.

A left hander, he played ten years in the majors as a first baseman, from his debut on October 6, 1929 until his final game on September 27, 1938. He played first for the New York Giants (1929-33), then for the Brooklyn Dodgers (1934-35), and then back with the Giants again (1936-38). Although he played his entire career in New York, he himself was a Mississippi boy.

He had a big year in 1934 with the Dodgers, hitting .332 with 102 RBI. Later, in 1936 and 1937, he hit .295 and .309 with the Giants and appeared in the World Series each year with them. His lifetime average was .304.

In July 1934 he hit an inside-the-park grand slam. In 1936 he hit for the cycle.

Early life

Sam Leslie was born to Chris and Norma Leslie on July 26, 1905 in Mississippi. He was from a small family of three kids. All three boys worked on the plantation that they lived on. His family had migrated to the United States of America in 1902, and with inheritance money, they started a cotton plantation, in which Sam lived and worked. Leslie's mother died when his youngest brother Clearance was born, Sam was but 9. His father remarried when Sam was 20.

Baseball career

Leslie played Professional baseball from 1929 until 1938. He began his career on the New York Giants, and ended his career on the New York Giants. Although between 1934 and 1935 Leslie played for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Leslie was a solid hitter, although his fielding skills were mediocre. He left baseball to be with his family.

Careers, outside baseball

Military

Leslie joined the Army in 1939 soon after he left his baseball career. He joined the British to fight Nazi Germany. He fought in the battle of Tripoli. In 1945, Leslie was shot in his left knee, and was honorably discharged from the military, receiving a purple heart.

Firefighter

Upon Leslie's return and recovery, he fought fires in Arkansas. Eventually becoming the fire chief of Keo, Arkansas. He retired in 1970.

Personal life

In 1930 Leslie married Loretta Kinger of Keo Arkansas, the two met while Leslie was traveling between baseball games. Kinger was 7 years younger than Leslie. The couple had 12 children; Mark, Phillip, Matthew, Mary, David, Luke, Clearance, Chadwick, Suzann, Alice, Beo, and Dixie. Beo only lived two hours, as he was too small.

Leslie died in January 1979, one month after his wife Loretta.

References

This article is based on the article " [http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Sam_Leslie Sam Leslie] " at Baseball-Reference.com's Bullpen, accessed November 5, 2006. The Bullpen is a wiki and its content is available under the GNU Free Documentation License." [http://remaxcontinental.com/propertysearch/propertysearch.aspx?O=Search&PN=2] " at remax-content encrypted, accessed November 21,2005. the reman is a wiki and its content is available under the gnu free documentation license

External links

* [http://www.baseball-reference.com/l/leslisa01.shtml His statistics] at Baseball-Reference.com