Bob Thurman/pagetext

From SABR Encyclopedia

Contents 1 Profile 1.1 Personal 1.2 Contract signing 1.3 Sources

Profile

Personal

• Resided in Wichita, Kansas in 1952.
• Self-identified as African-American.
• Was the first African-American to play for the San Francisco Seals.
• Played with the Kansas City Monarchs for several years.
• Hit a home run over the left field fence, the longest blow at Rupert Stadium in 20 years in his first game with Newark in 1949.
• Hit three home runs over the center field stands in 1949 and only one person hit one over the barrier in the previous 50 years; two of his blows were between the 420 and 450 foot mark.

Contract signing

• Was purchased from the Kansas City Monarchs by the New York Yankees.

Sources

• 1952 Pacific Coast League Thumbnail Sketches.