Larry Kimbrough
| Larry Kimbrough | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Pitcher, Outfielder, Infielder | |
| Born: September 23, 1923 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
| Died: January 29, 2001 (aged 77) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
Batted: Switch Threw: Switch | |
| Negro league baseball debut | |
| 1942, for the Philadelphia Stars | |
| Last appearance | |
| 1948, for the Homestead Grays | |
| Negro leagues statistics | |
| Win–loss record | 1–5 |
| Earned run average | 6.75 |
| Strikeouts | 14 |
| Teams | |
Larry Nathaniel Kimbrough (September 23, 1923 – January 29, 2001), nicknamed "Schoolboy", was an American pitcher in Negro league baseball during the 1940s. A rare switch pitcher, he played for the Philadelphia Stars and the Homestead Grays. He also made appearances as an outfielder and infielder.
Biography
[edit]A native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Kimbrough graduated from Benjamin Franklin High School, where he starred on the school's baseball team, tossing a no-hitter in 1941.[1] A natural left-hander, he learned to throw right-handed as a child while recuperating from an injury.[1] He stated "I could throw them as hard left-handed as I could right-handed, with a better curveball left-handed."[1]
Kimbrough played in the second Negro National League from 1942 to 1944, missed 1945 while serving in the United States Army,[2] and again played in 1946 and 1948.[3] Overall, he pitched in 13 games (four starts), compiling a 1–5 win–loss record with a 6.75 earned run average (ERA) while striking out 14 batters in 44 innings pitched.[3] As a position player, he played as an outfielder, third baseman, and shortstop.[3] He had a .265 batting average (9-for-34) with four runs batted in (RBIs).[3]
Independent accounts verifying that Kimbrough operated as a switch pitcher during his baseball career are lacking, but Kimbrough himself claimed that he earned a complete game victory in 1943 pitching from both sides. Other accounts verify his pitching win but not that he used both arms as a pitcher in that specific game.
Kimbrough later worked for the United States Post Office for 33 years.[4] He was an inductee of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.[4] Kimbrough died in Philadelphia in 2001, aged 77; he was survived by his wife and four daughters.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Rainey, Chris. "Larry Kimbrough". Society for American Baseball Research. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
- ^ "Negro Leaguers Who Served With The Armed Forces in WWII". baseballinwartime.com. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
- ^ a b c d "Larry Kimbrough". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 1, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Larry N. Kimbrough, 77, mailman, baseball star". Philadelphia Daily News. January 31, 2001. p. 32. Retrieved June 1, 2024 – via newspapers.com.
External links
[edit]- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference and Seamheads
- Larry Kimbrough at Negro League Baseball Museum
- Larry Kimbrough biography from Society for American Baseball Research (SABR)