Oscar Charleston
| Oscar Charleston | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 |
|||
| Center fielder | |||
|
Born: October 14, 1896 Indianapolis, Indiana |
|||
|
Died: October 6, 1954 (aged 57) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
|||
|
|||
| Negro league baseball debut | |||
| 1915, Indianapolis ABCs | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| 1941, Philadelphia Stars | |||
| Career statistics | |||
| Batting average | .353 | ||
| Slugging percentage | .576 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
|
|||
| Member of the National | |||
 Baseball Hall of Fame
|
|||
| Inducted | 1976 | ||
| Election Method | Negro League Committee | ||
Oscar McKinley Charleston (October 14, 1896 – October 5, 1954) was an American center fielder and manager in baseball's Negro leagues from 1915 to 1945.
Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Charleston joined the Army at 15 and served in the Philippines. After returning to the United States, he immediately began his baseball career with the Indianapolis ABC's in 1915. He served as a player and/or manager for the ABCs,Chicago American Giants, Lincoln Stars, St. Louis Giants, Harrisburg Giants, Philadelphia Hilldales, Homestead Grays, and Pittsburgh Crawfords.
An intense, focused, and intelligent man, Charleston was among the most renowned players of his time, a tremendous power and contact hitter and one of the finest defensive center fielders of all-time. His career batting average was .348, and he regularly finished among league leaders in both home runs and stolen bases. He was also known for his combative nature, getting into many brawls, including at least one memorable fight with an array of Cuban soldiers.
In 1932, Charleston became player-manager of the Pittsburgh Crawfords and presided over what some baseball historians consider the best Negro league team ever. His roster included Hall of Famers Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige, and Judy Johnson. The team went 99-36, and Charleston himself batted .363.
...
Wikipedia