Major League Baseball Player. Played Major League baseball as an outfielder for 8 seasons (1951 to 1953, 1955 to 1959) with the Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Athletics, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates. He was nicknamed “Suitcase” because he played with a total of 17 different Negro, Major and Minor League teams during his professional career. After serving in the United States Army during World War II, he joined the Negro League Philadelphia Stars in 1946, and played with them for three years. Entering the Minor Leagues (where he performed very well, leading his League in RBIs and Home Runs), he emerged with the Cleveland Indians in 1951, and became a regular in their outfield for the next two years. He achieved notoriety of a sort on April 26, 1952 when he broke up Detroit Tigers pitcher Art Houtteman’s no-hitter with a two out single in the 9th inning. Still, his offensive performance didn’t match his Minor League totals, and after playing in only three games in the 1955 season he was sold to the Athletics, with whom he proceeded to bat .301. The next year would prove to be his best offensively. He smacked 21 Home Runs, drove in 105 RBIs, led the National League in Triples with 11, and was named to the American League All-Star team (in the 1956 Midsummer Classic he struck out in the third inning against the Pirates' Roy Friend while pinch-hitting for the White Sox’s Billy Pierce). In 1957 he started off well, but was plucked from the A’s by the New York Yankees on June 15 in a trade that sent 2nd Baseman and fan favorite Billy Martin to Kansas City for Harry Simpson, pitcher Ryne Duren, 2nd baseman Milt Graff and outfielder Jim Pisoni. He hit .250 with 7 Home Runs for the Yankees (and again leading the AL in Triples with 9) as they took yet another American League Pennant during the 1950s. In the ensuing World Series against the Hank Aaron-led Milwaukee Braves, he played in 4 games at 1st base, but was only able to muster a single Hit and RBI as the Yankees lost 4 Games to 3. On June 15, 1958, after appearing in 24 games for the Yankees, New York shipped him back to the A’s with pitcher Bob Grim for pitchers Virgil Trucks and Duke Maas. His return to Kansas City did not last long, and he was traded 8 games into the 1959 season to the White Sox for 1st baseman Ray Boone. After 46 games with the Sox he was released, and he hooked up with the Pirates for the tail end of the season. When the Pirates released him after the conclusion of the season, he was finished from Major League baseball. His career totals were 888 Games Played, 753 Hits, 343 Runs, 73 Home Runs, 381 RBIs and a career .266 Batting Average.