He continues to be remembered as among the best baserunners and lead-off hitters in baseball lore. The Mississippi Supreme Court again overturned the decision and returned the case to the lower court because African Americans had been excluded from the jury pool. The 64-year-old baseball player was born in San . McGees case captured the nations attention as he had gone through three trials and three convictions between 1945 and 1951. Baseballscouter.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. This MFP Voices essay does not necessarily represent the views of the Mississippi Free Press, its staff or board members. May 10, 1982 Lets face it, Willie McGee is not the best looking man in the history of professional sports. In most recent history, a couple of different players come to mind. (Age 23-189d, http://mississippiencyclopedia.org/entries/willie-mcgee/. So, how much is Willie McGee worth at the age of 65 years old? In December of 1995, he came back to the Cardinals, where he ended his career in 1999. There are players who, though not. Willie McGee has not been elected into the Hall of Fame. He then signed with the Giants in December of 1990, and spent 5 years there, until he signed with the Red Sox in 1995. Outside Mississippi, one thousand Chevrolet workers in Flint, Michigan, held a prayer meeting for McGee; in addition, thousands of black workers from the docks of New Orleans, the meatpacking plants of Chicago, and the clothing factories of New York organized mass protests, engaged in work stoppages, and donated money to the campaign to Save Willie McGee. In France, Jean Cocteau, Jean-Paul Sartre, Albert Camus, and Richard Wright organized a demonstration on McGees behalf, and various foreign governments sent letters of protest to Pres. Till insisted her brutally slain sons funeral in the Mississippi Delta be open casket, effectively forcing Americans to not look away once more. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Willie McGee's income source is mostly from being a successful . That includes policing and the criminal-justice system. Teams: Kansas City Royals (1976-90), Oakland Athletics (1991-92), Chicago Cubs (1993-94), Career highlights: World Series champion (1985), two-time All-Star (1982, 1983), Gold Glove Award (1980), two-time Silver Slugger Award (1980, 1982). Billy Hamilton's speed was on display from the beginning. He continually ranks among the American League's leaders in pitches seen per at-bat. This MFP Voices essay does not necessarily represent the views of the Mississippi Free Press, its staff or board members. Henderson, who led the AL in stolen bases 12 times, played in the majors until he was almost 45 years old and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009. No, Willie McGee was never the homerun machine. St. Louis SLAM Stays Undefeated Following Saturday Road Purina and St. Louis CITY SC Introduce New, Blues sign Loof to 3-year entry-level contract, Cardinals promote RHP Michael McGreevy to Memphis. His batting-title-winning swing was uncoachable. William Faulkner, Albert Einstein, Josephine Baker, Jessica Mitford, Norman Mailer, Richard Wright and Frida Kahlo all weighed in on McGees plight. McGee was 23 years old when he broke into the big leagues on May 10, 1982, with the St. Louis Cardinals. See Also:Baseball Batting Average CalculatorDoes Everyone Bat in Baseball?Do You Have To Drop The Bat In Baseball? Part-timer Lonnie Smith stole 12, and so on down the line.. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'baseballscouter_com-box-4','ezslot_4',121,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-baseballscouter_com-box-4-0');There are numerous ways to judge speed in baseball. Samuel's career could have gone much better if he'd figured out how to take on some pitches. How tall is Willie McGee? He was imperfect to be sure; the bulk of the research Ive consumed suggests he was a philanderer. Who would he join in this immortal realm? Heard quotes . When he died, he was one of the richest men in the South, with an estate worth in excess of $100 million in today's money. The modern Billy Hamilton has amazed with his speed ever since cracking the majors in 2013. What was the best thing about Willie McGee? He kept it up in his next at-bat; he kept it up all day. He's still the only person to ever play in both the Super Bowl and World Series. In 1965, Campaneris became the first player in MLB history to play all nine positions in a single game. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. 1985 was probably Willies biggest season, as he was the NL MVP, finished first for the NL batting title (.353), NL hit leader (216), and the NL triples leader (18). 21 overall pick (2014). He ranks 12th all-time in steals, and his speed was involved in every area of his overall play including hitting and rangy outfield play. The third verdict was affirmed by the State Supreme Court. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. Willie McGee Net Worth. He was convicted largely on the strength of a confession that he had allegedly written shortly after his arrest, though prosecutors had failed to introduce that confession during the first trial. It had become a ghost story, a malleable myth whose realities, lessons, and undercurrents varied tremendously, depending on the perspective of the teller.. Following the third trial, the CRC increased its efforts to build an international defense campaign on McGees behalf. The experimental rule states hitters can steal first base on a pitch not caught in flight; and that the batter also may be thrown out while trying. Lofton played for a whopping 10 teams in 17 MLB seasons, including three different stints with the Cleveland Indians. Feeling threatened by the increasingly restless mobs that milled about the courthouse during the trial, the CRC attorneys fled Mississippi without offering a closing argument, and the jury again found McGee guilty. Lottie Gordon, the Secretary of the CRCs Prisoner Relief Committee, explained in a letter to Willie McGee that through your wife we can arouse the kind of sympathy and help that you deserve.. The organization argued against the racist application of the rape law, under which no Mississippi white man had been executed, and alleged that Hawkins and McGee had been involved in a romantic relationship until McGees threats to end the affair drove Hawkins to charge rape. While these events are clearly specific to the McGee family, the upending of Black families by the structures of white supremacy is not. The incipient fatherhood of Daunte Wright is but one example. Rickey Henderson was as dynamic and complete a baseball player who ever lived. I think Whitey Herzog said it best when he said, (McGee) could fly. The following information is provided for citations. The bulk of Laurels white citizenry argued that the far-left intervention into McGees case amounted to politically motivated outside influence; critics charged the CRC with using Willie McGee in order to peddle their communist politics and ultimately embarrass the United States on the world stage. I was even able to find a petition to do so. Willie is based out of Greater Madison Area and works in the Wholesale Building Materials industry. Career highlights: World Series champion (2017), American League MVP (2017), ALCS MVP (2019), Gold Glove Award (2015), six-time All-Star (2012, 2014-18), five-time Silver Slugger Award winner (2014-18). The average time for right-handed hitters from home to first is 4.3 seconds, and it's 4.2 seconds for left-handed hitters. Ordinary citizens and major public figures commented on the case. As famed civil rights reporter, : The first verdict was reversed by the State Supreme Court and a change of venue was granted because of local public feeling. Coleman was a two-time All-American punter and kicker at Florida A&M. High School. Born: May 31, 1967 (East Chicago, Indiana), Teams: Houston Astros (1991), Cleveland Indians (1992-96, 1998-2001, 2007), Atlanta Braves (1997), Chicago White Sox (2002), San Francisco Giants (2002), Pittsburgh Pirates (2003), Chicago Cubs (2003), New York Yankees (2004), Philadelphia Phillies (2005), Los Angeles Dodgers (2006), Texas Rangers (2007), Career highlights: Six-time All-Star (1994-99), four-time Gold Glove Award winner (1993-96). While we loved Curtis Granderson for his speed, it should also be pointed out that he is widely regarded as one of the kindest, most giving players in MLB history. . Deion's baseball speed was best on display in 1992, when he led the National League with 14 triples despite only playing in 97 games and splitting his time between the Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Falcons. Nixon, who never won a World Series, actually holds the record for most stolen bases without ever making an All-Star team. Dee Strange-Gordon was the premiere base stealer in the majors in the 2010s, leading all players with 330 steals, and made a little bit of history in 2015 when he became the first player to lead the National League in batting average and stolen bases since Jackie Robinson in 1949. Orlando's speed on the diamond was so unique that a doctor in one of the Japanese communities in Brazil, where baseball was the most popular, told his mother he had a future in the sport. After more than a month in confinement, McGee confessed and was quickly tried, convicted, and sentenced to death. Now, all of us know what happened in that 1985 year, the call during the I-70 World Series. The CRC also arranged for delegations of supporters to travel to Mississippi to lobby the governor and flooded the offices of other state officials with petitions demanding justice. Free shipping for many products! Born: Sept. 9. A CRC-sponsored rally at the State Capitol ended in the arrests of more than forty protesters. (Photos courtesy Daily Worker/Daily World Photographic Collection, Tamiment Library, New York University unless otherwise credited.) To contact Jaclyn, email her at. All images are property the copyright holder and are displayed here for informational purposes only. Willie works at Clopay Building Products as Warehouse Associate. It is no wonder that the history of civil rights is bound up in the advocacy of their family members. As many as 1,000 onlookers gathered at the Jones County Courthouse in Laurel for his electrocution for the alleged rape of white homemaker Willette Hawkins. 1990 (Taylorsville, Mississippi), Teams: Cincinnati Reds (2013-18), Kansas City Royals (2019), Atlanta Braves (2019), New York Mets (2020), Chicago Cubs (2020), Career highlights: NL Rookie of the Month (June 2014). Data Provided By As many as 1,000 onlookers gathered at the Jones County Courthouse in Laurel for his electrocution for the alleged rape of white homemaker Willette Hawkins. I am truly crazy about the sport and everything associated with it. Do you have a blog? The charges inflamed the town . The United States Supreme Court refused to review it.. July 14, 2000. , .avia-section.av-k6v62xgq-c0812a68936ee67ed4883eaa9d35be9b{ But his career was defined by one of the worst trades in MLB history when the Expos traded him to the Dodgers, straight up, for a young Pedro Martinez. To that end, Reyes led the National League in stolen bases three times and triples four times, and in 2005 and 2006, he led the NL in both categories. The three-time American League MVP's first nickname is the one that tells the best story about his speed. , a grim milestone in the history of civil rights in Mississippi. Meanwhile, all the world is his friend. As Cardinals fans, well, baseball fans, we all know that there are certain players in the history of every team that hold a special place in the fans hearts. That's comparable to the fastest players in the NFL. Brett Gardner has a more than respectable career Wins Above Replacement of 42.8, due in large part to his speed. Willie McGee had 2,254 hits over his career. Founded in 1946, the CRC was composed of former far-left civil rights organizations including the, In many ways the case of Willie McGee is shrouded in mystery. I am a life-long Cardinals' fan from the west side (of MO). Tom "Flash" Gordon pitched in the majors for 22 seasons and set a major league record with 54 consecutive saves at one point. Yeah, we know. Willie McGee was born on the 2nd of November, 1958. He also holds one of the cooler stathead records of all time he recorded the most stolen bases (50) with the fewest at-bats (263) in MLB history in 1990 with the Montreal Expos. 15 on MLB's career stolen bases list with 622. The Mississippi Supreme Court reversed the trial courts decision on the grounds that McGee was not provided a change of venue despite the constant presence of mobs and numerous attempts to intimidate defense lawyers. All Rights Reserved. May 8, 2021, was the 70th anniversary of the electrocution of Willie McGee in Mississippis traveling electric chair, a grim milestone in the history of civil rights in Mississippi. vs. CHC 1 AB, 0 H, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 SB, Rookie Status: Those numbers are even more impressive considering he is only 5-foot-5 and 160 pounds. Jose Reyes made his debut with the Mets when he was just 19 years old and became the franchise's career leader in both triples and stolen bases. Today, we continue to witness this dual reality: violence visited upon Black and Brown bodies terrorizes not just individuals but entire families and communities. Some points might be given for a players impact on the game. Some of the best base runners were those who knew how to go from first to third base the best, or score from first on a drive to the outfield. In 1945, Willie McGee was arrested on charges of raping a white housewife in Laurel, Mississippi. Now, all of us know what happened in that 1985 year, "the call" during the I-70 World . When Willie McGee was jailed, it was his mother Bessie McGee who first reached out to the Civil Rights Congress desperate to help her son. Had the forces of white supremacy not intersected with Willie McGee so spectacularly, perhaps there would be a different story to tell. Willie Wilson had as good of a combination of speed and skill as any player in MLB history, and it's befuddling why he hasn't gotten more consideration as a Hall of Famer. It's also available for football, basketball and hockey. The Case Of Willie McGee. Trusted seller, fast shipping, and easy returns. Before Trout even made it to the majors, some baseball insiders said he would be the fastest player in the MLB. In a pivotal moment in Game 4 against the hated New York Yankees, his Red Sox team down 3 games to none and starting the final inning behind a run, Roberts was called to pinch run. Tickets. "You put your head down and you look up and it's been 10 years. October 3, 1999 He played on a team (during his hey-day) with Ozzie, Pendleton, Jack Clark, Vince Coleman, and Herr. Given their commitment to exposing heinous but not uncommon cases of Jim Crow injustice, the CRC considered McGees case as prime organizing fodder for spreading its message of Black freedom and human rights. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. All these years later, McGees family continues to mourn his life and confront the impact of the tragic and undoubtedly unjust circumstances surrounding his death. News outlets from local Mississippi papers to national and international outfits covered his case with fervor. Vince Coleman and Rickey Henderson helped define the 1980s in the majors because of their greatness on the basepaths. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? (the real Eliza Jane Patton was long gone to Las Vegas) took up the torch. 1985 was probably Willie's biggest season, as he was the NL MVP, finished first for the NL batting title (.353), NL hit leader (216), and the NL triples leader (18). Many of the stories about Mickey Mantle's speed seem like urban legends at this point. Then, Willie McGees fictional wife Rosalee McGee. Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers (1959-66), Pittsburgh Pirates (1967-68), Montreal Expos (1969), Los Angeles Dodgers (1969-72), Career highlights: Three-time World Series champion (1959, 1963, 1965), National League MVP (1962), seven-time All-Star (1961-63, 1965, 1966), two-time Gold Glove Award winner (1961, 1962). Exceeded rookie limits during 1982 season, View Player Bio Using advanced metrics, Zimmer was clocked at a blazing 29.88 feet per second on the basepaths during the 2017 season. Just minutes after midnight on 8 May 1951, Willie McGee, an African American laborer, was executed in the Jones County courtroom where he had been convicted of raping a white woman more than five years earlier. physicist. Boston went on to win the game in extra innings, then took that series and the next, the World Series. The event was broadcast live on the radio. But in baseball, truly elite speed can turn the game into a piece of art. I live in Kansas City, MO with my two kids. For all of his accomplishments, Reyes never got a chance to play in the World Series in 16 seasons. With your gift, we can do even more important stories like this one. St. Louis CITY SC Falls 2-1 to Portland Memphis drops extra-inning game at Durham. He is from . When Willie McGee was jailed, it was his mother Bessie McGee who first reached out to the Civil Rights Congress desperate to help her son. His jump on fly balls is 3.8 feet ahead of the league average for all outfielders. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. On Oct. 22, 1981, the Cardinals completed one of their best trades in team history (second only to Brock-for-Broglio), acquiring Willie McGee from the Yankees for Bob . Top 10 Fastest MLB Players Ever (With Videos). He stole 104 bases in 2011 and set the minor league record with 155 stolen bases in 2012. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. 13, 2015, 3:06 p.m. Fifty witnesses watched as McGee was strapped down and killed in an electric chair placed in front of the [] When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. On Oct. 21, 1981, the Cardinals got minor-league outfielder Willie McGee from the Yankees for pitcher Bob Sykes. He starred in the Negro Leagues but failed to crack the majors once Jackie Robinson broke the color line in 1947. Delino Deshields Jr. plays for the Cleveland Indians, and Diamond Deshields plays for the WNBA's Chicago Sky. Baseball is an obscure sport in Paulo Orlando's native Brazil one abandoned by most boys at a young age to focus on soccer. Granderson led the American League in triples twice and averaged 27 doubles per year over 16 MLB seasons. What begets a work like 'The Eyes of Willie McGee,' a book that should be must reading for serious students of 20th century U.S. history? Oct 22, 2021. Hes a major reason the Pittsburgh Pirates played in the very first World Series, and for that clubs successes in the years that followed including the 1909 world championship. Dee Strange-Gordon's dad may have actually gotten the nickname that was more appropriate for his son. Answer: It was just a playing style that developed, where managers were less inclined to potentially give up an out, in favor of letting the sluggers of the day carry the offensive workload. Jose Altuve and the Houston Astros cheated their brains off to win the World Series in 2017. Glad he was able to shake the Willie McRoids nickname: Coming out of Houston's Jefferson Davis High, he had scholarship offers to play point guard at UCLA and be an option quarterback at Nebraska, USC, Oklahoma and Florida. In his first at-bat, Willie swung at every pitch to give him an LMQ of 1.000. (University of Southern Mississippi) McGee was dressed in a . He is set to begin work as a We Are Family Coach with the LeBron James Family Foundation on Aug. 1. Families depend on it. Willie McGee was born in San Francisco, CA. Terrance Gore made his name on speed and speed alone as part of back-to-back American League championship teams for the Kansas City Royals, including a World Series win in 2015. Jaclyn Nolan is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Georgia in the Department of Communication Studies with a Ph.D from the University of Kansas. Then, Willie McGees fictional wife Rosalee McGee (the real Eliza Jane Patton was long gone to Las Vegas) took up the torch. To submit an essay for the MFP Voices section, send up to 1,200 words and factcheck information [emailprotected] We welcome a wide variety of viewpoints. The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball, Salaries may not be complete (especially pre-1985) and may not include some earned bonuses, Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please. Memphis hangs on despite late Durham rally, splits Springfield Cardinals Sold To Diamond Baseball Holdings. A Black 36-year-old truck driver, Willie McGee, became an important part of Mississippi history just after midnight on May 8, 1951, in the same courtroom where he was condemned to death. What was Willies contribution to these teams? As I was just a wee child when McGee was playing for the Cardinals, I was unaware of him leaving the team to go play somewhere else. He's been clocked rounding the bases in a blazing 14.7 seconds and another time moving at 29.58 feet per second on the basepaths. In the fall of 1945, in the small town of Laurel, Miss., McGee, a young black man, was arrested on charges of raping a white housewife. Lou Brock was a more complete player than most people remember, and that's more of a testament to how great he was at stealing bases. Ozzie Smith stole 31, as did Tommy Herr, who got caught three times all season. In many ways the case of Willie McGee is shrouded in mystery. He could have easily played in the NFL as well. In 1945, a young African-American man from Laurel, Mississippi, was sentenced to death for allegedly raping Willette Hawkins, a white housewife. Many thanks to him. Known for. DeJong drives in six as Memphis extends streak Analyzing the Cardinals Week 3 Performance, Cardinals Announce Partnership With KTVI FOX 2/KPLR 11. The case was barely noticed until Bella Abzug, a young New York labor lawyer, was hired to oversee Willie McGee's appeal. McGee, for one, can't believe that it's been four decades since the biggest moment of his baseball career took place. Having the advantage of living in KC, you know I never hear the end of that one, but hey, what else have those fans got? 50 National Guardsmen kept watch at the Laurel courthouse to preserve order during the first trial. Just a noteJack Clark,Terry Pendleton & Vince Coleman were NOT members of the 1982 World Series team. Some high school data is courtesy David McWater. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. The event was broadcast live on the radio. An NPR radio documentary, "Willie McGee and the Traveling Electric Chair," recounts the trials and execution of a black man in a small Southern town. background-color:#ba3434; Henderson owns MLB career records for stolen bases (1,406), runs (2,295) and leadoff home runs (81). us. McGee, who won National League MVP honors three years later in 1985, combined elite hitting ability and speed to rack up doubles and triples throughout his career. Perhaps what is most haunting about Willie McGees case is the ordinariness of it all. But they were not World Series champs, because of The call. Ordinary citizens and major public figures commented on the case. A four-time All-Star, three-time Gold Glover, two-time batting champion and 1985 National League MVP, McGee is one of the most decorated players in Cardinals history. Losing Willie McGee became a symbol of the uphill battle Cold War civil rights . William Faulkner, Albert Einstein, Josephine Baker, Jessica Mitford, Norman Mailer, Richard Wright and Frida Kahlo all weighed in on McGees plight. Mickey Rivers, he was fast. The Mississippi Free Press is a nonprofit, nonpartisan 501(c)(3) focused on telling stories that center all Mississippians. While we may never know the truth of what really happened, some lessons and impacts are quite clear. During his trials, Willie McGees wife, Eliza Jane Patton and their four children Willie Earl, Della, Gracie Lee and Mary initially moved to Mount Olive, in Covington County, to escape the brouhaha in Laurel. The major league stolen base record-holder for many years until Maury Wills made the SB en vogue in the early 1960s, the Georgia Peach was known as much for his base-running antics and spikes-high slides than he was for getting more base hits than anyone else and toying with a .400 batting average year in, year out. There's something different about baseball speed. }, Cronkite School at ASU He was a 6-time All-Star and 8-time stolen base leader. Coleman was an integral part of a 1980s St. Louis Cardinals team that took advantage of the artificial turf common in those days to emphasize speed over the long ball. Campaneris was one of the mainstays for the Oakland Athletics on three consecutive World Series championship teams in the early 1970s and led the American League in stolen bases six times.
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