Ted Radcliffe biography
Ted Radcliffe, byname of Theodore Roosevelt Radcliffe, (born July 7, 1902, Mobile, Alabama, U.S.—died August 11, 2005, Chicago, Illinois), American baseball participant who was a pitcher and catcher within the Negro leagues. Radcliffe was identified for his sturdy throwing arm and, later, for his expansive storytelling.
Radcliffe was raised in Mobile, Alabama, and he and his brother Alec, additionally later a Negro league participant, relocated to Chicago after World War I. Radcliffe started his profession within the Negro leagues with the Detroit Stars in 1928; he batted .316 in his 1929 season with them. He joined the St. Louis Stars in 1930, batting .283 and pitching 10 wins and a pair of losses, and in 1931 he batted .298 and pitched 9–5 for the Homestead Grays. In 1932, enjoying for the Pittsburgh Crawfords, Radcliffe batted .325 and went 19–8 in pitching. That similar yr, author Damon Runyon dubbed him “Double Duty” after witnessing him play one recreation as a catcher and the following as a pitcher in opposition to the New York Black Yankees. Radcliffe performed within the leagues’ East-West All-Star Game six instances, three as a pitcher and three as a catcher. Over his complete profession he performed for 13 Negro league groups along with spending time on quite a few semiprofessional groups, a few of them built-in.
Radcliffe managed the Memphis Red Sox from 1937 to 1938 and the Chicago American Giants in 1943 and 1950 whereas concurrently enjoying for these groups. He additionally staged frequent exhibition video games in opposition to groups within the white leagues. Radcliffe retired in 1954, however within the Nineteen Sixties he returned to function a scout for the Cleveland Indians.
As nicely as demonstrating versatility on the sphere, Radcliffe was identified for his humour; the chest protector that he wore whereas functioning as a catcher was emblazoned with the phrase “Thou Shalt Not Steal” (one of many Ten Commandments), referring to his intention of stopping the opposite staff from stealing bases. When interviewed by sports activities journalists later in life, he typically associated hyperbolic tales of the extraordinary athletic feats that he and different Negro league gamers had achieved along with extra sober tales of the racism that that they had encountered. From age 99 till his dying, Radcliffe annually threw the ceremonial beginning pitch at a Chicago White Sox recreation to rejoice his birthday.