Pat Crawford (baseball)
Encyclopedia
Clifford Rankin "Pat" Crawford, a.k.a. "Captain Pat", (January 28, 1902 in Society Hill, South Carolina
– January 25, 1994 in Morehead City, NC) was a major league baseball
player. Crawford went to Davidson College
. He played baseball for several semi-pro and minor league teams throughout the 1920s including a stint as the left fielder
for the 1922 Kinston Highwaymen in the Eastern Carolina Baseball Association
, an independent or "outlaw league" team not affiliated with the National Association. Crawford got his big break in 1929 when he made it to the majors with the New York Giants
, which were still being managed by the Hall of Famer John McGraw
. On May 26, 1929, Crawford hit a pinch hit
grand slam
off Socks Seibold
in the sixth inning. Les Bell then hit a seventh inning pinch hit grand slam off Carl Hubbell
. This was the only time in history that two pinch hit grand slams were hit in the same game. He went in and out of the majors through the 1934 season and was named league MVP
of the American Association
while playing for the Columbus Senators
in 1932. In 1934, Crawford found himself playing on the world champion St. Louis Cardinals
. The last two games of his major league career were World Series
games. His teammates on the Gashouse Gang
that year included HOFers Frankie Frisch
, Leo Durocher
, Joe Medwick
, Dizzy Dean
, and Burleigh Grimes
. All told, Pat had a .280 batting average
in 318 major league games. He was one of the initial inductees in the Kinston Professional Baseball Hall of Fame on February 11, 1983.
Society Hill, South Carolina
Society Hill is a town in Darlington County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 700 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Florence Metropolitan Statistical Area...
– January 25, 1994 in Morehead City, NC) was a major league baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player. Crawford went to Davidson College
Davidson College
Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. The college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently ranked in the top ten liberal arts colleges in the country by U.S. News and World Report magazine, although it has recently dropped to 11th in U.S. News...
. He played baseball for several semi-pro and minor league teams throughout the 1920s including a stint as the left fielder
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
for the 1922 Kinston Highwaymen in the Eastern Carolina Baseball Association
Eastern Carolina Baseball Association
The Eastern Carolina Baseball Association was a six team minor league baseball affiliation which operated in the Eastern part of North Carolina. The league was considered to be an "outlaw" league since it existed outside of the law of the National Association....
, an independent or "outlaw league" team not affiliated with the National Association. Crawford got his big break in 1929 when he made it to the majors with the New York Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, which were still being managed by the Hall of Famer John McGraw
John McGraw
John McGraw may refer to:* John McGraw , , New York lumber tycoon, and one of the founding trustees of Cornell University* John McGraw , , Governor of Washington state from 1893–1897...
. On May 26, 1929, Crawford hit a pinch hit
Pinch hitter
In baseball, a pinch hitter is a substitute batter. Batters can be substituted at any time while the ball is dead ; the manager may use any player that has not yet entered the game as a substitute...
grand slam
Grand slam (baseball)
In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
off Socks Seibold
Socks Seibold
Harry "Socks" Seibold , was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He debuted in with the Philadelphia Athletics as a shortstop, but was converted to pitcher in...
in the sixth inning. Les Bell then hit a seventh inning pinch hit grand slam off Carl Hubbell
Carl Hubbell
Carl Owen Hubbell was an American baseball player. He was a member of the New York Giants in the National League from 1928 to 1943, and remained on the Giants' payroll for the rest of his life, long after their move to San Francisco.Twice voted the National League's Most Valuable Player, Hubbell...
. This was the only time in history that two pinch hit grand slams were hit in the same game. He went in and out of the majors through the 1934 season and was named league MVP
Most Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
of the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
while playing for the Columbus Senators
Columbus Senators
The Columbus Senators Minor league baseball team was born in as a founding member of the Tri-State League. After that, the Senators played in the Western League , Interstate League Western Association and American Association...
in 1932. In 1934, Crawford found himself playing on the world champion St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. The last two games of his major league career were World Series
1934 World Series
The 1934 World Series matched the St. Louis Cardinals against the Detroit Tigers, with the Cardinals' "Gashouse Gang" winning in seven games for their third championship in nine years....
games. His teammates on the Gashouse Gang
Gashouse Gang
The Gashouse Gang was a nickname applied to the St. Louis Cardinals Major League Baseball team of .The Cardinals, by most accounts, earned this nickname from the team's generally very shabby appearance and rough-and-tumble tactics...
that year included HOFers Frankie Frisch
Frankie Frisch
Francis “Frankie” Frisch , nicknamed the "Fordham Flash" or "The Old Flash", was a German American Major League Baseball player of the early twentieth century....
, Leo Durocher
Leo Durocher
Leo Ernest Durocher , nicknamed Leo the Lip, was an American infielder and manager in Major League Baseball. Upon his retirement, he ranked fifth all-time among managers with 2,009 career victories, second only to John McGraw in National League history. Durocher still ranks tenth in career wins by...
, Joe Medwick
Joe Medwick
Joseph Michael Medwick , nicknamed "Ducky", was an American Major League Baseball player. A left fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals during the "Gashouse Gang" era of the 1930s, he also played for the Brooklyn Dodgers , New York Giants , and Boston Braves...
, Dizzy Dean
Dizzy Dean
Jay Hanna "Dizzy" Dean was an American Major League Baseball pitcher. He was the last National League pitcher to win 30 games in one season. Dean was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953....
, and Burleigh Grimes
Burleigh Grimes
Burleigh Arland Grimes was an American professional baseball player, and the last pitcher officially permitted to throw the spitball. He was elected to the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1954. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964.-Career:Nicknamed "Ol' Stubblebeard", Grimes was...
. All told, Pat had a .280 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
in 318 major league games. He was one of the initial inductees in the Kinston Professional Baseball Hall of Fame on February 11, 1983.