Even still, some resentment lingers among the old Fenway faithful – but it’s hard to find a less likely target. Said Ed’s manager, Sparky Anderson, “Ed Armbrister is just a nice person. He’s a person that anyone would like to be around. He’s always smiling, he’s happy. I don’t think nothin’ ever disturbed him. He could run like heck, he was a good outfielder, his offense . . . he wasn’t gonna set no records with his bat or anything, but he was a great extra man to have. Any club could use a guy like that – a very valuable person to have on your club.”

Edison Armbrister, Jr. was born on July 4, 1948, in Nassau, the Bahamian capital, on the island of New Providence. His father, Edison Sr., was a bus driver for Western Transportation and then a security officer for Bahamas Faith Ministries. He and his wife Mary (née McQuay), had 13 children.1 Ed had four brothers (Paul, Keith, Jonathan, and Kelson) and eight sisters (Cheryl, Rhonda, Tangy, Jessica, Andrea, Maria, Ashley, and Charlene). One of the brothers, Jonathan, played briefly in the minors in 1978.

About 85 percent of the population in the Bahamas is of African descent, and the name Armbrister is prominent among both black and white residents. It’s a colorful and complex story involving the American Revolution, Loyalists, plantations, and slavery. The islands were a British crown colony from 1718 until 1964 (when it became an independent nation, a member of the British Commonwealth), so it’s no surprise that the main sport, historically, was cricket. Baseball later became visible there, and it took off thanks to former cricketer André Rodgers, who began his professional baseball career in 1954. Later that year, the Bahamas Baseball Association (BBA) was formed.

Rodgers made his big-league debut in April 1957, when Armbrister was just 8 years old. (The heritage of Bahamians in the majors began with Negro Leaguer Ormond Sampson). He remained in the majors through 1967, by which time Ed himself had signed a professional contract. After Rodgers died in December 2004, Armbrister said, “I followed André for a long time, and it was him who inspired me to become a professional ballplayer. André was always a positive guy. He was a strong-minded person, and I always said if I could just be like André I would be successful.”2

The third Bahamian big leaguer, Tony Curry, signed with the Phillies in 1957. Armbrister also offered memories upon Curry’s funeral in October 2006. “I never knew Tony Curry the way I did André Rodgers, but I remember when I was small and used to play baseball on the Southern Recreation Grounds, Tony Curry was there, André Rodgers was there, and a lot of these players [also attending Curry’s service] were there at the same time. With me being so small – all I knew was, when he went off to play professional baseball he was a good hitter, he was a good player, and he was fast. When he went to play professional baseball, a lot of youngsters said, ‘Hey – if he can do it, I can do the same thing!’ He was someone right from home – he gave a lot of other people in the ‘backyard’ the idea of going to play professional baseball. I was one of them, and ‘Sudgy’ [the late Wil Culmer] was one of them.’”3

Among these other talented men was Vince Ferguson, who signed with the Milwaukee Braves’ organization in 1961 and reached Triple-A in 1966-67. Another was Ed Moxey, a catcher/outfielder signed by the Giants, who tore up lower levels starting in 1962, though he never got past Double-A. Former BBA president Oswald Brown, who later became a prominent journalist, said, “Indeed, in the decade after André Rodgers became the first Bahamian to make it to the major leagues in 1957, baseball had developed to the point where it was unquestionably the most popular sport in the country.”4

Grassroots support was strong among Bahamian youth. There may not have been much infrastructure,5 but there was plenty of pickup fun. In 1972 Armbrister recalled that he and his friends “played wherever we found an open space – in streets, vacant lots, and even a cemetery. But we got chased out of there because we were knocking over too many grave markers and crosses. We used any kind of a ball we could find, even tennis balls. For bats we used broomsticks, tree limbs, and boards.”6

It’s likely that Ed played at least some cricket too, as did Wenty Ford (who pitched for the Atlanta Braves in 1973) and Wenty’s brother Eddie (who played with Armbrister in their first professional season). He enjoyed a variety of other athletic pursuits, including swimming, basketball, and track.

The Bahamas had joined the National Baseball Congress in 1957, and teams from Nassau went to the NBC tournament in Wichita, Kansas, starting in 1964 and 1965. Ed did not make the trip in 1964; though he may have been part of the 1965 squad, he was probably still too young. He was attending Nassau’s Western High School, but as he told author Mike Dyer in 1979, “All we had were amateur leagues. I played a little high-school baseball, but there weren’t any good baseball facilities and the coaching was poor. I was just lucky.”7 Pro scouts were watching the Bahamas, though, and the 18-year-old was signed in late 1966. Armbrister later recalled the circumstances.

“I remember I was painting my mother’s house during the Christmas and a scout by the name of Paul Florence came by, he was with another gentleman, Bernice Albury, and they asked me to go out to the Sports Centre and do some training.”8 Albury was a member of Nassau’s 1964 NBC team. Florence – an old New York Giants catcher who had previously scouted Cuba for Cincinnati – represented the Houston Astros. He had actually been expecting Ed for several days, but the young man “didn’t know anything about scouts, what they were or what they did, and I didn’t show up.”9 It is not known whether the tardiness influenced what was probably a very modest bonus.

Armbrister was not a big man, standing 5-feet-11 and weighing just 160 pounds, but he did have speed. He was also a good bunter, which would be one of his purposes in the majors. However, Ed’s first season in the minors, with Houston’s Cocoa team in the Florida State League (Class A), was not auspicious. He hit just .211, with one homer and 32 runs batted in. Returning to Cocoa in 1968, Ambre (as his friends also called him) boosted his average (.261-2-32), while stealing 35 bases in 42 tries. He then went to High A ball in 1969, with Peninsula in the Carolina League. Continued improvement was visible, notably some more power (.271-8-30).

Armbrister climbed to Double-A for 1970. Baseball Digest issued a prescient scouting report on him that March: “Speed may carry him to majors in two or three years. Can spray hits, but needs work with fielding to get chance.”10 That was an upgrade from the previous year, when the magazine said, “Only glaring weakness is with the glove.”11 Following his typical slow but steady progression, Ed spent the 1970 season and the next with Columbus (Georgia) in the Southern League. Although his average dipped to .238 against the stronger competition the first year, he picked up to .298-9-42 in 1971. The Astros also experimented with him at third base during this time.

On November 29, 1971, Houston made a trade with Cincinnati that would work out much better for the Reds. Second baseman Joe Morgan, pitcher Jack Billingham, outfielder César Geronimo, infielder Denis Menke, and Armbrister left the Astros in return for second baseman Tommy Helms, first baseman Lee May, and utilityman Jimmy Stewart. Ed, a throw-in, was barely mentioned in the stories about the deal. In 1976 Sparky Anderson remarked, “Hell, Houston gave away Ed Armbrister.”12

Armbrister took it hard at first. “I was disappointed to think that Houston had given up on me. I thought I had a better chance in the Houston organization because Cincinnati was an established club with plenty of outfielders. But I just told myself, ‘Ed, you’re going to have to go extra hard now if you expect to make it with Cincinnati.’ ”13

The diligent Bahamian lifted his game again with the Reds’ Triple-A club, Indianapolis. He became a .300 hitter in 1972 and maintained that level in 1973, also hitting 10 homers for the first time as a professional baseball player and driving in 72 runs. In the outfield with him were George Foster and Ken Griffey, Sr. That May Indians manager Vern Rapp said, “These can be the finest three players I’ve ever managed as far as outfield talent is concerned. They all have excellent speed, good range, and fine arms. This could be the finest outfield, at least defensively, in the minor leagues.”14

Cincinnati called the entire trio up at roughly the same time in late August. Said author Tom Adelman, “Initially, it struck Pete [Rose] as too much. . . . Griffey was a talent, Rose wouldn’t deny that. . . . But Foster was elusive, unreliable, too quiet, too wide-eyed, while Armbrister was not serious enough. Indeed, Armbrister was always exploding with song.15 Singing in the dugout! By God, it bothered the f*** out of Rose.” Adelman went on to explain, though: “In the Bahamas, work means long hours for low pay. To be paid to play a child’s game – Armbrister cannot help but giggle.”16

Ed made his big-league debut with the Reds on August 31, 1973, beating countryman Wenty Ford to the majors by ten days. He pinch-ran for Rose, stayed in the game playing left field, and struck out in his first at-bat, against Gary Ross of the Padres. Five days later, on September 5, he tripled and later hit his first homer in the majors, off Houston’s Jerry Reuss at the Astrodome. “It’s guys like Dan Driessen and Ed Armbrister who are helping us turn the season around,” said Rose (Cincinnati had climbed into first place just two days before).17

A little over a week later, the Braves came to Cincinnati, and there was a Bahamian reunion between Ford and Armbrister. The last time that had happened was April 22, 1961, when André Rodgers (Chicago Cubs) and Tony Curry (Philadelphia Phillies) both played at Connie Mack Stadium. It didn’t occur again until April 27, 2022, when Jazz Chisholm of Miami and Lucius Fox of Washington met at Nationals Park.

In October Cincinnati dropped disgruntled Bobby Tolan from its playoff roster, and Ed remained. He played in three games and went 1-for-6 with five strikeouts as the New York Mets upset the Reds in the NLCS, three games to two. He even started Game Three in place of lefty-hitting César Gerónimo, since Anderson wanted more right-handers to hit against Jerry Koosman. That game featured the infamous fight near second base between Rose and Mets shortstop Bud Harrelson, with a subsequent bench-clearing brawl. From center field, Ed had a close view as the left-field crowd at Shea Stadium heaved bottles, cans, and garbage toward Rose, nearly causing a forfeit.

That offseason the Reds traded for two veteran outfield reserves, Merv Rettenmund and Terry Crowley. Therefore Armbrister spent most of 1974 in Indianapolis, playing only nine games with the big club during September and October. From 1975 through 1977, though, he remained in Cincinnati for the full year. Still technically a rookie in 1975, he got only 65 at-bats in 59 games, hitting just .185. Yet Ed remained assured. “Sooner or later I knew I was going to contribute,” said the seldom-used Armbrister. “I’ve been telling them all year it was going to be my turn in the playoffs.”18

Indeed, he made his only plate appearance count in the 1975 NLCS. It was the top of the tenth inning in Game Three. Griffey bunted his way on with two strikes and reached third with one out. Then Armbrister, batting for Rawly Eastwick, lifted a sacrifice fly to center. The Reds took the lead and completed their three-game sweep of the Pirates.

In the World Series, against the Red Sox, Ed came to the plate four times in four games. The one people still remember came in Game Three at Cincinnati’s Riverfront Stadium. Again it was the tenth inning. Gerónimo led off with a single, and once more Armbrister came on to bat for Eastwick. His job was to sacrifice, but his bunt was not a good one.

“I wanted to push it way out but it took a high bounce right in front of the plate,” he explained. “I was standing there and I felt [Fisk] from behind. I saw him make the throw to second. I could see the throw was going to be high. But that’s just the way the play went.”19 In 1985 Ed said, “I really don’t know why I stopped. I still can’t tell you that. Carlton Fisk, being experienced, should have known what to do. For some reason, I hesitated and he was out there like a cat. I saw him reaching for the ball, and I decided to make my way down to first base. My right knee hit his left shinguard. He then made a grunt sound, like he wanted to put everything into the throw.”20

Fisk and Red Sox manager (and former catcher) Darrell Johnson were furious. They thought it was clearly interference. Curt Gowdy and Tony Kubek, calling the game for NBC Television, were also vehement. Umpire Larry Barnett, however, said, “I ruled that it was simply a collision . . . simply part of the process of getting to first base.”21

Johnson’s appeal was fruitless, Gerónimo later scored, and Fisk continued to fume – “It’s a damn joke” – after the loss. The whole Boston club was in vile temper. Bill “The Spaceman” Lee said, “If it was me out there, I would have bitten [Barnett’s] ear off. I’d have Van Goghed him!”22 Carl Yastrzemski heaped invective on the umpires, who were selected for the postseason via rotation at that time. Boston Globe columnist Ray Fitzgerald observed, “I have been in many sullen and snarling locker rooms in the last decade, but none as bitter as the one last night. The Grinch had stolen Christmas from the Red Sox.”23

On the winning side, Armbrister himself added, “There was no way I was trying to block him. . . . If [Fisk] hit from behind, I would say he interfered with me.” This jibed with National League umpire Dick Stello’s view on the appeal. Sparky Anderson “ducked that one nicely, with his tongue in his cheek. ‘To be honest with you,’ he answered, ‘I don’t see all that well.’ ”24 He also said, “We’re lucky. . . . The good Lord takes care of us. . . . Thank God I’ll never have to decide whether to argue.”

There have been many exhaustive post-mortems on the play. Johnson could and perhaps should have lodged a protest. Fisk shoved the hesitant Armbrister aside with an empty mitt, but he could simply have tagged him instead of throwing hastily. Barnett and Stello could have interpreted the rulebook better; the issue of intent was nebulous. A shadowy “supplemental instruction” to umpires from Major League Baseball before the Series complicated this aspect still further.25

There’s still no consensus – except, of course, among Boston supporters – as to whether it was interference. “I still don’t know what was right!” said Alex Grammas, Cincinnati’s third-base coach, in 1999. Even his opposite number for the Red Sox, Don Zimmer, came to say the same thing in his memoirs. The Reds went on to win the Series in seven games. It remains one of the best fall classics ever.

Armbrister appeared in a career-high 73 games in 1976, hitting .295 in just 78 at-bats. On July 31, in Cincinnati, he enjoyed his peak performance; his four hits included two homers, both off San Diego’s Brent Strom. He joked about his playing time in an article on baseball superstition. “Ed Armbrister . . . hails from the Bahamas, where voodoo is feared by many natives. But Armbrister is not among the believers. ‘If I believed in it, I’d have some voodoo woman put a hex on somebody and get me in the lineup.’ ”26

In the NLCS that year, Ed got into one game with one plate appearance against the Phillies. He did not appear in the World Series – there was little need, as the Reds steamrolled the Yankees in four straight. Armbrister remained in his caddy role in 1977, hitting .256 in 78 at-bats in 65 games. An offseason operation for a bone spur in his right elbow still hampered his throwing in the spring of 1978, though.27 He was sent back to Indianapolis, and Dave Collins became the Reds’ spare outfielder. Despite another solid year at Triple-A, Armbrister never resurfaced in the major leagues, or in US Organized Baseball. He finished with a career batting average in the majors of .245.

After a season at Indianapolis, two years in the Mexican League then followed. In 1979 Armbrister played for Yucatán and Tampico (.291-13-62). After he hit just .180 in 35 games for Nuevo Laredo in 1980, his time as a professional baseball player) came to an end.

He returned to the Bahamas. As of 1985, Ed was a craps-table croupier at Resorts International’s Paradise Island Casino.28 He worked for at least one other establishment in the gaming business, a staple of the Bahamian tourist economy.29 As of 2006, he was with the Local Government and Consumer Affairs agency, on Arawak Cay, a popular attraction in the Nassau area. He was married and had three children.30 His first wife was named Yvonne and their daughters were Phyllis, Dionne, and Alexis. Later, from his second marriage to Rosella, he had another daughter named Edda. In his leisure hours, Armbrister became a notable local softball player.31

According to Oswald Brown, “Beginning in the 1980s, baseball was allowed to deteriorate” in the Bahamas.32 The BBA had become largely dormant. In 1993, however, a new group called the Bahamas Baseball Federation sprang up. The same year, the New Providence Amateur Baseball League started play, and the game regained some momentum in the outer islands as well. The nation still produced a handful of prospects, including Antoan Richardson, who in 2011 enjoyed his first of two brief stints in the majors after battling back from the independent Northern League. Armbrister remained involved, having served as a consultant to the Ministry of Sports, with a mission to boost the game in local junior and senior schools. In July 2005 he managed the Bahamian junior national team that beat their Cuban counterparts 7-6.33

On March 10, 2007, Armbrister received the honor given to the top sporting figures in the Bahamas, as his picture was added to the Wall of Fame at Lynden Pindling International Airport. Many local observers felt it was long overdue, but Ed took it philosophically, saying, “Better late than never.”34 In October 2008 he became a member of the Bahamas National Hall of Fame.

Ed occasionally made it back to Cincinnati for Big Red Machine reunions; the last time was in November 2008. “Armbrister . . . looks like he could still fit into his Reds uniform. ‘Eddie,’ [formerly thin Dave] Concepción grinned, ‘no food in Nassau?’ ”35

After a long struggle with diabetes, Armbrister died at his home in Nassau on March 17, 2021. He was 72.

At first Ed Armbrister expressed reluctance that one moment should define his career – but over time he came to embrace the idea. In fact, his e-mail address commemorated the notorious bunt play. Still, the greatest measure of this man was his character. In 1999 Sparky Anderson underscored his view: “You would keep him just because you liked him. Everybody liked him. He’s a good one.” Alex Grammas echoed the feeling: “You couldn’t help but like him. That to me is Number One.”

Acknowledgments

This biography was originally published in the book The Great Eight: The 1975 Cincinnati Reds (University of Nebraska Press, 2014), edited by Mark Armour. For more information, or to purchase the book from University of Nebraska Press, click here.

Special thanks to Andrea Newbold (sister of Ed Armbrister), Lisa Newbold, and Alexis Armbrister for supplying previously missing details about the family of Ed Armbrister in March 2021.

Most recent updated: December 5, 2022. 

Sources

National Baseball Congress, Official Baseball Annual, 1965

Treto Cisneros, Pedro, editor, Enciclopedia del Béisbol Mexicano. Mexico City: Revistas Deportivas, S.A. de C.V., 1998.

Sparky Anderson, telephone interview with author, September 21, 1999

Alex Grammas, telephone interview with author, October 1999.

Craig Kemp, president, Bahamas Baseball Federation.

www.baseballbahamas.net

Notes

This man’s impressive physique – 6’4” and 210 pounds – and righty power invited comparisons. He was likened to Jim Rice, since there was some resemblance in face as well as build, but Cito Gaston and Ryan Thompson also come to mind. Along with Tony Curry, “Sudgy” (as he was called at home) was perhaps the best slugger the Bahamas ever produced. He could also run and hit for average. Yet while Gaston and Thompson fulfilled just fractions of their promise in the majors, Culmer never advanced beyond the prospect stage.

Cleveland sportswriter Terry Pluto recalled of Culmer, “He was a big, strong guy. . .with holes in his swing. He was a decent athlete who seemed to be trying to learn baseball. He had God-given physical ability, but the game did not seem natural to him.” As Pluto indicated, Culmer was not a good fielder. Pat Corrales, who knew him from both the Phillies and Indians organizations, allegedly once called him “allergic to leather.” Wil himself acknowledged that baseball was less advanced in his homeland. In the view of Fred Sturrup, a sportswriter and longtime observer of baseball in the Bahamas, “The game was popular here but not as advanced because of lack of multiple facilities and advanced training as compared to the United States.” Nagging injuries also hampered Culmer. Even so, at one point he was exciting enough that the Philadelphia Phillies put him on their 40-man roster ahead of future star George Bell.

Wilfred Hillard Culmer Jr. was born on November 11, 1957, in Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas, on the island of New Providence.[1] His father, Wilfred H. Culmer Sr., was a mechanic. His mother was named Phyllis Wilkinson-Ingraham. Wil was the youngest of three children, coming after older sisters named Yvonne and Donna.

When Culmer was a small boy, Bahamian baseball was at its zenith in terms of popularity and developing pro ballplayers. According to former Cincinnati Red Ed Armbrister, he and Wil were two of many youngsters who drew inspiration from local hero Tony Curry.[2] Curry (1960-61; 1966) and Armbrister (1973-77) were the nation’s third and fourth major-leaguers, respectively, after Negro Leaguer Ormond Sampson and André Rodgers (1957-67). Culmer also “idolized Willie Mays and Willie McCovey while he was growing up, collecting baseball cards and listening to games whenever he could tune them in on an American radio station.”[3]

Young Wil (he often signed his name as “Will”) grew up in the Bain Town area. Originally this was a settlement “over the hill” from Nassau proper, founded by liberated Africans – Yorubas from Nigeria, whose customs would long endure. Over time, though, the capital expanded and absorbed the little town in the bush.

In recent years, Bain Town has become one of Nassau’s roughest neighborhoods, but while it was poor in Culmer’s childhood, crime was not prevalent. One of the local institutions was (and is) St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church. In the late 1940s, a man who became known as “The Sporting Priest” launched an important youth program at St. Joseph’s. “St. Bernard’s Sporting Club was founded by Father Marcian Peters, and St. Bernard’s Park, on which the current church is located, became a home away from home for youngsters wanting to hone their skills in the various sporting events. The club developed ‘powerhouse’ teams in cricket, basketball and baseball, and in the process provided an outlet for these youngsters – not only from the Bain Town area, but from other neighbouring communities – to do positive things.”[4]

Fred Sturrup confirmed Culmer’s connection with St. Bernard’s, also noting, “He played other sports. He was good at volleyball, field events, and basketball at C. C. Sweeting High School in New Providence.” Even at his size, Culmer could really run. According to an article from his second year as a pro in Spartanburg, South Carolina, he ran the 100-meter dash in 10.6 and the 60 in 6.7. [5] Sturrup said, however, “I can’t speak to the accuracy of those times.”

Culmer’s curious nickname – “Sudgy” – means something like “Fatty” or “Porky.” Fred Sturrup said, “His high school buddies cemented it. The nickname came about because of circumstances not complimentary. But, it stuck and actually endeared him to his friends and followers.”

After high school, Wil “went to work in an import shop on Nassau’s docks at $100 a week, playing in the country’s only league.”[6] Fred Sturrup called Colin Thompson (the older brother of NBA star Mychal Thompson) and Culmer “the two most prodigious home-run hitters in the history of the game here.”[7] As Wil later noted, though, playing at home “may have slowed me down, because the situation could be better. If we had a system like they have in the Dominican, I could be further ahead.”[8] So, in his late teens, the young man went to the U.S., briefly attending Chipola Junior College in Marianna, Florida. This program boasts several alumni who have made it to the majors; in recent years, the list includes Yankees catcher Russell Martin and José Bautista of the Blue Jays.

On October 25, 1977, the Philadelphia Phillies signed Culmer as a non-drafted free agent. The scouts were Andy Seminick and Paul Duval. Seminick, the catcher on the “Whiz Kids” team of 1950, was in the Phillies’ organization for decades. At that time, he was also the coach at Florida Tech in Melbourne, where he resided. Although Melbourne is on the Atlantic Coast and Marianna is nearly 400 miles away in the Panhandle, Seminick still covered a lot of ground in Florida.

Culmer’s pro career got off to a promising start in 1978. The Bahamian went out to Helena, Montana, in the Pioneer Rookie League. In 55 games, he was third in the league in hitting at .358, with 10 homers and 44 RBIs. (For context, though, batting champ Gary Redus hit .462, while the top home run hitter was Edward Packard with 20.)

Wil started 1979 with Peninsula of the Carolina League, skipping a level to high Class A. It proved a little too much, though, as he went .150-0-7 and committed seven errors in 22 games. He had served mainly as a designated hitter in Helena, with minimal action at first base. Thus he spent the rest of the ’79 season with Spartanburg in the Western Carolinas League (“regular” class A). S-Phils manager Bill Dancy said, “I think he’s mainly here to work with Mel [Coach Mel Roberts] since Mel is the organization’s outfield coach.”[9] Wil hit .307-6-46 in 68 games, but he remained very raw in the field, with eight errors and an .840 fielding percentage.

In 1980, Culmer returned to Peninsula, where he had his best pro season. He was a Carolina League All-Star, winning the batting crown with a .369 average on a league-best 184 hits, as he hit a blazing .413 in the second half of the season. For the year, he hit 18 homers and drove in 93 men. He also led the league in runs (112) and total bases (276), while placing second in doubles (28) and third in homers. In addition, he stole 26 bases.

In 1990, the Newport News Daily Press recalled the Bahamian at his peak. “‘Wil Culmer was simply a tremendous athlete and a great-looking prospect,” said Bob Neal, the general manager of the Pilots from 1976-81. [Neal] also marveled at Culmer’s brute strength. ‘Wil was put together like [Cincinnati Reds outfielder] Glenn Braggs – extremely strong,’ Neal said. ‘He was also a Junior Olympics hurdler and sprint champion in the Bahamas. What an athlete.’”[10]

However, appearing in 38 games at third base as well as 106 in the outfield, Culmer committed 27 errors. Yet his overall promise still led the Phillies to add him to their 40-man major-league roster that October.[11] This decision factored into a big mistake, as Philadelphia left George Bell (then still known as Jorge) unprotected in the Rule V draft that winter. The Dominican, who was Culmer’s teammate at Helena and Spartanburg, missed much of 1980 with a bad back. The Phillies front office gambled that no one would notice, but Toronto scout Al LaMacchia saw a healthy Bell playing winter ball at home.[12]

For $25,000, the Blue Jays then scooped up one of their top stars of the ’80s. In hindsight, there was much finger-pointing in Philadelphia, as author William Kashatus revealed. In one inside account, “according to Julian McCracken, then general manager of the Double-A Reading Phillies. . .the Phillies ‘only had five openings on the forty-man roster that they took to spring training in 1981. . .those five spots went to Wil Culmer, Julio Franco, Len Matuszek, Alejandro Sanchez, and Ryne Sandberg, with Jorge Bell being omitted from the list.’”[13]

For the 1981 season, Culmer was promoted to Reading. That June, sportswriter Jayson Stark (then with the Philadelphia Inquirer) wrote a feature on the Bahamian, who had started slowly and disappointed the organization. Motivation was the article’s key theme. Stark led off with this remark: “The label the Phillies have hung on Will [sic] Culmer is that he can be as good as he wants to be. The question is: How good does he want to be?” Also, while Wil had improved in the outfield, he was still making a lot of fundamental mistakes.[14] (It does not appear that he ever played any winter-league ball, though he would have been a good candidate.)

Culmer, who said that he’d been pressing after an early hip injury upset his timing, promised to work harder. The Reading Eagle said, “A thigh injury never permitted the big outfielder to get untracked.” That story also quoted R-Phils manager Ron Clark, who agreed that Wil had been pressing. Clark said, “I told him the first half was over and he had to forget about the first 70 games. . .I think he can salvage the year.”[15]

Wil did pick up in the second half and wound up with a fair year overall (.282-10-53). That was enough for him to rise to Triple A in 1982. With Oklahoma City in the American Association, he enjoyed a similar season (.288-14-58). He saw occasional duty at first base. Culmer was a possibility for a call-up to Philadelphia in April that year after Mike Schmidt suffered a painful rib injury swinging the bat.[16] He wasn’t deemed ready yet, though, so instead the Phillies shifted Iván de Jesús over to third base temporarily. To replace de Jesús, Julio Franco – a shortstop in his early years – got his big-league baptism.

On September 12, 1982, the Phillies made a canny trade with the Indians – one that “raised brows” in Cleveland, as Terry Pluto observed.[17] General manager Paul Owens, “propelled by the excellent reports submitted by scouts Hugh Alexander and Moose Johnson,”[18] sent pitchers Jerry Reed and LeRoy Smith, along with Culmer, to the Indians in exchange for John Denny. Denny had a poor year in 1982, as his shoulder was sore. In 1983, though, he rebounded to have the best season of his career. He won the NL Cy Young award and helped the Phillies reach the World Series.

Meanwhile, Wil made the Indians team in spring training 1983, impressing manager Mike Ferraro and beating out Otto Vélez and Karl Pagel. On March 12, he hit a pair of two-run homers – muscling the first one out despite a broken bat, long before such a feat became unremarkable. He said, “I don’t want to seem like I am bragging, but I can hit. With the Phillies, they never gave me much of a look. They had a Hall of Fame clubhouse.”[19] “I got to keep swinging the bat,” he added. “As long as I keep hitting, I’m going to force them to make a move, because Wil Culmer wants to be an Indian.”[20]

Wil also took extra outfield practice that spring. “I want to be the best in the game,” he said. “That’s hard work. But that’s how I want it. I don’t want any hand-me-downs. I work hard for what I get, so when people point at me, they say, ‘That’s a hard worker there.’”[21]

His debut came at Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium on April 12. Ferraro gave André Thornton one of his infrequent starts at first base and made Culmer the designated hitter that afternoon. The 25-year-old rookie went 2 for 3, singling in his first and third at-bats against Rick Honeycutt. The Texas lefty, who had a good pickoff move, caught Wil straying in the seventh inning; the Rangers won 2-1.

Fred Sturrup recalled, “After his first game with the Indians, he called me. He was elated and asked me to express his feelings to the entire nation.” However, Culmer’s hits that day were the only ones he ever got in the majors. He did have one sacrifice fly but otherwise came up empty in 17 plate appearances, which spanned four starts in right field as well as another at DH. The last game he played for Cleveland was on May 1; two weeks later the Indians sent him down to Triple-A Charleston as they activated Toby Harrah, who had recovered from a broken hand.

Although he still cut “an imposing figure in the batter’s box,”[22] it didn’t go well for Wil after his demotion. Charleston manager Doc Edwards said that July, “Culmer is struggling [.216]. He still hasn’t hit the ball the way his previous stats indicate he should. But remember, he was in the bigs since Day 1, got something like 10 at-bats, then rode the bench. By the time he got here, he’d lost his stroke completely and he still hasn’t found it. He takes double batting practice almost every day. He’s determined to turn it around, and I’m sure he will.”[23]

Culmer rewarded his skipper’s faith to a degree, lifting his average to .245 with 7 homers and 29 RBIs in 87 games. Cleveland recalled Wil in early September but he did not see any action. In an unusual move, the Indians actually returned him to Charleston near the end of the month with five games still left on their schedule.

In 1984, the Tribe had a new Triple-A club, the Maine Guides. Culmer started the season there as a reserve outfielder.[24] He played in just 16 games with the Guides, though, spending a five-week stretch on the disabled list after jamming his thumb in a collision with Toledo’s second baseman.[25] When he was active, he didn’t do much with the bat (.200-3-9) – though he did pitch nine scoreless innings in a long extra-inning game. In June, Cleveland sent him down to Double-A Buffalo, where his hitting was not impressive either (.256-2-26 in 56 games, playing first base and DH). Evidence has not surfaced as to whether he quit baseball or was released, but Culmer’s pro career had ended. Injury was the prime factor, according to his family.

He then came home to the Bahamas and sought employment at the Crystal Palace Casino, which had also employed Tony Curry as a host. Ed Armbrister also worked in the gaming business, a staple of the Bahamian tourist economy. Culmer was a croupier, then a supervisor, and finally a pit manager. In his leisure time, he remained prominent in baseball and fast-pitch softball. He donated equipment and assisted in coaching at a local senior high school, St. Augustine College.

On October 14, 2003, Culmer died at home from a hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage. At the time he was engaged to be married to Sharon Bethel. The couple had three sons: Wilfred H. Culmer III, Montenez, and Caleb.

Fred Sturrup and other local columnists still celebrate the heyday of Bahamian baseball in their work. Wil Culmer’s name continues to turn up – and he has received another posthumous honor. In June 2011, the Ministry of Sports, Youth and Culture in the Bahamas announced Culmer as a member of the newest class in the National Sports Hall of Fame, to be inducted in October 2011.

Special thanks to Wil Culmer III, Sharon Bethel, and Fred Sturrup in the Bahamas. Thanks also to Terry Pluto.

October 1, 2011

Sources

Birth and death certificates for Wil Culmer.

Eneas, Cleveland W. Bain Town. Nassau, Bahamas, Timpaul Publishing Co.: 1976.

www.retrosheet.org

www.newspaperarchive.com

Photo Credit

www.baseballbahamas.net (Jeff Francis, webmaster)

Notes

George Anthony Curry was born on December 22, 1937, in Nassau. His parents were Roland and Merle (née Sands) Curry. Tony was the fourth of six children. He had three brothers, Peter, Vincent, and Garth, all of whom were also leading athletes in the Bahamas. The family also included two sisters, Edith and Patricia.

The Curry family grew up just around the corner from the Rodgers family in Nassau. As children, young Tony and André Rodgers awoke each other every morning and started the day with a swim in the ocean before going to church, which they attended daily. They and their brothers were also choirboys at St Mary’s the Virgin Church.

Like many other young local men, Curry grew up playing soccer and cricket. Those, along with basketball and softball, were his sports at Western Senior High School and St. Augustine Junior College. It was not until he was 15 that Tony began playing baseball. The sport was becoming visible in the Bahamas thanks to U.S. Navy sailors coming ashore. Its popularity soared after André Rodgers turned pro in 1954 and reached the major leagues in 1957. Curry fanned the flame. Ed Armbrister, the fourth Bahamian big-leaguer, reminisced after Tony passed away in October 2006.

“I never knew Tony Curry the way I did André Rodgers, but I remember when I was small and used to play baseball on the Southern Recreation Grounds, Tony Curry was there, André Rodgers was there, and a lot of these players [also attending Curry’s service] were there at the same time. With me being so small — all I knew was, when he went off to play professional baseball he was a good hitter, he was a good player, and he was fast.

“When he went to play professional baseball, a lot of youngsters said, ‘Hey — if he can do it, I can do the same thing!’ He was someone right from home — he gave a lot of other people in the ‘backyard’ the idea of going to play professional baseball. I was one of them, and ‘Sudgy’ [the late Wil Culmer, the sixth of the nine Bahamian big-leaguers as of 2022] was one of them.’” [2]

Frank Sweeting, a local ballplayer from Tony’s era, described his old friend. “Tony was just an extraordinary player ya know. You could see the strength — Tony was built, and his neck was like a football player’s — it’s a fact, his body and ting. When he played ball, it was something to see if you had known him.” [3]

The Philadelphia Phillies signed Curry in 1957. The man responsible was Joe Ryan, general manager of the Miami Marlins, at that time Philadelphia’s top farm club. Tony was part of a Bahamian team called Penny Bankers that had paid its own way to the Miami area to play.

Curry reported to the Tampa Tarpons in the Florida State League (Class D). Off the field, he endured a scary episode in August that was a sign of the times in the Deep South. Following a game at Leesburg, Tony was in a carful of Tarpons — white, Latino, and Black — who stopped for milkshakes at a Dade City drive-in. Upon seeing the Black passengers, a carhop asked them to move into the shadows, and “it was suggested they leave because there might be trouble.” African American catcher Charlie Fields added, “Somebody had said something nasty.” As the ballplayers left, three shotgun blasts were fired, and one hit their car. They shook off a pursuing vehicle and went over the speed limit on purpose to attract the police of Zephyrhills. Luckily, there was just one minor injury, from birdshot pellets.[4]

On the field, things were more pleasant. There Curry hit .333, second best in the league, with 4 homers and 57 RBIs. He was the leader in triples with 13, an indication of his speed. He was named to the league All-Star team.

The 19-year-old really looked to be a coming star. His manager at Tampa, Charlie Gassaway, said, “Curry is the best prospect I have seen in eight years with the Phillies. They say he is the best prospect in the Florida State League since Stan Musial. He can hit, he has power, wonderful wrists. He can run, and Tony may be the fastest man afoot in our organization.” The only question mark was his fielding.[5]

Curry jumped to Class B for 1958, blossoming as a power hitter. With High Point-Thomasville, he hit 20 homers, drove in 83 runs, and hit .293. He led the Carolina League in runs scored (106) and hits (168). He tied Rafael Alomar for the lead in triples (9).

He was even better in 1959 with Williamsport in the Eastern League (Class A). That spring, Frank Lucchesi (his manager at High Point) raved, “He has the greatest wrists I have ever seen. All he needs is some experience so he can learn the strike zone better. I guess you could say he has all the tools.” [6] Tony went on to lead the league in homers (23), doubles (49), runs scored (109), and hits (178, for a .313 average and 90 RBIs). He was a unanimous EL All-Star and the league’s Most Valuable Player.

That winter Curry played 28 games for the Oriente club in Venezuela and continued to hit well (.299-5-14). His rapid ascent culminated when he made the Phillies team in spring training 1960. He wasn’t on the big-league roster in camp but got management’s attention with his hitting. It was a last-place club, and general manager John Quinn “decided to force-feed him to the majors.” [7] Tony was in the starting lineup on Opening Day against the Reds at Cincinnati’s old Crosley Field. He fouled out off Jim Brosnan in his first at-bat but chased Brosnan from the game in the second inning with an RBI single.

It took a little over a month before Curry hit his first big-league homer, but on May 14, he got two of them. Once again the scene was Crosley Field, and the victim was Jay Hook. This was Tony’s best day in the majors, and at that point his average stood at .380. He cooled down over the remainder of the year, finishing at .261 with 6 homers and 34 RBIs in 95 games. Gene Mauch, who took over as manager in the season’s third game, used him almost exclusively against righty pitching (he faced southpaws just eight times). His outfield play was “an adventure,” to say the least.[8] Nonetheless, Topps named Tony an All-Star Rookie for 1960. The other outfielders were Frank Howard and Tommy Davis.

Back in the Bahamas, Curry was a hero. “Local kids in those days used to fight to get the jersey with number 7 on it. ‘That’s the number Mickey Mantle used to wear, but that ain’t why they wanted that number. . . .Tony used to wear number 7 when he played with the Phillies,’ said Frank Sweeting.” [9]

In the winter of 1960-61, Curry played in Panama with the Azucareros club. The Phillies’ goal was to give him exposure to left-handers. In its curious jargon, The Sporting News reported, “His average . . . has caused no great excitement, but it is the timeliness and the distance of his socks that have boosted his stock. Of Tony’s first eight hits, four were circuit clouts — and even more important, the lefty-swinging flyhawk got all four off portside pitching.” [10]

A sour note marred Curry’s spring training in 1961. In late March, he left the team and went home, even though he was hitting .478. “Reached on arrival at his home in the Bahamas, the AWOL outfielder would only say: ‘I quit.’”[11] It turned out to be a matter of money. “Wednesday [March 22] Curry told newsmen, ‘I would have to sign a contract if I wanted to go into spring training camp. So I signed a contract for $6,000. Now I want $9,000.’” [12]

There was more to the holdout, though — the $6,000 figure was below the league minimum, then $7,000. “Tony signed a conditional contract . . . because Phil officials felt that he still doesn’t measure up to major-league standards [mainly in fielding] and that he would probably be sent to Buffalo this season. If he was kept, of course, his salary would automatically be raised up to major-league standards, which happened when he rejoined the club.”[13]

The flap blew over quickly; John Quinn called it “all a misunderstanding.” Also, according to Philadelphia sportswriter Ray Kelly, who said he’d spoken to Curry, Tony “put out the story about the salary dissatisfaction because he ‘wanted it to overshadow some [unspecified] personal problems.’”[14]

Still, it was an embarrassment for the Phillies, a team with a poor history of race relations. Owner Bob Carpenter and general manager Quinn were perceived as taking advantage of the young man; Quinn allegedly made borderline racist remarks about Curry’s supposed lack of gratitude.[15] In addition, it surely wasn’t the best thing for a young player’s mindset. Tony didn’t get off to a good start (7 for 36 in 15 games, facing only right-handed pitchers), and the contract issue might have been lingering. Philadelphia did send him down to Triple-A Buffalo in early May as the deadline for roster cutdowns loomed. It would be more than five years before he re-emerged in the majors.

Curry spent the rest of 1961 at Buffalo, where he hit well (.285-21-57), with help from the short porch in right field at the old War Memorial Stadium. The Bisons were International League champions and went on to win the Little World Series. Tony followed up with a successful return to Venezuela, winning the batting title (.346) with 2 homers and 30 RBIs in 36 games. In the single playoff round, he added another homer in five games for the league champion Caracas Leones.

In March 1962, the Phillies traded Curry and pitcher Ken Lehman to the Cleveland Indians for utilityman Mel Roach. Cleveland assigned Tony to its Triple-A team in Jacksonville, where he had a so-so season (.245-10-34). Again he faced mainly right-handed pitching.

In February 1963, Buffalo — which had become a New York Mets affiliate the prior October — purchased Tony’s contract from the Indians. Reportedly the Curry-Lehman trade was one of the reasons why the Bisons ended their working agreement with the Phillies, because the deal was made without consultation.[16] Curry might have had a better opportunity to get back to the majors with Buffalo, because he liked the friendly stadium and the early Mets were so woeful. However, Jacksonville re-acquired him before the ’63 season started.

Then, in late April, Curry was demoted to Double-A as the Suns reduced their roster. The Charleston Gazette commented, “He is expected to give Charleston some batting power although he holds no records for his defensive play. Adding to his woes was a shoulder injury last year that has reduced his effectiveness in throwing.”[17]

Thanks to a good year at Charleston (.302-16-69), Curry returned to Triple-A for 1964. Cleveland’s new top affiliate was the Portland Beavers in the Pacific Coast League. Coming off a season of winter ball in Nicaragua with the Cinco Estrellas team, Curry started strongly and continued to hit well all year (.313-15-49), though he played in only 100 games. He played in yet another foreign land during the winter of 1964-65: the Dominican Republic, with Estrellas Orientales. Returning to Portland in ’65, he tapered off to .251-14-48 in 117 games.

Curry started off at Portland again in 1966, and after another hot start (.350), he made it back to the majors at last in early June. Cleveland recalled him as Del Crandall was disabled with a broken finger. Obviously Tony couldn’t wait to get back in action — pinch-hitting on June 4, he swung at the first pitch he saw off Camilo Pascual and delivered a two-run single with the bases loaded.

Curry served strictly as a pinch-hitter with the Indians, though, not appearing in the field for even an inning. Had he started his career in the ’70s, he could have benefited from the designated-hitter rule. Again facing only righties, Tony was 2-for-16 with three walks. On July 19, 1966, the Houston Astros acquired him for cash and slugging first baseman Jim Gentile, who had been demoted to Oklahoma City after a bat-throwing temper display. Curry in turn reported to Oklahoma City; he would not return to the majors.

Tony played only a month or so in Oklahoma before he was optioned to the Seattle Rainiers, in the California Angels system. After the season, on October 9, Seattle then obtained him for pitcher Howie Reed. That winter, Curry went back to Venezuela once more, playing first base rather than outfield. He won his second batting crown there (.309-8-27 in 46 games) and also went 7-for-18 in five playoff games. He remained in Seattle for the 1967 season (.236-9-32).

At the age of 30 in 1968, Curry gave it a last whirl in Mexico. The Jalisco Charros looked to replace Elrod Hendricks, who had returned to the US after four years as a big slugger south of the border. Seattle general manager Marvin Milkes thought that Tony was recovered from past injuries and could be Jalisco’s new cleanup hitter. [18] He hit reasonably well (.261-7-23 in 38 games), but he’d had enough and came home to the Bahamas and his family.

After baseball, Tony became general manager of the Tony Curry Insurance Agency. He later served in the same capacity at the Playboy Casino. Curry was also host at the Crystal Palace Casino, a position well suited to his beaming nature.

In addition, he served as president of the Bahamas Baseball Association (BBA) for a time. The 1973 annual publication of the National Baseball Congress shows NBC president Larry Davis, on a visit to Nassau, presenting a plaque to Tony for the Bahamas’ contribution to baseball. The Curry administration also brought night baseball to the islands.

In later years, though, Curry grew deeply disenchanted with the BBA, which was moribund by the 1980s. After an embarrassing performance by a hastily assembled national team in 2005, he fired a broadside to various key officials. The letter started by saying, “I wish to inform you of the dilapidated state of baseball in The Commonwealth of The Bahamas.” [19]

Less than a year later, Tony Curry was gone. During the last five years of his life, he was in and out of the hospital; he suffered from kidney disease and needed regular dialysis treatment. On October 5, 2006, he was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital for renal failure. He succumbed around 2 A.M. on October 16, aged 68. He was survived by his wife, Norma Saunders Curry, whom he had married February 28, 1962. The couple had three daughters, Antona, Donree, and Tina, and a son, Antoine. They had also adopted a niece, Cherise. His family and church were central to Tony’s life. He was a joyful, smiling man who loved to sing and relax on his homeland’s beaches.[20]

The newspapers in the Bahamas carried prominent obituaries for this “beloved and cheerful sportsman.” Prime Minister Perry Christie issued a statement honoring a “true and loyal Bahamian. … His passing has left a void in our nation.”[21] Curry’s funeral service at St. Matthew’s Anglican Church was “filled to capacity with family, friends, and dignitaries.” [22] He was laid to rest in St. Mary’s Cemetery. His memory lives on, though, at Tony Curry Baseball Park (dedicated 2003) in Nassau’s Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre.

This biography was originally published in 2009. Most recent update: December 5, 2022.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to the Curry family, Craig Kemp (President, Bahamas Baseball Federation), and SABR member Alfonso Tusa (Venezuelan statistics).

Sources

Tony Curry file at National Baseball Hall of Fame Library

www.baseball-reference.com

www.retrosheet.org

National Baseball Congress, Official Baseball Annual – 1973

Independence Souvenir Programme (July 1973, the Commonwealth of the Bahamas)

Gutiérrez, Daniel; Álvarez, Efraim; and Gutiérrez, Jr., Daniel. La Enciclopedia del Béisbol en Venezuela. Caracas, Venezuela: Editorial Norma, 2007.

Treto Cisneros, Pedro, editor, Enciclopedia del Béisbol Mexicano. Mexico City, Mexico: Revistas Deportivas, S.A. de C.V., 1998.

Photo Credits

The Topps Company

Tony Curry funeral announcement

Notes

[1] Fred  Sturrup, “Tony Curry, Dead at 68,” Bahama Journal, October 17, 2006.

[2] Denez Jones, “A final tribute is paid to local baseball icon”. Nassau Guardian, October 26, 2006: C1.

[3] Denez Jones, “George Anthony Curry is laid to rest”. Nassau Guardian, October 23, 2006: C1.

[4] “Tampa Pitcher Injured by Shotgun Blast,” Fort Pierce News Tribune, August 9, 1957: 5.

[5] “Phillies’ Curry Best Prospect,” Salisbury (Maryland) Times, February 22, 1958: 10.

[6] “Curry Has Hitting Potential That Phils Are Looking For,” Salisbury Times, February 17, 1959: 17.

[7] David M. Jordan, Occasional Glory: The History of the Philadelphia Phillies. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Co., 2002: 130.

[8] Jordan, Occasional Glory:130.

[9] Jones, “A final tribute is paid to local baseball icon.”

[10] Leo J. Eberenz, “Booming Clutch Clouts Explode Off Tony Curry’s Sizzling Stick”. The Sporting News, unknown date, 1960.

[11] “Tony Curry Quits Phils, Flies Home to Bahamas,” Associated Press, March 22, 1961.

[12] “Curry Demanding $3,000 Pay Boost,” Associated Press, March 23, 1961.

[13] Dave Lewis, “Curry Incident Could Hurt Phils,” Long Beach Independent, April 13, 1961.

[14] “Curry Will Rejoin Phils,” Associated Press, March 23, 1961.

[15] Bill Conlin, “Howard will be happy,” Philadelphia Daily News, January 30, 2007.

[16] Bill Reddy, “Keeping Posted,” Syracuse Post-Standard, February 19, 1963: 14.

[17] A.L. Hardman, “Indians Add Curry, Play Reading Here,” Charleston Gazette, May 10, 1963: 10.

[18] Ramón Olvera Miranda, 12 años de Liga Mexicana en Jalisco. Guadalajara, Jalisco, México: Editorial Agata, 1995: 42-43.

[19] Gerrino Saunders, “Curry Fed Up With ‘Dilapidated’ State Of Baseball,” Bahama Journal, November 23, 2005.

[20] Sheldon Longley, “Anthony Curry passes away,” Nassau Guardian, October 6, 2006.

[21] Sheldon Longley, “Curry will be laid to rest on Saturday,” Nassau Guardian, October 18, 2006: C1.

[22] Jones, “George Anthony Curry is laid to rest.”

Ford was the fifth of nine Bahamians in big-league history. This heritage began with Negro Leaguer Ormond Sampson; though there was a gap from May 1983 to September 2011, the islands have since sent three more men to the majors.

Ford was born on November 25, 1946 in Nassau. Wenty’s father, Percival Edmund Wentworth Ford, Sr., was a printer for the Nassau Guardian newspaper. He and his wife Florence Coleby Ford, who was a homemaker, had eight boys and three girls (though one of the daughters died when she was very small). Wenty was their first child.

“Wenty was an all-around sportsman,” says his wife, Evangeline “Vangy” Williams Ford. “He represented the Bahamas in cricket in London, Bermuda and the Caribbean. He also managed the Kentucky Colonels basketball team here in Nassau. He played tennis, volleyball, and golf.”

Given the long British influence in the Bahamas, cricket was the traditional sport there, but baseball took off in the mid- to late 1950s thanks to the second and third Bahamian major-leaguers, André Rodgers and Tony Curry. Young Wenty knew them as well as future Cincinnati Red Ed Armbrister, who was born about a year and half after him. Although he played cricket and basketball as a youth, he enjoyed baseball too.

In the early ’60s, Ford played both baseball and cricket at places such as Southern Prep Park (now Columbus Primary School) and Windsor Park (which was near the family’s home). Joining him were comrades with colorful Caribbean names like Louford “Dog” Turner and Hugh “Meatman” Bethel.1 Bethel, who played in the Florida Rookie League in 1965, was also part of the wellspring of Bahamian players who made it to U.S. pro ball that decade. The other men who came closest to the majors were Vince Ferguson and Edmundo Moxey, but Wenty’s younger brother Eddie Ford played in the low minors for the Astros in 1967-68.

Ford attended two high schools in Nassau, St. Augustine’s and St. John’s. After he graduated, he continued as a baseball pitcher and cricket bowler at home and elsewhere. For example, in 1965 he played baseball in a place rarely associated with the game: Jamaica. The visiting Bahamian team was a combination of cricketers and volleyballers. The Daily Gleaner observed that “Ford’s pitching left the losers wondering at his sharp in and out curves.”2 Wenty and Eddie would return for a series in September 19673 and another set in September 1969.4

Although the Bahamas sent teams to the National Baseball Congress (NBC) tournaments in 1964 and 1965, Wenty was not on those squads. In February 1966, the Atlanta Braves signed him. The scout of record is John Mullen, who was then the Braves’ farm director. Nassau neighbor Vince Ferguson, who was about to jump to the chain’s Triple-A farm club in Richmond, recommended Ford. “Mr. Mullen invited me to a camp in Waycross, Georgia,” Wenty remembered in 1967. “After I had been there about three weeks, they saw how bad I wanted to play ball. I’d been dreaming about it ever since I was 10 years old.”5

Ford’s first assignment was to Sarasota in the Gulf Coast rookie league. He started just four times in 13 appearances but tied for the league lead in wins with six, against just two losses. His ERA was a sharp 2.08.

The Braves promoted Wenty to Class A for 1967, and he pitched very well again. He won 12 and lost 10 for a West Palm Beach team that was 51-81. He put up another fine ERA of 2.49. The clear highlight came on June 1. In front of just 194 fans at home, Ford threw a perfect game against the Fort Lauderdale Yankees, a team that included future big-leaguers Tony Solaita and Johnny Ellis. He “displayed a sharp-breaking curve, a good slider and an effective change as he fanned eight Yankees. He threw only 84 pitches and no batter got as much as a ball three count.”6 He even drove in the game’s only run with an infield out.

Although he was an effective pitcher, it took nearly all of the next six seasons (1968-73) before Ford finally got his cup of coffee in the majors. The Atlanta brass didn’t rate him highly because he didn’t “pop the mitt” — in his own words, he had three speeds: “slow, slower, and stop.”7 He was used out of the bullpen and as a swingman, seldom as a regular starter. Wenty’s only bad year came at Shreveport in the Texas League in 1970, but he found a backer in manager Clint “Scrap Iron” Courtney. “They wanted to release him,” said Courtney. “I just said, ‘send him to me.’”8

Wenty never played winter ball. After the baseball season ended, he would play basketball and cricket back at home. In September 1970, for example, a Jamaican cricket club called the St. George’s Old Boys came to Nassau. “In the feature match played at Windsor Park, a large crowd of over 2,000 spectators saw their paceman Wenty Ford wreck the Jamaican batting, bagging six for 22.”9

Ford returned to form as a reliever at Savannah in 1971. Clint Courtney became manager there in 1972; once more Wenty posted an ERA below 3.00 coming out of the pen. It was little surprise that when Courtney took over as skipper at Triple-A Richmond in June 1973, Ford went up with him. The difference was that he had become a starter again — and he was pitching better than he ever had.

“He seems to throw junk, but it’s obviously good junk,” said one story from August 1973 that also called him “mysteriously successful.” There were a lot of clear keys, though: Wenty changed speeds, worked fast, and had good control. “He knows how to pitch,” said Bobby Cox, then managing the Syracuse Chiefs.10 Courtney said the same thing, also noting, “He’s even better now because he’s smarter. He has batters in this league cussing at themselves. And you won’t find a better fielding pitcher.”11

Topps named Ford its International League Player of the Month for August. He had a combined record of 17-7, 2.46 when the Braves called him up in September 1973. He made his big-league debut on September 10, just 10 days after countryman Ed Armbrister saw his first action for the Cincinnati Reds. His opponent was the veteran Juan Marichal, who got knocked out of the box in the first inning. Given a big early lead, Wenty — “befuddling the Giants with slow curves”12 — cruised to a complete-game 10-4 win. He did walk six men, though, which was unusual for him.

“That guy threw softer than Stu Miller,” fumed [San Francisco manager] Charlie Fox after the game. In his usual modest way, Ford added, “I throw breaking pitches mostly, then come in with my fastball — if you want to call it that.”13 Writers also asked Wenty — who himself covered sports for the Nassau Guardian in the offseason — how he would file his story. The good-humored rookie said, “You gotta lead with Aaron.” Hank, who was closing in on Babe Ruth, had hit his 710^th homer.

In his next outing, Ford lost a tough one. The game was tied 2-2 with two outs in the 10^th, his fourth inning in relief of Phil Niekro. Tony Pérez ended it with a homer. He made one more relief appearance and lost a bad start, and that was all for Wenty Ford in the majors: 1 win, 2 losses, 5.51 ERA.

Wenty was a non-roster player in spring training 1974. The Braves returned him to Richmond in March, and it was not a successful season. He appeared in only 18 games, starting 10, and posted a 3-7, 6.10 record. He still had some fine performances, including a two-hit shutout over Pawtucket in late June, but in July the Charleston Gazette called him a “nothing ball” pitcher. Ford’s youngest brother, Mario, recalls that Wenty was suffering from tendinitis and that he was also discouraged to be back in the minors. Yet even while things weren’t going well, he kept his sense of humor, as this July 1974 anecdote shows.

“The other day, [Clint] Courtney sat on the bench while his pitcher, Wenty Ford, came out of the runway from the club house. ‘Hey Wenty, do you think you might be able to pitch for us tomorrow?’ Ford replied: ‘Well, I guess so.’ ‘Guess so?’ Scraps retorted, ‘aren’t you sure?’ ‘Well, yes,’ Wenty explained, ‘but you didn’t talk like you’re very sure you want me to pitch.’ Then both broke out in laughter.”14

Ford was sent back to Savannah for the 1975 season, but he pitched just five games (1-0, 4.20). His brother Mario recalls a trade to the Yankees organization, but instead Wenty decided to come home to the Bahamas for good.

On November 23, 1974, he had married Vangy. They had two daughters, Wentia and Vanda. Wenty worked as a manager for the Playboy Casino at Sonesta Beach. During his leisure time, he was player-manager of the most successful local baseball team, the St. Pauli Girl Barons. He also worked on behalf of children’s baseball programs.

On July 8, 1980, Ford was driving home alone at around 2 or 3 A.M. from his shift at the casino, which had started the previous afternoon. He fell asleep at the wheel and ran into a utility pole on Prince Charles Drive. He suffered a broken neck and died immediately.

The day before Wenty’s funeral at St. Agnes Church, Blue Hill Road, a huge tent was erected on Windsor Park. There his body was laid out for viewing to the public; thousands turned out to pay their respects. Wenty was buried — in his baseball uniform, #33 — at Woodlawn Gardens Cemetery in Nassau.

On October 8, 2005, Wenty Ford’s picture was added to the Wall of Fame at Lynden Pindling International Airport. Vangy received the honor, given to the top sporting figures in the Bahamas, on his behalf. Also attending the ceremony were Ford’s sister Linda and his brothers Eddie and Mario (who played at Tuskegee and had pro potential too). Mario said, “It was a privilege for Wenty to be honoured seeing that he pitched in the major and minor leagues of baseball. It is a high accolade for him and we are proud that it has happened. . .It is a great feeling.”15

A little over four years later, on October 31, 2009, Ford posthumously entered the National Hall of Fame of the Bahamas. The Minister of Sports, Desmond Bannister, presented the awardees with a framed picture and record of their achievements. Vangy again accepted on her husband’s behalf. A ceremony at Government House followed when the busts of the 15 new members were completed.

Yet along with these higher-profile honors, Wenty’s memory also lives on in a subtle and equally significant way. His Hall of Fame teammate, Hank Aaron, visited the Bahamas every now and then. For example, he returned for Independence Day 2008 as the guest of the U.S. Ambassador. The next day, July 5, he addressed a group of aspiring young baseball players. Hank and Wenty weren’t that close, because the pitcher was with Atlanta for such a short time. Still, nearly 35 years later, he mentioned Ford by name to the children. He also emphasized staying in school and getting a good education — a message that Wenty Ford would no doubt have endorsed wholeheartedly.

Most recent update: December 5, 2022.

Acknowledgments

Grateful acknowledgment to Mrs. Evangeline Ford, Mario Ford, and Wentia Ford for their assistance. Additional thanks to Susan Bailey and Chris Younes (Atlanta Braves organization) for getting Hank Aaron’s input.

Sources

Wenty Ford file at National Baseball Hall of Fame Library (includes a copy of his death certificate as well as assorted clippings)

www.retrosheet.org

www.baseball-reference.com

Robblee, Steve. “Wenty Ford: The Mystery Man”. Fayetteville Observer, July 26, 1995.

Notes

1 Francis, Devin. “Peter Bethel, Sportsman”. Nassau Guardian, July 23, 2002.

Rodgers was a rangy, graceful athlete at 6’3” and 190 pounds. In 1956 old-timer Hans Lobert said, “He reminds me more of Marty Marion than any player I ever saw.”2 A year later, “Old Reliable” Tommy Henrich seconded this comparison, noting that Rodgers could go deep into the hole and make plays with his strong arm.3 In his earliest pro days, André’s nemesis was the curveball – the weapon he had never seen made him jump out of the batter’s box. Thus he sometimes took fastballs in order to practice hitting breaking stuff.4

Occasional flurries of errors also caused him to become discouraged and the inevitable batting slump would follow. He never quite put it all together at the top level. His fellow San Francisco Giants shortstop Ed Bressoud said, “André had extremely good power – I’m sure that’s what [owner] Horace [Stoneham] was counting on – he had a wonderful throwing arm and he ran quite well. André’s failing was his inability to catch the ball.”5

Nonetheless, Rodgers left a notable legacy. His career fueled a surge of popularity for baseball in his homeland, inspiring a generation of youths. Many of them made it to the minors, especially in the 1960s and 1970s, when – as longtime local sportswriters Fred Sturrup and Oswald Brown have attested – baseball became the most popular sport in the Bahamas. In particular, he had a profound influence on the third Bahamian big-leaguer, Ed Armbrister. After Rodgers died in December 2004, Armbrister said, “I followed André for a long time, and it was him who inspired me to become a professional ballplayer. André was always a positive guy. He was a strong-minded person, and I always said if I could just be like André I would be successful.”6

Kenneth André Ian Rodgers was born on December 2, 1934, in Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas. He was the eldest of seven children born to Arnold Percival Rodgers, a modestly paid civil servant,7 and Carmencita Theresa Baillou. His mother began calling the lad by his first middle name when he was young. According to his daughter Gina, he was finicky about using the accent over the ‘e’.

André’s four brothers were named Roy, Adrian, Lionel, and Randy; his two sisters were Leonora and Wendy. After André blazed the trail, his brothers pursued baseball careers too. Three of them – Adrian, Lionel, and Randy – made it to the minors. Roy was in spring training with the Giants in 1967 but was cut on the last day due to a reoccurring injury that would not heal, so he did not play pro ball.8 Of the four, Lionel might have had the best shot at joining André in The Show. Tragically, he was killed in an auto accident in January 1961 while at home in Nassau for the Christmas holidays.9 He had hit .345 to lead the Winter Instructional League in Arizona.

André’s best friend in life was Tony Curry, the second big-leaguer from the Bahamas, who was three years younger. Their families lived just around the corner from each other in Nassau. As children, young Tony and André awoke each other every morning and started the day with a swim in the ocean before going to church, which they attended daily. They and their brothers were also choirboys at St Mary’s the Virgin Church.

The amazing thing about Rodgers was that until 1952, he had never even seen a baseball. In fact, he had played baseball only once or twice before his big-league tryout. The sport was just starting to become visible in the British colony then, thanks to U.S. Navy sailors coming ashore. Other influences were at work too, as Arnold Rodgers said in 1957. “André’s baseball interest – like that of a lot of other Bahamians – really got started when Jackie Robinson started playing for the Dodgers and this interest was helped by an uncle, Thomas Lunn, who’s now 73 but still interested in the game. He taught me a lot about sports and explained the game to André. Uncle Tom had been to America for a number of years and learned quite a bit about baseball.”10

From the time he was a very small boy, Rodgers was interested in bats and balls. Yet, as one might imagine, cricket reigned then in the Bahamas. “When André was six, he started getting interested in cricket seriously,” said his father, who also had a reputation as a Bahamian cricket star. “He played junior cricket when he was 10. . .he developed into one of the best bowlers. . .he was also a good batsman.”11 André starred in cricket at his high school, St. John’s College. He also stood out in softball and played basketball and soccer, too.

“André might have gone to the Dodgers,” said Arnold Rodgers. “At one time, he wrote them for a tryout but all they did was send back a questionnaire and he was a bit discouraged.”12 However, another letter then changed the young man’s life.

In June 1953, Harry Joynes, a Canadian educator living in Nassau, wrote to John Schwarz, secretary of the New York Giants’ farm system. Joynes had seen Rodgers play cricket and softball, and recommended that the Giants give him a tryout. Schwarz replied that the Giants did not have a scout in the Bahamas. Rodgers could attend the Giants’ camp in Melbourne, Florida, for a tryout, but he would have to pay for his own travel and expenses. In a follow-up letter to Rodgers in January 1954, Schwarz sweetened the pot just a little, inviting him to Melbourne and offering to reimburse him for his expenses if he was signed. Joynes had also recommended another Bahamian, Texas Lunn (who could have been a cousin of André’s), for a trial. Schwarz advised André to have Lunn come along.

Under U.S. immigration laws, any player imported by a major league team had to have a contract. Since André was coming on a “make good” basis, he was told to inform the Customs people that he was coming for a visit. As he left the Bahamas, he told an official that he was coming to try out for a baseball team. In Miami, he told the immigration officer that he was just visiting. The discrepancy raised concerns, and he was deported within an hour.

Lunn, who had accompanied Rodgers, was allowed in and proceeded to Melbourne. He had an unsuccessful tryout, but insisted that the Giants give his friend a chance. Schwarz conferred with Alex Pómpez, former owner of the Negro Leagues’ New York Cubans and a Giants scout. Pómpez recommended that they bring Rodgers in as a contract player and processed the papers through the New York Customs office. André finally arrived at the Giants’ camp in Melbourne early in the spring of ’54.

When Rodgers stepped off the crowded bus in Melbourne, a Giant official greeted him by name. Somewhat surprised, the young Bahamian asked, “How did you know it was me?” The official replied, “You just look like a ballplayer.”

Former Giants pitching great Carl Hubbell directed the minor-league camp in Melbourne. When Rodgers informed him that he was a cricket player and had almost no experience with baseball, Hubbell thought that someone was pulling his leg.13 But experienced or not, André immediately began to draw attention. He was quick for his size and a quick learner. He stayed at the camp for a month, working three extra hours a day to learn the basics (as well as the rules of the game). Since he had played shortstop in softball, the Giants started him there. Scouts and managers, recognizing his potential and knowing that he would have no chance to improve if he went back to Nassau, volunteered to work with André. By the end of the month, three of the Giants’ Class D managers wanted him.14 His initial assignment was to Olean, New York, where he hit .286 with 9 homers and 85 RBIs in 125 games.

André’s next stop was St. Cloud, Minnesota, in the Class C Northern League. From the St. Regis Hotel in Winnipeg, he wrote to Harry Joynes early during the ’55 season, telling him he had collected 15 hits in his first 29 times at bat and closing:

“In the dinners they gave us in St. Cloud, they introduced the ballplayers to the folks on the committee, and gave them a little of their background. Charlie Fox [St. Cloud’s manager] told them that he shouldn’t be saying this, but I am going to take [Alvin] Dark’s place in three years’ time. He told me if I have a good year with him, I may go to AA or AAA next season, and I only pray I do. I am just as sure of you and the Mrs. pulling for me, as I am sure of myself. Mr. Joynes, the only trouble I can find with myself, and that is I always get down on myself, and when I do, in comes the slump, but I am going to try even harder this season. In that banquet they also mentioned your name, and Fox said that was one of the most wonderful things to happen to the Giants, in many a year, thanks to you, and I will do my best not to let you down.”

In only his second year of baseball, Rodgers won the Northern League’s 1955 batting crown with a .387 average. He also had 28 home runs and 111 RBIs, was voted to the All-Star team, and was selected as the league MVP. During the winter of 1955-56, he went to play for the first time with the Escogido Leones in the Dominican League. The Giants had ties there thanks to Alex Pómpez and Horacio “Rabbit” Martínez. In 1956, Escogido club president Paco Martínez Alba, the brother-in-law of Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo, formed a working agreement with New York.

Rodgers’ next season was with the Dallas Eagles in the AA Texas League. He hit 22 home runs, collected 90 RBIs, and hit .266, despite suffering broken facial bones from a pitched ball in a July game against Shreveport. Again he was named to the league All-Star team. Dallas Morning News sportswriter Merle Heryford described him as “graceful, deceptively fast and possessing the strongest infield arm in the circuit.”15 That winter he returned to Escogido.

By the spring of 1957, André was locked in a battle with Daryl Spencer for the Giants’ starting shortstop job. He made great copy for writers, including Jimmy Breslin, who was then with the NEA Feature Service. As Breslin related, Garry Schumacher, Giants promotional director and assistant to president Horace Stoneham, was excited about the prospect. Yet he was reluctant to beat the drum too loudly, given New York’s experience not so many years before with highly touted flop Clint Hartung.16

Rodgers had an outstanding spring, batting .292 and hitting five home runs. Paul Richards of the Orioles offered the Giants $100,000 for him, and baseball writers also picked him as the likely NL Rookie of the Year for the coming season.17 On April 1, the Giants announced that André had made the major league roster and would be their starting shortstop.

On April 3, 1957, Arthur Daley of the New York Times wrote, “When the Giants launch the National League season April 16 at Pittsburgh, their starting shortstop will be André Rodgers, a long-legged, smooth-swinging, hard-throwing lad of 22. There have been others who were as long of limb and as smooth of stroke and who gunned a baseball across the diamond as Rodgers guns ’em, but none could match André’s jet-propelled jump to the majors. Until 1952 the young man from the Bahamas never had seen a baseball. Until 1953, he never had held a baseball and until 1954 he never had played in an organized baseball game. Yet Rodgers, two weeks hence, will be wearing the traveling gray of the Giants at Forbes Field, entrusted with one of the most important positions on the club.”18

On April 16, 1957, the Giants took the field for their opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates. In an interview years later for a Bahamian publication, Rodgers recalled “the butterflies in my stomach and how I couldn’t get my legs to keep still” as he stepped into the batter’s box for the first time in the majors.19 He grounded into a 6-4 force play against Bob Friend in the top of the second inning, but in the sixth he singled to left off Friend for his first hit in the majors.

Not only did the first Bahamian in the majors play that day, the first man from the Virgin Islands made his debut too. Catcher Valmy Thomas, who’d also come out of nowhere in spring training to win a job with the Giants, entered the game in the sixth inning. During their first two years in the majors, the Caribbeans were roommates (one can imagine their lilting West Indian conversations). In 1999, Valmy remembered that André “loved the bright lights of the city” and that he was a good low-ball hitter thanks to cricket.20

Four days later, at the Polo Grounds, the rookie hit his first big-league homer, a solo shot off Harvey Haddix of Philadelphia. After a July 4 doubleheader, however, the Giants sent him down to Triple-A Minneapolis. The Sporting News wrote, “Lack of experience by the West Indian springtime phenom, and an apparent increasing loss of confidence, caused André to be shipped to the Millers in exchange for [Ed] Bressoud.”21

On February 6, 1958, Rodgers married Eunice Bethel. He made the big club, which had moved to San Francisco, but appeared in just six games before being demoted again, to Phoenix. That was in May, just ahead of the deadline to cut rosters down to the 25-man limit. He proceeded to beat out Vada Pinson for the Pacific Coast League batting title, .354 to .343. He also led the PCL in total bases and doubles while belting 31 homers – the old Phoenix Municipal Stadium was a bandbox22 – and driving in 88. He rejoined the Giants in September, but was still regarded as “easy prey for major league pitching.”23

In 1958-59, Rodgers played again with Escogido. The entire Leones lineup was made up of present or future big-leaguers, the most notable being Bill White, Felipe Alou, and Manny Mota (Mota was still a Giants farmhand). The playoff finals against arch-rival Licey featured a notorious incident: After a brushback scuffle, Generalissimo Rafael Trujillo’s brother Petán came out of the stands with armed guards and slapped Rodgers in the face.

When the 1959 season opened, Rodgers was back with the Giants. On May 17 at Seals Stadium, he enjoyed his only two-homer game in the majors, hitting solo shots off Bob Purkey and Tom Acker of the Reds in a 9-1 laugher. Another memorable moment from that season – though it was not a positive one – came on June 30 at the Los Angeles Coliseum. Giants pitcher Sam Jones was in top form and had a no-hitter through 7 2/3 innings. Jim Gilliam of the Dodgers hit a chopper over the mound, but shortstop Rodgers couldn’t find the handle. Yet scorer Charlie Park from the Los Angeles Mirror scored it a base hit, insisting that Gilliam would have beaten it out. Park was alone in his view; his fellow writers were incredulous, Rodgers thought he bobbled it enough to be called an error, and even the LA fans howled. Sad Sam Jones felt robbed.24

That year Rodgers stuck through late July, but he endured yet another demotion to Phoenix, as the Giants called up both Willie McCovey and José Pagán. Once more André was recalled in September, but he got into just two more games. In 1960, though, he finally stayed with the Giants for the full season. He appeared in 81 games, as manager Bill Rigney also used him at third base, first base, and even a couple of times in left field.

After the season, Rodgers joined the Giants as they toured Japan. While he was over there, on October 31, San Francisco traded him to the Milwaukee for Alvin Dark.25 In March 1961, André said, “I was rather surprised when I was traded. I guess I should have expected it. I didn’t play much with the Giants and the fans in San Francisco gave me a pretty good going over when I did play. My first impression was that it would be good for me to get away from San Francisco.” He went on to observe that the Braves had obtained Roy McMillan, a superb-fielding shortstop, and had Eddie Mathews at third. Thus, the best he could hope for was a utility role. “I’m resigned to it, but I’d like to get another chance to play regularly,” he concluded. “I think I can do it now. This is my fifth year in the majors.”26

Rodgers didn’t get his wish for another year, but a few days later, he got the change of scenery that would eventually make it happen. He went to the Cubs along with Daryl Robertson for Moe Drabowsky and Seth Morehead. Milwaukee manager Charlie Dressen unkindly observed that the Braves gave up “practically nothing” in the trade.27 As it turned out, the Braves got little value from either Drabowsky (who went on to success in Baltimore) or Morehead. On the contrary, the Cubs got the best part of Rodgers’ career.

In 1961 André played mostly first base behind Ed Bouchee, also backing up Ernie Banks and Jerry Kindall at short. During spring training 1962, the Chicago Sun called him “a perennial on-the-brinker.”28 The breakthrough came, though, as he finally claimed a regular shortstop job and posted his highest average as a big-leaguer, .278 in 461 at-bats. He slumped to .229 the next year, and though he hit just .239 in 1964, he connected for 12 homers and 46 RBIs, both career highs.

Those were dreary years for the Cubs, who finished deep in the second division under the “College of Coaches” in 1961 and 1962. Yet Rodgers benefited from the faith that Charlie Metro, one of the head coaches – who remembered his performance in the PCL – showed in him. After much turnover at shortstop in early 1962, “Metro decided the only man who had the potential to handle the position was Rodgers. He put André back at short and…stress[ed] all the good things he was doing. ‘It wasn’t easy,’ said Metro, ‘because his confidence was shaken, not only by the booing of the fans but also countless vicious letters he got when he was going bad.’”29

Things were somewhat better for the team during Rodgers’ remaining two seasons in Chicago, at least in terms of winning percentage. Bob Kennedy, who took over as sole manager in 1963, also liked André. It’s true that the shortstop’s hitting was up and down, and various observers cast aspersions on his defense, but his fielding percentage was just a shade below the league average and his range factor was above average. After second baseman Ken Hubbs died in an airplane crash in February 1964, Kennedy said, “He and André Rodgers developed into one of the best keystone combinations in the league [in 1963].”30

Still, there was no fanfare when Rodgers left Chicago. On December 9, 1964, the Cubs traded him to the Pittsburgh Pirates for cash and Roberto Pena, a minor leaguer. At the time of the trade, Pittsburgh general manager Joe L. Brown said that Rodgers would compete with Dick Schofield Sr. for the shortstop job.31 Jimmy Stewart was the heir apparent in Chicago, but as it turned out, Pena backed up 22-year-old Don Kessinger in Chicago. André and Schofield were in reserve behind another good-fielding young shortstop, Gene Alley.

In April 1965 Les Biederman of the Pittsburgh Press wrote a feature about Rodgers, observing that he still had “the trace of a clipped British accent.” The most intriguing part of that story, though, was the comment from the Pirates’ old Hall of Fame star, Pie Traynor. Traynor said, “He might have been a great one if he had the advantage of being brought up on baseball as most American boys are. But he never had the benefit of learning the game early as a youngster. Yet he has all the grace and actions of a man who knows what it’s all about.”32

Rodgers still saw a good bit of action in 1965 (178 at-bats in 75 games), as manager Harry Walker liked his ability to play all four infield positions. However, his playing time fell off markedly after that. He came to the plate just 59 times in 36 games during 1966, when he missed six weeks in June and July with a torn rib muscle. In 1967, it was 70 plate appearances in 47 games. He served largely as a pinch-hitter and utilityman, as Gene Alley seldom missed a game.

Rodgers, who operated his own sporting goods store in Nassau in the off-season, played his last game in the majors on September 30, 1967. After that season, the Pirates put him on the roster of their top farm club, Columbus. He was invited to spring training camp in 1968, but accepted his demotion to the minors for the first time that decade. He got into 43 games for the Jets, playing largely at first base. However, he spent much of the year on the disabled list.

In 1969, Rodgers then found a new opportunity – in Japan. “André had a yen to stay in US ball,” wrote Jack O’Brian in the Lebanon (Pennsylvania) Daily News, “but Tokyo offered more dollars.”33 In 49 games with Yokohama’s Taiyo Whales, he hit .just 210 with 4 homers and 12 RBIs.

Rodgers then returned to the Bahamas. “When he returned home,” his nephew Terran Rodgers said in 2011, “he ran Rodgers Sports Shop for several years, then moved fully into the retired mode and began living on his major-league pension.” He played with his brothers for local teams called Murray Kelly, Big Q, and Paradise Island. He also managed the 1971 national team that appeared in the National Baseball Congress tournament in Wichita, Kansas. He played in the local softball league for Taylors Industry from 1971 to 1973 and managed the team from 1974 to 1977.

André and Eunice had three children from 1958 to 1963: Gina, Kenneth André Ian Jr. (whose godfather was Tony Curry), and Ramon. The couple parted ways, and Rodgers had another daughter named Debra (born 1974) from a different union.

Rodgers received recognition at home as a sporting hero during his lifetime. In 1989 he became part of the inaugural group of 14 athletes named to the National Sports Hall of Fame in the Bahamas (the next group was not inducted until 2003). That June, the baseball diamond at the Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre was renamed in honor of him.

On three separate occasions during 2004, Rodgers was admitted to Princess Margaret Hospital suffering from severe respiratory problems. He was a quiet and uncomplaining man, though, and the extent of his illness was generally unknown. It was known that he had a rare disease that caused poor circulation of blood in his right leg. As a result, that leg was amputated on his last visit to the hospital in late November.34 Shortly thereafter, local columnist Oswald Brown, a big baseball fan, issued an editorial about Rodgers’ impact in baseball and beyond.

“Aside from the national pride that this generated not only among baseball fans but Bahamians in general, what this meant to The Bahamas as a country could not be measured in dollars and cents. Every time André Rodgers stepped on the field in baseball stadiums across the United States and his name and where he was from was announced, that represented thousands and thousands of dollars of free publicity for The Bahamas. Given the fact that the late 1950s was when the strategy was shifted from marketing The Bahamas as a playground for the rich and famous to promoting it as a popular tourist destination, it can easily be concluded that André Rodgers was one of the country’s greatest assets at the time.”35

Just a few weeks later, on December 13 – not long past his 70th birthday – Rodgers died at home. In its editorial the next day, the Freeport News wrote, “The Bahamas lost not only a truly great gentleman but arguably the most important sports icon in this country’s history.”36

The little ballpark bearing Rodgers’ name was demolished in 2006. Ostensibly, the new $30 million multi-sport facility that eventually arose in its place was to keep his name,37 but it honored Olympic sprinter Tommy Robinson instead. The loss of André Rodgers Stadium dealt the coup de grâce to the already moribund Bahamas Baseball Association.38 However, the Bahamas Baseball Federation, which has helped revive the sport in the islands in recent years, had launched the André Rodgers Baseball Championships in 2003, drawing teams from around the islands.

A 61-minute documentary called Gentle Giant: The André Rodgers Story was released in 2014. The producer and director was his daughter, Gina Rodgers-Sealy, who noted with pride that it won a San Francisco Film Award and was an official selection at 12 different film festivals.

The 20th edition of the André Rodgers Baseball Championships was held in June 2022, continuing to honor the foremost Bahamian baseball player. Meanwhile, prospects from the islands are still making it into the pros. One of them, Lucius Fox, just happens to be a tall, rangy shortstop who was originally signed by the Giants. Fox reached the majors with the Washington Nationals in 2022; he was preceded by Jazz Chisholm in 2020.

In July 2016, the Bahamian government announced the construction of a new André Rodgers National Baseball Stadium. Rodgers’ nephew Terran, an architect by profession, was the project manager. Prime Minister Perry Christie said, “Build a stadium that would leave me in awe as I drive by it, something that would say this is a national baseball stadium.”39

The complex was originally scheduled to open in 2018. At long last, the opening ceremony took place on December 4, 2022. Fittingly, Team Bahamas won the first game held there, defeating the U.S. Virgin Islands in Caribbean Cup competition. It was two days after what would have been the 88th birtday of André Rodgers.

Last updated: December 5, 2022

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to Craig Kemp, president of the Bahamas Baseball Federation, for his help in reconnecting the authors with the Rodgers family — and to Gina Rodgers-Sealy for additional updates.

Sources

This biography is adapted from “André Rodgers” by Lyle K. Wilson, Esq., originally published in the 1999 edition of the SABR annual The Baseball Research Journal.

As Lyle wrote in 1999, “Harry Joynes, who first wrote to the Giants about André, kept the letters from the Giants and clippings of André’s career. Shortly before his death, Joynes mailed a box full of materials to André’s brother, Randy. The author spent an afternoon with André, Randy, and Randy’s son, Terran, in June of ’98. Terran had graciously arranged the meeting and made arrangements for me to obtain about 80 pages of copies from ‘the box.’ The devotion of a friend preserved this history so that we can now enjoy it. Thank you, Mr. Joynes, and thanks to André, Randy, and Terran.”

In 2011, Terran Rodgers wrote, “I remember meeting with Mr. Wilson and sitting with him as he interviewed Uncle André. It was a very good time.”

www.baseball-reference.com

www.retrosheet.org

www.japanbaseballdaily.com (Japanese statistics)

Family tree online (http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/b/e/t/Andre-O-Bethel/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0404.html)

Sporting News Baseball Register, 1965

Notes

1 The other Bahamians who had played in the majors as of 2018: Tony Curry (1960-61; 66); Wenty Ford (1973); Ed Armbrister (1973-77); Wil Culmer (1983); Antoan Richardson (2011, 2014).