Pryor McBee

The Chicago Tribune described the inning as “too complicated and painful to bear narrating.”1

Two relievers combined to surrender five runs, three on bases-loaded walks. After the third such walk and with the bases still loaded, Collins called on Eddie McBee, a young left-hander who had joined the club two weeks earlier.

For McBee, it was his debut – and the only appearance he would make in a major-league game.

Pryor Edward McBee was born on June 20, 1901, in Blanco, Oklahoma, a small rural community founded in the Choctaw Nation. Located in what would later become Pittsburg County, Blanco was established in 1901 with the opening of a post office.

A 1903 record of US Native American Enrollment Cards of the Five Civilized Tribes recorded McBee as one-eighth Choctaw.2

His parents, George McBee and Ella Duford, were both enrolled Choctaws. The 1900 US Census recorded George McBee as a farmer living in Township 4 in the Choctaw Nation Indian Territory.3 George and Ella were married that same year in Krebs, Indian Territory.4 The couple later divorced.

McBee had a younger brother, Joseph Lige McBee, born in 1907, and three half-brothers and a half-sister born several years later. (Joseph was killed in the Wheatley No. 4 coal mine explosion in 1930.5 )

McBee attended Jones Academy, a boarding school tribally controlled by the Choctaw Nation. Founded as a school for boys in 1891 and still open in 2025, the school is just north of Hartshorne in eastern Oklahoma, at the foot of the Pocahontas Mountains.

A 1926 newspaper article reported that at Jones Academy McBee “really mastered the game of baseball. He played the outfield and alternated on the mound.”6

The article noted that McBee also played football and basketball in school and was an avid outdoorsman, particularly devoting himself to hunting and fishing and to owning hunting dogs.

As a youth, McBee played for sandlot teams around McAlester.

Nicknamed Lefty, McBee pitched in the minor leagues from 1922 to 1928, sandwiched around his 1926 appearance with the White Sox. He was an imposing figure in his day, at 6-feet-1 and 190 pounds.

In 1922, at age 20, he pitched for two teams: the Oklahoma City Indians (Class-A Western League) and the McAlester Miners (Class-C Western Association). His combined record in 37 games was 6-19. He pitched 204 innings, giving up 221 hits and walking 64.

The next year McBee pitched for three teams: Oklahoma City and McAlester again, and the Henryetta Hens (Class-C Western Association). He pitched in only 22 games that year, with a 7-9 record in 125 innings pitched.

McBee married 19-year-old Lilly Neal in May 1924, when both lived in McAlester.7 The marriage lasted just a few years.

From 1924 through 1926 McBee was on the roster of the Little Rock Travelers in the Class-A Southern Association. His most productive and durable professional season was in 1925, when he recorded 14 wins and 17 losses, with a 4.52 ERA in 42 games and 227 innings pitched.

News accounts reported that McBee was likely to make the White Sox roster in 1926. An article in the Brooklyn Eagle on January 7 contained refreshingly few Native American stereotypes. Reporter James J. Murphy instead focused on McBee’s life and status as a promising White Sox pitching prospect, adding, “Manager Collins will give all of his recruits a thorough trial, but he is particularly interested in McBee, a southpaw curvist [sic] who was noted in the sticks last season for effective twirling.”8

A brief report in March picked up by several newspapers, including the McAlester daily, said McBee was one of three Native American players with a chance to make the White Sox’ 1926 roster out of spring training in Shreveport, Louisiana.9 The report noted that the club’s pitching coach was Native American great Charles Bender, a member of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe who was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953.

One Oklahoma newspaper reported that McBee signed a contract with the White Sox on May 6 and was to report to the club immediately: “Eddie, who pitched for Little Rock in the Southern Association last season, went so good with the tail end club that he attracted the attention of the Majors and near the close of the season Comisky’s [sic] White Sox were the best bidders, and the management at Little Rock received a good price for the portsider.”10

The Kingston (New York) Daily Freeman reported that McBee, “an Indian pitcher from the Southern Association, cost the White Sox a ‘fancy price,’ according to owner (Charles) Comiskey.”11

In fact, there’s evidence that contract negotiations may have been difficult. The Rockford (Illinois) Daily Register-Gazette on May 15 reported that McBee was reinstated by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis after being placed on baseball’s ineligible list when he refused to report to the White Sox.12

By May 22, the White Sox had a record of 19-17 on their way to a fifth-place finish in the American League. The game in which McBee pitched was the last in a four-game series at Fenway Park against the last-place Red Sox. Chicago won the first two games and Boston took the third.

Lineups for the fourth game, played before a crowd of about 10,000, included future Hall of Famers Collins and Red Faber of the White Sox and Red Ruffing of the Red Sox, along with Boston infielder and longtime major-league manager Fred Haney and White Sox third baseman Willie Kamm.13

By the seventh inning, Boston held a 7-6 lead. In the bottom of the inning, the wheels fell off for the visitors. The first run scored on a one-out bases-loaded walk issued by Sarge Connally, the second White Sox pitcher of the inning. Connally coughed up a single and a walk to the next two batters, then managed to coax a force play at home plate. He proceeded to walk two more batters, allowing two more runs to score.

McBee entered the game and retired the first batter he faced, Mike Herrera, on a popup to Collins. The inning was finally over.

McBee stayed in the game to mop up in the eighth. Unfortunately for him, the inning resembled the one before. Red Sox catcher Alex Gaston reached on a dropped throw by first baseman Harry McCurdy. Ruffing bunted Gaston to second base. McBee then walked the next two batters. Roy Carlyle singled to center field, driving in two runs. McBee got out of the inning two batters later after a walk, a caught-stealing, and a strikeout. In the ninth inning, Bill Barrett pinch-hit for McBee.

His pitching line for the day and his major-league career: 1⅓ innings pitched, one hit, two runs (one earned), three walks, one strikeout.

The Chicago Tribune observed: “With the bases full Connally gave a free passage to everybody in sight, three runs being forced over until McBee, the Indian southpaw, relieved Connally and ended the inning. Both sides scored some more in the eighth and ninth, but nobody cared.”14

A week later the Memphis Commercial Appeal reported that McBee was “supposed to be” on his way back to the Travelers from the White Sox but had not yet reported.15 He did report the next day, according to the Arkansas Gazette: “Eddie McBee, the Indian southpaw returned by the Chicago White Sox, arrived here yesterday and after taking a workout at Kavanaugh Field, left for Memphis to join the club.”16

McBee replaced pitcher Phil Morrison on the Little Rock roster. Morrison had been recently returned to the club by the Pittsburgh Pirates.17

Less than two weeks later, in a start against the New Orleans Pelicans, McBee was lifted in the fourth inning after walking the first three batters. He had given up three runs the previous inning.18

Two months later, he was released to the Jacksonville Tars of the Class-B Southeastern League. McBee had pitched for 69 innings in 16 games. The Arkansas Gazette reported: “McBee came to the Travelers two years ago from the Oklahoma State League. Although with a tail-end club last year, the Indian had a good season, and was sold to the Chicago White Sox. He was returned here early this season and, although he pitched well, he had been unable to win.”19

The Jacksonville sports press reported McBee’s arrival enthusiastically. Jacksonville Journal sportswriter Walter C. Lynch wrote: “Today, or at least upon the arrival of the new Indian pitcher, ‘Chief” McBee, a southpaw, the Jacksonville Tars will place practically a Southern League caliber team in the field for the drive down the home stretch for the honors in the second half of the Southern League’s split season.”20

Lynch added: “The new comer is a flinger of real class and promises to become the ace of the local corps. He had a trial with the Chicago White Sox at the beginning of the season. It is being reported that the Pale Hose paid in the neighborhood of $10,000 for him. McBee possesses real pitching ability, a rare fast ball, clever change of pace and good curve.”21

McBee finished with a 2-0 record in four games with his new club.22

In 1927 McBee was back with the Tars, making 36 appearances and ending up with a 10-13 record in 210 innings pitched.

He pitched for the Tars for part of 1928, throwing 74 innings in 14 appearances. He was released on May 23,23 signed again on July 22,24 then released again the next day.25 His professional baseball career was over.

McBee had only three seasons with more than 30 appearances, so it seems likely he was injured for much of his career. Records and reporting are both sparse.

His last season did include an achievement few pitchers can claim. On March 31 the Tars hosted the Murderers’ Row New York Yankees in a spring-training exhibition at Durkee Field. The Jacksonville Times-Union told the story under the subhead “McBee Fans Ruth, Gehrig”:

“The Babe, Lou and all of the other boys, with the exception of Tony Lazzeri, who was sent back to New York with a touch of the grippe, were on display at Durkee Field. While Ruth was unable to hoist one of his noted home runs over the right field fence during any part of the encounter, he did edify the populace with one of his best strike out stunts, thereby being cheered to the skies. Gehrig came right behind him and watched a third one slink past, and Bob Meusel almost met with the same fate, though he ended up by poling a fly to Teen Gallegos. Chief McBee was tossing them when this strike out affair was going on, and had the distinction of whiffing the Sultan and the Crown Price in succession.”26

In 1928 McBee married for the second time, to Gladys Wharton. The couple had a son and later divorced. McBee is listed in the 1929 Little Rock city directory as a machine helper for the Missouri Pacific Railroad.27 The 1930 US Federal Census has a record of McBee and Gladys living in a boarding house with an infant son in Little Rock. McBee’s occupation is listed as laborer.

In May 1938 McBee married Katherine Lea “Katie” Davis in Latimore, Oklahoma.28 The 1940 US Federal Census records him as living in McAlester, married with four stepchildren.

Ten years later, the McBee family had moved west. A directory in Medford, Oregon, included an entry for McBee as a laborer.29

The couple eventually moved to Northern California, settling in Loomis and later Roseville, both in Placer County, for the last 15 years of McBee’s life.

McBee died on April 19, 1963, at Roseville District Hospital. He was 61. The cause of death was cardiac arrest.30 He was buried at Roseville Cemetery. Katie died two years later.31

An obituary in the Roseville Press-Tribune reported that McBee operated a lumber business for 25 years, though no location or dates are given.32 McBee’s death certificate stated that at the time of his death, he was a lumberman for the Placer Milling Company. In a baseball-related form McBee completed in 1960, he described his occupation as “piece work lumber” for Placer Milling Company.33

McBee spent nearly all his working life around lumber – as a pitcher trying to miss bats and as a worker in the mills.

The baseball questionnaire he completed in 1960 included the question: “If you had to do it all over, would you play professional baseball?”

Despite his career ups and downs, he answered: “Yes, gladly.”34

Sources

In addition to the sources cited in the Notes, the author accessed a file provided by the Giamatti Research Center at the National Baseball Hall of Fame, as well as Retrosheet.org and Baseball-Reference.com.

Photo credit

Pryor McBee, Brooklyn Eagle, January 7, 1926.

Notes

1 Irving Vaughn, “Boston Wins Over Sox in 14-8 Comedy,” Chicago Tribune, May 23, 1926.

2 U.S., Native American Enrollment Cards for the Five Civilized Tribes, 1898-1914, Choctaw Roll, Citizens by Blood.

3 1900 United States Federal Census.

4 Oklahoma and Indian Territory, Marriage, Citizenships and Census Records, 1841-1927.

5 Associated Press, “Find 8 of 29 Mining Victims; Hope for Rescue Is Abandoned, Lethal Gas Is Obstacle,” Southeast Missourian (Cape Girardeau), October 29, 1930.

6 James J. Murphy, “McBee Looks Best of Three Indians Signed by Collins,” Brooklyn Eagle, January 7, 1926.

7 Oklahoma, County Marriages, 1890-1995.

8 James J. Murphy.

9 “Watching ’Em at Sox Camp,” McAlester (Oklahoma) News-Capital, March 12, 1926.

10 “McBee Signs Contract, Will Leave Now,” Picher (Oklahoma) King Jack, May 6, 1926.

11 “Prices Not Revealed by Clubs,” Kingston (New York) Daily Freeman, May 3, 1926.

12 “Marquettes Will Meet R.L.A.C. Nine,” Rockford (Illinois) Daily Register-Gazette, May 15, 1926.

13 “Errors, wild pitching and a great quantity of Boston hits did it, the fracas terminating with the Chicagoans losers 14-8 and 10,000 patrons ready to laugh themselves to death.” Irving Vaughn, “Boston Wins Over Sox in 14-8 Comedy.”

14 Vaughn.

15 “Travelers Here Today; Recent Changes in Club,” Memphis Commercial Appeal, May 31, 1926.

16 “Little Rock Club Releases Hughes,” Arkansas Gazette (Little Rock), June 1, 1926.

17 “Morrison Other Traveler to Go,” Arkansas Gazette, June 2, 1926.

18 “Pels Win, 8 to 4, Sweeping Series With Little Rock,” Arkansas Gazette, June 11, 1926.

19 “Eddie McBee Sent to Jacksonville – Indian Pitcher Leaves Travelers, Youngster to Be Tried Out,” Arkansas Gazette, August 15, 1926.

20 Walter C. Lynch, “Tars All Set for Drive Down Home Stretch: Team Now Rates in Caliber with Southern Loop,” Jacksonville Journal, August 16, 1926.

21 Lynch.

22 Irwin M. Howe, Southeastern League Pitching Records Seasons 1926,” Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville), October 13, 1926.

23 Walter C. Lynch, “Sport Potpourri,” Jacksonville Journal, May 23, 1926.

24 “Tars to Open Home Stay of One Week Today,” Jacksonville Journal, July 23, 1926.

25 “By-Plays of the Game Yesterday,” Florida Times-Union, July 24, 1926.

26 Sam Butz, “New York Yankees Are Extended in Nosing Out Jacksonville Tars, 2-1,” Jacksonville Times-Union, April 1, 1928.

27 Little Rock City Directory, 1929.

28 Oklahoma, County Marriages, 1890-1995.

29 Medford City Directory 1948.

30 State of California Certificate of Death, from file provided by the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

31 “Katherine Lea McBee,” Roseville (California) Press-Tribune, August 4, 1965.

32 “Deaths: Pryor Edward McBee,” Roseville Press-Tribune, April 22, 1963.

33 Questionnaire from file provided by National Baseball Hall of Fame.

34 Questionnaire from file provided by National Baseball Hall of Fame.