Lester: The Radcliffe brothers: Double Duty and Alex the Great
From SABR member Larry Lester at The National Pastime Museum on August 20, 2015:
Alex and Ted were two of eight children born to James Radcliffe and Mary Marsh in Mobile, Alabama. James learned his carpentry skills at Tuskegee Institute and specialized in building homes for shipyard workers.
Of the brothers, the younger Alex was a rangy third baseman with speed, mobility, quickness for his size, and an accurate arm. The local press claimed the “American Giant third sacker is possessor of one of the best throwing arms in Race baseball . . .”
Alex began his professional career with Robert Cole’s American Giants (NSL) in 1932. The majority of his career was spent with the American Giants (1933–39, 1941–44). He also had brief stints with the New York Cubans, Birmingham Black Barons, and the Indianapolis Clowns before finishing his pro career in 1946 with Memphis Red Sox when they purchased his Clowns contract for $1,000. Alex spent his last year in baseball, 1947, with the semipro Detroit Senators, alongside another declining superstar, James “Cool Papa” Bell.
Alex’s thick hips and thighs were like an NFL running back, coupled with ample arms and meaty hands with lengthy fingers. His husky body gave him the appearance of being slow and lazy. However, he was very agile at the plate and quick in the field. In fact, 15 days before his 40th birthday, Alex showed his swiftness by stealing home plate against Satchel Paige, propelling the American Giants to a 2–0 win over the Monarchs.
Read the full article here: http://www.thenationalpastimemuseum.com/article/radcliffe-brothers-double-duty-and-alex-great
Originally published: August 20, 2015. Last Updated: August 20, 2015.