Samuel Howard Bankhead (September 18, 1910 – July 24, 1976) was an American baseball player in the Negro leagues. He played from 1931 to 1951. He also played for the Dragones de Ciudad Trujillo along with Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson. In 1951, he became the first black coach in Minor League Baseball when he was a player-manager for the Farnham Pirates of the Provincial League.[3][4] He played in several East-West all-star games from 1933 to 1946.[5]

Sam Bankhead
Infielder / Outfielder
Born: (1910-09-18)September 18, 1910
Sulligent, Alabama, U.S.
Died: July 24, 1976(1976-07-24) (aged 65)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Negro leagues debut
1931, for the Birmingham Black Barons
Last Negro leagues appearance
1948, for the Homstead Grays
Negro leagues[a] statistics
Batting average.284
Home runs19
Runs batted in356
Teams
Career highlights and awards

At age 26, Bankhead married Helen M. Hall on February 25, 1937, in Allegheny, Pennsylvania.[6] He died in Pittsburgh on July 24, 1976.[7]

His brothers Joe, Fred, and Garnett all also played in the Negro leagues, and his brother Dan played Major League Baseball.

Notes

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  1. ^ On December 16, 2020, Major League Baseball declared the Negro leagues, from the span of 1920–1948, to be a "Major League".[1] Bankhead's statistics reflect his time in the Negro leagues from 1931-1948.

References

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  1. ^ "MLB officially designates the Negro Leagues as 'Major League'". MLB.com. December 16, 2020. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
  2. ^ ""Greeley Advertisers Downed by Colored Club; Score 12-1" Negro Star, Wichita, Kansas, Friday, August 10, 1934, Page 3, Columns 1 to 6" (PDF). Retrieved Apr 23, 2019.
  3. ^ Bjarkman, Peter C. (2005). Diamonds Around The Globe: The Encyclopedia Of International Baseball. Greenwood Publishing Group. ISBN 0313322686.
  4. ^ "Sam Bankhead". Baseball Reference. Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved 2013-02-12.
  5. ^ "Sammy Bankhead". www.nlbpa.com. Archived from the original on October 20, 2021. Retrieved Apr 23, 2019.
  6. ^ "1937SamuelHBankheadMarrCert.pdf". Google Docs. Retrieved Apr 23, 2019.
  7. ^ "United States Social Security Death Index," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JP64-G23 : accessed 24 January 2013), Sam Bankhead, July 1976; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing)
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