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Joshua Gibson (December 21, 1911 โ January 20, 1947) was an American baseball catcher primarily in the Negro leagues. Baseball historians consider Gibson among the best power hitters and catchers in baseball history.
Gibson played for the Homestead Grays from 1930 to 1931, moved to the Pittsburgh Crawfords from 1932 to 1936, and returned to the Grays from 1937 to 1939 and 1942 to 1946. He played in the Negro National League II for 12 seasons, ranging from 27 to 69 games a season. In those seasons, he won two batting Triple Crowns, 11 Home Run leading seasons, three batting titles (highest batting average), and was part of
Joshua Gibson (December 21, 1911 โ January 20, 1947) was an American baseball catcher primarily in the Negro leagues. Baseball historians consider Gibson among the best power hitters and catchers in baseball history.
Gibson played for the Homestead Grays from 1930 to 1931, moved to the Pittsburgh Crawfords from 1932 to 1936, and returned to the Grays from 1937 to 1939 and 1942 to 1946. He played in the Negro National League II for 12 seasons, ranging from 27 to 69 games a season. In those seasons, he won two batting Triple Crowns, 11 Home Run leading seasons, three batting titles (highest batting average), and was part of 2 World Series championships in 1943 and 1944. He made the All Star Game in all twelve seasons. His career mark of 13.06 At Bats per Home Run would place him 5th all time behind Mark McGuire, Babe Ruth, Aaron Judge, and Barry Bondsโhowever, Gibson does not qualify for most career marks of this kind because of the comparative severe lack of total plate appearances.
In 1937, Gibson played for Ciudad Trujillo in Trujillo's Dominican League and from 1940 to 1941, he played in the Mexican League for Azules de Veracruz. Gibson served as the first manager of the Cangrejeros de Santurce, one of the most historic franchises of the Puerto Rico Baseball League.
In early 1943, Gibson fell into a coma and was diagnosed with a brain tumor. After regaining consciousness, he refused the option of surgical removal and lived the next four years with recurring headaches. In 1944, Gibson was hospitalized in Washington, D.C. at Gallinger Hospital for mental observation. On January 20, 1947, Gibson died of a stroke at 35 years old in Pittsburgh. He was buried at the Allegheny Cemetery in the Lawrenceville neighborhood of Pittsburgh, where he lay in an unmarked grave until a small plaque was placed in 1975.
In 1972, he became the second Negro league player to be inducted in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
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Tags: Baseball (1), Georgia (1), American (1), African American (1), Buena Vista (1), Born 1911 (1), Sagittarius (1), Died 1947 (1), Catcher (1), Outfielder (1), Baseball Hall Of Fame (1), Negro Leagues (1), First Baseman (1), Homestead Grays (1), Pittsburgh Crawfords (1)
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