My Favorite Player: Willie McGee - The Athletic background-color:#ba3434; The day prior to his electrocution, Wright reportedly received as many as 800 telegrams and tens of thousands of messages., McGees case captured the nations attention as he had gone through three trials and three convictions between 1945 and 1951. Had the forces of white supremacy not intersected with Willie McGee so spectacularly, perhaps there would be a different story to tell. It is no wonder that the history of civil rights is bound up in the advocacy of their family members. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. It is unthinkable for one family to endure such immeasurable loss. Vince Coleman and Rickey Henderson helped define the 1980s in the majors because of their greatness on the basepaths. Teams: Montreal Expos (1990-93), Los Angeles Dodgers (1994-96), St. Louis Cardinals (1997-98), Baltimore Orioles (1999-2001), Chicago Cubs (2001-02), Career highlights: National League Rookie of the Year runner-up (1990). Many historical player head shots courtesy of David Davis. At the time of McGees electrocution, news outlets across the United States, Europe and Asia covered what was dubbed a legal lynching., In life and in death, Willie McGee assumed a newfound function as an icon of southern injustice. 555 N. Central Ave. #416 Crawford originally signed with Nebraska to play football but turned to baseball after Tampa Bay made him a second-round pick. I thought he (Mantle) was the fastest in my time. Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database. The only time he didn't swing at a pitch is when Tony LaRussa gave him a take sign so a runner at first could try to steal second base. Was it hisuminteresting hitting style? Somehow, Wilson only made two All-Star teams. For all the attention Willie McGee attracted, his most ardent support came from an unlikely corner: the communist-affiliated Civil Rights Congress. The most successful combine skills in reading pitchers, getting proper leads and jumps, and of course speed. All are astronomical numbers, placing Henderson in a league of his own in terms of speed. Born: Aug. 24, 1983 (Holy Hill, South Carolina), Career highlights: World Series champion (2015), All-Star (2015), Gold Glove Award (2016), three-time Fielding Bible Award winner (2010, 2011, 2017). Lets face it, Willie McGee is not the best looking man in the history of professional sports. 6 on the MLB career list. We must remember Willie McGees name and the tragedies left in the aftermath of his electrocution. Altuve has led the American League in stolen bases twice and has been clocked at a blazing 3.3 seconds from home plate to first base. Willie McGee Net Worth. All rights reserved. McGee won Rawlings Gold Glove awards for defensive excellence in 1983, 1985 and 1986 and was a National League Silver Slugger recipient in 1985. . Learn more - Top Rated Plus - opens in a new window or tab. The stolen base should come back, but probably won't Also, as an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. The Cardinals made the trade on the recommendation of Smith, a Cardinals scout, who watched McGee play for the Yankees' Nashville farm club and liked what he saw. Career highlights: World Series champion (2015). The list considers stolen bases and runs scored two statistical barometers of speed plus overall talent, quickness, agility and athleticism. (2000-07-14) (aged 83) Baltimore [1] Occupation. High School. The event was broadcast live on the radio. I am Nic, and to say I love baseball is a great understatement. Brett Gardner has a more than respectable career Wins Above Replacement of 42.8, due in large part to his speed. @2013-2022 Arch City Media. St. Louis SLAM Stays Undefeated Following Saturday Road Purina and St. Louis CITY SC Introduce New, Blues sign Loof to 3-year entry-level contract, Cardinals promote RHP Michael McGreevy to Memphis. He actually signed to play wide receiver for Mississippi State out of Taylorsville (Miss.) Willie McGee played for 4 teams; the St. Louis Cardinals, Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants and Boston Red Sox. In the majors, it seemed like we got our best glimpses at his speed when he was playing in the outfield and not on the basepaths, which was mainly because Jackson was a power hitter. Teams: Kansas City Royals (2014-17, 2019), Chicago Cubs (2018), Los Angeles Dodgers (2020-present). The three-time American League MVP's first nickname is the one that tells the best story about his speed. (the real Eliza Jane Patton was long gone to Las Vegas) took up the torch. Born: June 11, 1983 (Villa Gonzalez, Santiago, Dominican Republic), Teams: New York Mets (2003-11, 2016-18), Miami Marlins (2012), Toronto Blue Jays (2013-15), Colorado Rockies (2015), Career highlights: Four-time All-Star (2006, 2007, 2010, 2011), Silver Slugger Award (2006), National League batting champion (2011). McGee, who won National League MVP honors three years later in 1985, combined elite hitting ability and speed to rack up doubles and triples throughout his career. As many as 1,000 onlookers gathered at the Jones County Courthouse in Laurel for his electrocution for the alleged rape of white homemaker Willette Hawkins. 50 National Guardsmen kept watch at the Laurel courthouse to preserve order during the first trial. Willie McGee - 1987 Donruss Autographed Baseball card # 84 - Cardinals Founded in 1946, the CRC was composed of former far-left civil rights organizations including the, In many ways the case of Willie McGee is shrouded in mystery. He's been clocked rounding the bases in a blazing 14.7 seconds and another time moving at 29.58 feet per second on the basepaths. As many as 1,000 onlookers gathered at the Jones County Courthouse in Laurel for his electrocution for the alleged rape of white homemaker Willette Hawkins. But, Willie McGee was a person with inherent humanityand must Black exceptionalism be required to save a life? McGee did begin and end his career as a Cardinal, and were all sure glad he did. Contact SABR, LnRiLWhlYWRpbmcuaGFzLWJhY2tncm91bmR7cGFkZGluZzowfQ==, LnRiLWZpZWxke21hcmdpbi1ib3R0b206MC43NmVtfS50Yi1maWVsZC0tbGVmdHt0ZXh0LWFsaWduOmxlZnR9LnRiLWZpZWxkLS1jZW50ZXJ7dGV4dC1hbGlnbjpjZW50ZXJ9LnRiLWZpZWxkLS1yaWdodHt0ZXh0LWFsaWduOnJpZ2h0fS50Yi1maWVsZF9fc2t5cGVfcHJldmlld3twYWRkaW5nOjEwcHggMjBweDtib3JkZXItcmFkaXVzOjNweDtjb2xvcjojZmZmO2JhY2tncm91bmQ6IzAwYWZlZTtkaXNwbGF5OmlubGluZS1ibG9ja311bC5nbGlkZV9fc2xpZGVze21hcmdpbjowfQ==, 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, https://sabr.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/McGeeWillie.jpg, /wp-content/uploads/2020/02/sabr_logo.png, https://www.bnd.com/sports/mlb/st-louis-cardinals/article78108362.html, https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/OAKLAND-Willie-McGee-goes-to-bat-for-students-2734852.php. 40 years ago: The day the Cardinals got Willie McGee for Bob Sykes Is Willie McGee in the Hall of Fame? Those numbers are even more impressive considering he is only 5-foot-5 and 160 pounds. Jose Altuve and the Houston Astros cheated their brains off to win the World Series in 2017. When Willie McGee was jailed, it was his mother Bessie McGee who first reached out to the Civil Rights Congress desperate to help her son. . Ozzie Smith stole 31, as did Tommy Herr, who got caught three times all season. How many games did . Coleman, the National League Rookie of the Year in 1985, led the NL in stolen bases six times and stole over 100 bases in each of his first three seasons. In July 2019, an Atlantic League player became the first professional baseball player to steal first base under a new introduced just days prior. More recent incidents of police violence have produced newfound activists such as Gwen Carr and Erica Garner, respectively the mother and daughter of Eric Garner, whom a police officer killed with a chokehold in New York City. The third verdict was affirmed by the State Supreme Court. Sorry, I meant they were members of the Whiteyball team together. Boston went on to win the game in extra innings, then took that series and the next, the World Series. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. I was even able to find a petition to do so. Willie McGee stole 56 bases. Willie McGee was born on November 2, 1958. Part-timer Lonnie Smith stole 12, and so on down the line.. He is one of only two people to play in the Final Four and the World Series and is the MLB career leader in postseason stolen bases. 1. As many as 1,000 onlookers gathered at the Jones County Courthouse in Laurel for his electrocution for the alleged rape of white homemaker Willette Hawkins. All images are property the copyright holder and are displayed here for informational purposes only. I coached fast-pitch softball . He's doing that with speed as well. Who would he join in this immortal realm? McGee was arrested in November 1945 after Laurel housewife Willette Hawkins accused him of crawling through an open window and raping her as she lay next to her sick child while her husband and two other children slept in nearby rooms. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1936, Cobb is firmly entrenched in Americana lore for his life and career. Diablo Valley College (Pleasant Hill, CA). Among the 10 fastest players in MLB history, a few must be included in any list: Rickey Henderson, Lou Brock, Ty Cobb, Vince Coleman, Tim Raines, and Billy Hamilton (both the 1800s player and todays version). The batter stole first base on an 0-1 count when the pitched ball sailed straight to the backstop. Tim Raines showed off his elite speed in high school on the baseball field, but more so on the football field as one of the most sought-after running back recruits in the nation. Become a Stathead & surf this site ad-free. While some Mississippi segregationists boosted their political careers by pandering to the fear and outrage among the states white voters, McGees highly publicized trials and execution complicated American efforts to appeal to nonaligned nations in Asia and Africa. Hamilton's 303 career stolen bases in essentially just six full-time MLB seasons jump off the page, but so do his struggles at the plate with just a .241 career batting average. Well, Willie never met a pitch he didn't like. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. From there, the McGee family migrated westto Las Vegas, Nev.,, an arguably easier place to be Black in the world in the late 1940s. The organization argued against the racist application of the rape law, under which no Mississippi white man had been executed, and alleged that Hawkins and McGee had been involved in a romantic relationship until McGees threats to end the affair drove Hawkins to charge rape. Willie Dean McGee was born in San Francisco, California, on November 2, 1958. Otis Nixon racked up 620 stolen bases over his 17-year career, an off-the-charts average of 59 stolen bases per year. Beyond Mississippis borders, protesters chained themselves to the columns of the Lincoln Memorial in the hopes of halting McGees execution. The second verdict was reversed by the United States Supreme Court on the ground that Negroes had been systematically excluded from Mississippi juries. Designed and Maintained by Mick Lite, ABS System Will Debut In Memphis This Week, Cliffhanger Getting Sequel 30 Years Later. Jack Buck said about him, He looks like he does not have a friend in the world. Many thanks to him. He was the fourth of six children born to Hurdice and Jessie Mae McGee. Hochman: On Willie McGee's birthday, 51 reasons St. Louis - STLtoday McGee, who won National League MVP honors three years later in 1985, combined elite hitting ability and speed to rack up doubles and triples throughout his career. Willie is based out of Greater Madison Area and works in the Wholesale Building Materials industry. Just minutes after midnight on 8 May 1951, Willie McGee, an African American laborer, was executed in the Jones County courtroom where he had been convicted of raping a white woman more than five years earlier. His running style? Willie McGee - Baseball-Reference.com Wills, who was also a football star at Washington, D.C.'s Cardozo High, is largely credited with bringing the stolen base back into the majors as a viable way to win games. is but one example. Dee Strange-Gordon was the premiere base stealer in the majors in the 2010s, leading all players with 330 steals, and made a little bit of history in 2015 when he became the first player to lead the National League in batting average and stolen bases since Jackie Robinson in 1949. To that end, Reyes led the National League in stolen bases three times and triples four times, and in 2005 and 2006, he led the NL in both categories. Dave Collins, Rickey Henderson, they were fast. Carl Crawford's elite speed was easy to see early. With the financial aid of the CRCs Prisoner Relief Fund, she worked publicly and vociferously to indict a judicial system that protected southern white womanhood by legally lynching black men convicted of rape. Henderson owns MLB career records for stolen bases (1,406), runs (2,295) and leadoff home runs (81). The state Supreme Court upheld this decision, and the US Supreme Court rejected several appeals over the next three years. Founded in 1946, the CRC was composed of former far-left civil rights organizations including the International Labor Defense and the National Negro Congress. Jaclyn Nolan is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Georgia in the Department of Communication Studies with a Ph.D from the University of Kansas. Following the third trial, the CRC increased its efforts to build an international defense campaign on McGees behalf. Willie McGee - Pro-Football-Reference.com Willie McGee | Mississippi Encyclopedia However, in his prime, he competed annually with Henderson or Coleman for the league-leader title. See Also:Baseball Batting Average CalculatorDoes Everyone Bat in Baseball?Do You Have To Drop The Bat In Baseball? Willie McGee was born on the 2nd of November, 1958. But that doesn't negate the fact that the 2017 American League MVP and six-time All-Star is as fast as almost anyone who has ever played the game. 1993 Topps Gold #435 Willie McGee Giants | eBay Gore turned down scholarship offers from big-time college football programs to play baseball. Kiermaier's top speed on the basepaths has been clocked at close to 22 miles per hour. Free shipping for many products! He led the National League in strikeouts four times and averaged 136 strikeouts over 16 seasons. The Plain Dealer newspaper painted a picture of the scene: At 12:05 am, the state executioner, C.W. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. Brock, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1985, also led the National League in doubles and triples in 1968 and helped lead the Cardinals to a pair of World Series championships in the 1960s. , a grim milestone in the history of civil rights in Mississippi. Join our linker program. Born: Aug. 15, 1984 (McComb, Mississippi), Teams: Kansas City Royals (2010-16), Seattle Mariners (2017), Arizona Diamondbacks (2018-19), Pittsburgh Pirates (2020), Chicago White Sox (2020). 1 on this list. View Willie Mcgee's email address (w*****@clopay***.com) and phone number. I am a life-long Cardinals' fan from the west side (of MO). Granderson led the American League in triples twice and averaged 27 doubles per year over 16 MLB seasons. Steal of a deal: How Cardinals got Willie McGee | RetroSimba Feeling threatened by the increasingly restless mobs that milled about the courthouse during the trial, the CRC attorneys fled Mississippi without offering a closing argument, and the jury again found McGee guilty. The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. Delino Deshields Jr. plays for the Cleveland Indians, and Diamond Deshields plays for the WNBA's Chicago Sky. 1985 National League MVP who helped the St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series in 1982. Mississippi Journalism and Education Group is a a 501(c)(3) nonprofit media organization (EIN 85-1403937) for the state, devoted to going beyond partisanship and publishing solutions journalism for the Magnolia State and all of its people. As I was just a wee child when McGee was playing for the Cardinals, I was unaware of him leaving the team to go play somewhere else. Willie Nelson 90 Day 1: Neil Young and Stephen Stills play fast and Some high school data is courtesy David McWater. In the case of McGee, an unjust legal system motivated to protect white womanhood cost him his life. Black women have long found themselves in this not-so sought-after role. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. Total Zone Rating and initial framework for Wins above Replacement calculations provided by Sean Smith. Alex Heard, whose 2010 book , recounted the case in detail, remarked: Somewhere along the line, it stopped being only about verifiable facts. Win Expectancy, Run Expectancy, and Leverage Index calculations provided by Tom Tango of InsideTheBook.com, and co-author of The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball. William George Fastie (6 December 1916 - 14 July 2000) was an American optical physicist and spectroscopist who played a part in the Johns Hopkins University space program of the late 1950s. Much of the play-by-play, game results, and transaction information both shown and used to create certain data sets was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by RetroSheet. Lorraine Hansberry, the playwright, wrote a poem about McGee, , and Tennessee Williams referred to McGees case in his play Orpheus Descending., For all the attention Willie McGee attracted, his most ardent support came from an unlikely corner: the communist-affiliated Civil Rights Congress. The modern Billy Hamilton has amazed with his speed ever since cracking the majors in 2013. It's more nuanced. (Age 23-189d, I will always stay true to the Wizard, with McGee coming in at a close second. http://www.riverfronttimes.com/2005-02-23/news/willie-mcgee-denies-ever-using-steroids/. When Willie McGee was executed by the state of Mississippi in 1951, his loss was felt deeply by progressives and leftists who spent years trying to exonerate him. Do you have a blog? Baseball is an obscure sport in Paulo Orlando's native Brazil one abandoned by most boys at a young age to focus on soccer. He ranks 12th all-time in steals, and his speed was involved in every area of his overall play including hitting and rangy outfield play. There has been some talk about retiring McGees number, 51, for the Cards. In 1955, Mamie Till, mother of Emmett Till, assumed a critical role in advocating for her son at the trial of his perpetrators and in public spaces beyond the specifics of his case. Born: April 22, 1988 (Windermere, Florida), Teams: Los Angeles Dodgers (2011-14), Miami Marlins (2015-17), Seattle Mariners (2018-present), Career highlights: Two-time All-Star (2014, 2015), Gold Glove Award (2015), Silver Slugger Award (2015). physicist. Mantle had elite speed early in his career, in the 1950s, before leg injuries forced him to become known mainly as a fierce switch-hitting slugger. We are reader supported. Two seasons later he tied Vince Coleman as the only players to steal 6 bases in their teams first three games. He played on a team (during his hey-day) with Ozzie, Pendleton, Jack Clark, Vince Coleman, and Herr. Born: Trusted seller, fast shipping, and easy returns. When Willie McGee was jailed, it was his mother Bessie McGee who first reached out to the Civil Rights Congress desperate to help her son. The Mississippi Supreme Court reversed the trial courts decision on the grounds that McGee was not provided a change of venue despite the constant presence of mobs and numerous attempts to intimidate defense lawyers. Note: Cool Papa Bell would rank among the top 5, if he was ever allowed to play in Major League Baseball. Meanwhile, all the world is his friend. As Cardinals fans, well, baseball fans, we all know that there are certain players in the history of every team that hold a special place in the fans hearts. Willie McGee weighed 175 lbs (79 kg) when playing. He was convicted largely on the strength of a confession that he had allegedly written shortly after his arrest, though prosecutors had failed to introduce that confession during the first trial. Then, you put your head down again and look up and it's . He was a 6-time All-Star and 8-time stolen base leader. (Photos courtesy Daily Worker/Daily World Photographic Collection, Tamiment Library, New York University unless otherwise credited.) We use cookies to optimize our website and our service. One thing that became painfully clear to me during our conversations was that the imprisonment and eventual execution of her grandfather was just the beginning of the McGee familys hardships.