Samuel Bruce Vick (April 12, 1895 – August 17, 1986) was an American professional

right fielder A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound. In the ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

. He played for the

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one of ...

from 1917 to 1920, and the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eigh ...

in 1921. He stood , and weighed 163 lb., and he batted and threw

right-handed In human biology, handedness is an individual's preferential use of one hand, known as the dominant hand, due to it being stronger, faster or more dextrous. The other hand, comparatively often the weaker, less dextrous or simply less subjecti ...

. He was born in

Batesville, Mississippi Batesville is a city in Panola County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,463 at the 2010 census. Batesville is one of two county seats which the legislature established for Panola County, related to a longstanding rivalry between ...

, and attended

Millsaps College Millsaps College is a private liberal arts college in Jackson, Mississippi. It was founded in 1890 and is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. History The college was founded in 1889–90 by a Confederate veteran, Major Reuben Webste ...

Jackson, Mississippi Jackson, officially the City of Jackson, is the capital of and the most populous city in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The city is also one of two county seats of Hinds County, along with Raymond. The city had a population of 153,701 at t ...

. After playing one season of minor league baseball in 1917, Vick was signed by the Yankees and was used sparingly by them later that same season. He became their starting right fielder in 1919. With

Babe Ruth George Herman "Babe" Ruth Jr. (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948) was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935. Nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Su ...

's arrival, and Bob Meusel's emergence in 1920, Vick's productivity and playing time diminished. Following the season, he was traded to the Red Sox in a deal that brought future

Hall of Famer A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actual halls or muse ...

pitcher

Waite Hoyt Waite Charles Hoyt (September 9, 1899 – August 25, 1984) was an American right-handed professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball for seven different teams during 1918–1938. He was one of the dominant pitchers of the 19 ...

to the Yankees. In his five-season career, Vick had a .248

batting average Batting average is a statistic in cricket, baseball, and softball that measures the performance of batters. The development of the baseball statistic was influenced by the cricket statistic. Cricket In cricket, a player's batting average is ...

, with two

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team. A home run i ...

s and 50

RBIs A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the bat ...

in 213 games played. After his major league career ended after the 1921 season, he returned to the minor leagues and played in various leagues until 1930. Vick died, after a long illness, in

Memphis, Tennessee Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state; it is situated along the Mississippi River. With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-mos ...

, at age 91.

Early life

Samuel Bruce Vick was born on April 12, 1895 in

, to Hugh, a farmer, and Lillie. After attending

, he signed a minor league baseball contract with the

Memphis Chickasaws Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Memph ...

of the

Southern Association The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A (1902–1935), Cla ...

(SA). He played one season in Memphis, playing in 126 games, and had a .322

along with 24 doubles and 12 triples. When the SA season was completed, he signed a contract with the

of the

American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...

(AL).

Career

New York Yankees

Vick made his

(MLB) debut with the Yankees on September 20, 1917. He finished the season with the Yankees, playing in 10 games, all in right field. In 36 at bats during that stretch, he collected 10 hits for a .278 batting average. He played in just two games during the early part of the 1918 season, before being drafted into the military.Stout, p. 73 The first appearance occurred on April 19, in the second game of a double header against the

. He relieved starting right fielder Frank Gilhooley late in the game, and collected a hit in each of his two at bats against Red Sox

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw ...

. He had a

run batted in A run batted in (RBI; plural RBIs ) is a statistic in baseball and softball that credits a batter for making a play that allows a run to be scored (except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play). For example, if the bat ...

(RBI) and scored a run in the game, although the Red Sox won the game by a score of 9 to 5. His other appearance that season was as a pinch hitter in a game against the Washington Senators on April 25, and failed to collect a hit. In 1919, Vick became the Yankees's starting right fielder. On April 30, in his fourth appearance of the season, he led off the bottom of the first inning with a

off

Mule Watson John Reaves "Mule" Watson (October 15, 1896 in Arizona, Louisiana – August 25, 1949 in Shreveport, Louisiana), was a professional baseball player who was a pitcher in the Major Leagues from 1918 to 1924. He played for the Boston Braves, Philadel ...

of the Philadelphia Athletics: his first career home run. He struggled at the plate during the first two months of the season, with a batting average of .208 after the June 1 game. However, he began to increase his productivity in June and July. By early August, he had raised his average to a season-high of .266. It was during that time period when he hit his second, and last, major league home run. It was a

grand slam Grand Slam most often refers to: * Grand Slam (tennis), one player or pair winning all four major annual tournaments, or the tournaments themselves Grand Slam or Grand slam may also refer to: Games and sports * Grand slam, winning category te ...

off Allan Sothoron in a game on August 7: an 8–2 victory over the

St. Louis Browns The St. Louis Browns were a Major League Baseball team that originated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the Milwaukee Brewers. A charter member of the American League (AL), the Brewers moved to St. Louis, Missouri, after the 1901 season, where they p ...

. For the remainder of the season, Vick's production had a steady, slow decline; he finished the season with a .248 batting average, along with 27 RBIs, 15 doubles, and nine triples. Vick's playing time dwindled in 1920 with the arrival of Babe Ruth, an off-season purchase from the Red Sox. The Yankees now had an outfield that consisted of Ruth, established players of

Duffy Lewis George Edward "Duffy" Lewis (April 18, 1888 – June 17, 1979) was an American professional baseball left fielder who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees, and the Washington Senators from 1910 to ...

and

Ping Bodie Frank Stephen "Ping" Bodie (October 8, 1887 – December 17, 1961), born Francesco Stephano Pezzolo,Bob Meusel, a

rookie A rookie is a person new to an occupation, profession, or hobby. In sports, a ''rookie'' is a professional athlete in their first season (or year). In contrast with a veteran who has experience and expertise, a rookie is usually inexperienced ...

. Injuries to Lewis and Bodie allowed for periods of lengthy playing time for Vick in July and September. Later in the season, Vick and his manager Miller Huggins got into a heated argument, during which Vick punched Huggins. Appreciating Vick's spirit, the manager quickly forgave him.Gallagher, p. 276 Vick's final totals in 1920 consisted of a .220 batting average in 51 games. During his time with the Yankees, the New York City sportswriters noted that he was prodigious eater. He was so much so that they proclaimed that any time someone ate a large meal, they were "doing a Sammy Vick."Wagenheim, p. 63

Boston Red Sox

The Yankees felt that Vick had not lived up to his potential during his four seasons with the team. Considering the team now had a solid outfield of Ruth, Meusel, Lewis, and Bodie, and the Yankees needed pitching; Vick became expendable. On December 15, 1920, the Yankees traded Vick,

Muddy Ruel Herold Dominic "Muddy" Ruel (February 20, 1896 – November 13, 1963) was an American professional baseball player, coach, manager and general manager. He played as a catcher in Major League Baseball from 1915 to 1934. One of the top defensive ca ...

, Del Pratt and Hank Thormahlen to the Red Sox for

, Harry Harper,

Wally Schang Walter Henry Schang (August 22, 1889 – March 6, 1965) was an American professional baseball player and manager. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher from to for the Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, St. Lou ...

and

Mike McNally Michael Joseph McNally (September 13, 1893 – May 29, 1965), nicknamed Minooka Mike, was an American professional baseball player, scout, manager and general manager. He played in Major League Baseball as an infielder and utility player from ...

. Vick began the 1921 season with an injured leg, which did not allow him to play in either April or May. He did not appear in a game until June 2, and was mostly used as a pinch hitter and late-game replacement. He was absent from the line-up for most of July as well, until August when again, he was used mainly as a pinch hitter. In total, he played in just 44 games for the Red Sox, with only 15 games in the outfield; 12 of them starting the game. Vick had a season-total of 77 at bats, a .260 batting average, and nine RBIs.

Post major league career

After the 1921 season, Vick continued his baseball career in the minor leagues. In 1922, he played for the

Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...

of the International League, batting .233 in 50 games played. He returned to the Memphis Chickasaws for one season in 1923, improving his average to .290. For the 1924 season, he joined the Brookhaven Truckers of the

Cotton States League The Cotton States League''Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: The Official Record of Minor League Baseball'' – Lloyd Johnson, Steve McDonald, Miles Wolff (editors). Publisher: Baseball America, 1997. Format: Paperback, 672pp. Language: Englis ...

(CSL) as

player-manager A player-coach (also playing coach, captain-coach, or player-manager) is a member of a sports team who simultaneously holds both playing and coaching duties. A player-coach may be a head coach or an assistant coach. They may make changes to the s ...

, and he produced the best offensive numbers up to this point in his career. He batted .322 with 16 home runs, 21 doubles, and 11 triples. In 1925, Vick stayed in the CSL, but became the

Laurel Laurel may refer to: Plants * Lauraceae, the laurel family * Laurel (plant), including a list of trees and plants known as laurel People * Laurel (given name), people with the given name * Laurel (surname), people with the surname * Laurel (mus ...

Lumberjacks's non-playing

manager Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities ...

for two seasons. However, in 1926, his tenure was short, and he joined the New Orleans Pelicans of the SA as a player only for the remaining 32 games of the season. After batting .348 in 1926, he improved his average to .350 in 1927, along with career-highs in hits with 194, doubles with 39, and triples with 16. Staying in New Orleans for the 1928 season, his offensive numbers dropped, but he still batted .302 in 109 games played. His 1929 season was split between three teams; the Pelicans, the

Chattanooga Lookouts The Chattanooga Lookouts are a Minor League Baseball team of the Southern League and the Double-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds. They are located in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and are named for nearby Lookout Mountain. The team plays its home g ...

of the SA, and the

Dallas Steers The Dallas Rangers were a high-level minor league baseball team located in Dallas, Texas from 1958 to 1964. The team was known by the Dallas Rangers name in 1958, 1959, and 1964 and as the Dallas-Fort Worth Rangers from 1960 to 1963. It played in ...

of the

Texas League The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...

. That season, he hit a career-high 17 home runs, along with a .333 batting average. He finished his minor league career back with Memphis in 1930.

Later life

According to the 1930 U.S. Census, he became a teacher at a public school in

Panola County, Mississippi Panola County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2010 census, the population was 34,707. Its county seats are Sardis and Batesville. The county is located just east of the Mississippi Delta in the northern part o ...

, following his baseball career. He was married to Lois Monteith, had three sons, and one daughter. Vick died on August 17, 1986 at age 91 in

after a long illness, and is interred at Forrest Memorial Park located in Batesville.

References

Bibliography

* * *

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vick, Sammy 1895 births 1986 deaths Boston Red Sox players New York Yankees players Major League Baseball right fielders Baseball players from Mississippi People from Batesville, Mississippi Memphis Chickasaws players Toronto Maple Leafs (International League) players Brookhaven (minor league baseball) players New Orleans Pelicans (baseball) players Dallas Steers players Chattanooga Lookouts players Millsaps Majors baseball players Schoolteachers from Mississippi 20th-century American educators Burials in Tennessee Laurel Lumberjacks players