Irvin Castille
Irvin Castille (May 17, 1926[1] – August 4, 2015[2]) was a shortstop and third baseman who played from 1951 through 1953 in the Negro American League. Born in Lafayette, Louisiana,[3] he batted and threw right handed.
Irvin Castille | |||
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Shortstop / Third baseman | |||
Born: Lafayette, Louisiana | May 17, 1926|||
Died: August 4, 2015 89) Whittier, California | (aged|||
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Teams | |||
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Career highlights and awards | |||
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Castille joined the Birmingham Black Barons in the dying years of the Negro leagues.[4] He also was selected to the East–West All-Star Game in 1953.[5] In between, he played with the Brandon Greys club of the independent Mandak League in its 1952 season.[6][7]
On June 8, 2008, Major League Baseball staged a special draft of the surviving Negro league players, doing a tribute for the surviving Negro leaguers who were kept out of the Big Leagues because of their race. MLB clubs each selected a former NLB player, as Castille was drafted by the Oakland Athletics.[8]
A week later, the San Diego Padres honored him during a homestand highlighted by a Salute to the Negro leagues, fireworks and U.S. Army Appreciation Day at Petco Park.[9] Late in the month, he signed autographs and shared stories about his playing days in the Times of Greatness Mobile event held at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago.[8]
Castille was a long resident of Whittier, California,[3] where he died in 2015 at the age of 83.[2]
Sources
- The Courier. SABR’s Negro Leagues Committee. Retrieved on February 13, 2019
- Irvin M. Castille (May 17, 1926 – Aug 4, 2015). Legacy.com. Retrieved on February 13, 2019
- Irvin Castille in the 1940 Census. Ancestry website. Retrieved on February 13, 2019
- Birmingham Black Barons All-Time Roster (1923-1958). MiLB.com. Retrieved on February 13, 2019.
- East-West All Star Game (1933-1956) - Players, Coaches and Managers. CNLBR.org. Retrieved on February 13, 2019.
- ManDak Photo Gallery 1952. Attheplate website. Retrieved on February 13, 2019.
- Negro Leaguers in Canada. CNLBR website. Retrieved on February 13, 2019.
- 2008 Special Negro Leagues Draft. MLB.com. Retrieved on February 13, 2019.
- Padres host Rangers and Mariners for fifth homestand. MLB.com. Retrieved on February 13, 2019.