Spot Poles

Spottswood Poles (December 27, 1887 – September 12, 1962) was an American outfielder in baseball's Negro leagues. Born in Winchester, Virginia, he died at age 74 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Spot Poles
Outfielder
Born: (1887-12-27)December 27, 1887
Winchester, Virginia
Died: September 12, 1962(1962-09-12) (aged 74)
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Batted: Both Threw: Right
debut
1910, for the Fe
Last appearance
1923, for the New York Lincoln Giants
Teams

Career

Poles was generally recognized as one of the fastest players of his day. According to Negro leagues historian James Riley, Poles' speed was said to be comparable to that of Cool Papa Bell, a Negro league star of the 1930s generally considered to be the fastest man in the history of organized baseball. Sometimes referred to as "the black Ty Cobb," Poles was a left-handed batter with a keen eye who hit for high batting averages.

He started playing organized Negro ball for the Harrisburg Colored Giants in 1906 and first became a professional for Sol White's Philadelphia Giants in 1909. Poles soon followed White to the New York Lincoln Giants in 1911, where he blossomed into a star; in his first four seasons with the Lincoln Giants, 1911–1914, Poles attained batting averages of .440, .398, .414, and .487 against all levels of competition.

Poles in 1912

Poles then spent the next few seasons jumping among the New York Lincoln Stars, Brooklyn Royal Giants, and the Hilldale Daisies. While with the Daisies, Poles joined the 369th Infantry Regiment (Harlem Hellfighters), a unit attached to the French Army during World War I, earning decorations (five battle stars and a Purple Heart) for his combat experience in France as a sergeant.[4][5] He returned home and continued a successful baseball career, playing for the Lincoln Giants from 1919 to 1923.[6]

He is credited with a lifetime batting average of over .400 against all competition, and hit .319 in four winters in Cuba. A tantalizing aspect of his career is his success against white major league teams. Poles hit .610 against these teams, including three consecutive hits off Grover Cleveland Alexander. Poles spent his post-baseball years as a taxi cab operator and working at Olmsted Air Force Base in Middletown, Pennsylvania, enabling him to retire comfortably. Because of his Army service, Spottswood Poles was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.[7]

Notes
  1. "Lincoln Giants Adds Another Brace of Victories to its Brace" Indianapolis Freeman, Indianapolis, Indiana, Saturday, May 20, 1916, Page 4, Column 4
  2. "Palm Beach Weekly Review" Indianapolis Freeman, Indianapolis, Indiana, Saturday, February 19, 1916, Page 5, Columns 5 to 7
  3. "Empey Has Fine Bill" New York Sun, New York, NY, Page 4, Column 2
  4. "nlbpa.com - Poles, Spottswood". www.nlbpa.com. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
  5. "Negro Leagues Baseball eMuseum: Personal Profiles: Spot Poles". www.nlbemuseum.com. Retrieved 2020-08-20.
  6. Riley, p. 631–632.
  7. Riley, pp. 631–632.

References
  • Riley, James A., The Biographical Encyclopedia of The Negro Leagues (1994), Carrol & Graf Publishers, Inc., New York City.
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