Interesting group spanning decades and sports. I couldn't C&P the entire article, but I put one in that fascinates me. A guy from SC who played in the Negro League.
I put the link below if you'd like to take a look at the write-ups for all the inductees.
The South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame will increase by eight this May when the new class is inducted in Columbia. The organization Monday announced the new members as Mark Berson, Robert Brooks, Woody Dantzler, Dawn Ellerbe, Joe Hamilton, Jermaine O’Neal, Larry Penley and Charles Smith.
Charles “Chino” Smith (Antioch, SC)
Charles “Chino” Smith, from Antioch, S.C., attended Benedict College in Columbia. He played six seasons in the Negro Leagues and his .423 career batting average is the best in league history.
Smith played against iconic Black stars and future Hall of Famers such as Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige and Oscar Charleston. He did this two decades before Jackie Robinson broke the Major League Baseball color line.
He holds the distinction and record of being the only professional player in any league at any level of play to have a career batting average of over .400. During his career with the Philadelphia Giants (1924), Pennsylvania Red Caps (1925), Brooklyn Royal Giants (1925-27, 1931), New York Lincoln Giants (1929-30), he established himself as one of the greatest hitters in baseball history.
Smith, an outfielder who stood 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighed 160 pounds, also was nicknamed “Scrappy” for his aggressive, often pugnacious style. He was a line drive hitter who could hit the ball to all fields, an excellent drag bunter and rarely struck out. He led the Negro American League in home runs (23), batting average (.464) and outfield assists (14) in 1929.
Smith played well in “barnstorming” games against major leaguers and hit .335 in Cuba’s famed winter ball circuit. He was particularly stellar in games at Yankee Stadium, where the Brooklyn Royal Giants played when Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and the rest of the Yankees were on road trips.
Smith was listed No. 16 on the Sports Illustrated list of the “50 Greatest Sports Figures” of the 20th century from South Carolina.
sportstalksc.com
I put the link below if you'd like to take a look at the write-ups for all the inductees.
The South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame will increase by eight this May when the new class is inducted in Columbia. The organization Monday announced the new members as Mark Berson, Robert Brooks, Woody Dantzler, Dawn Ellerbe, Joe Hamilton, Jermaine O’Neal, Larry Penley and Charles Smith.
Charles “Chino” Smith (Antioch, SC)
Charles “Chino” Smith, from Antioch, S.C., attended Benedict College in Columbia. He played six seasons in the Negro Leagues and his .423 career batting average is the best in league history.
Smith played against iconic Black stars and future Hall of Famers such as Josh Gibson, Satchel Paige and Oscar Charleston. He did this two decades before Jackie Robinson broke the Major League Baseball color line.
He holds the distinction and record of being the only professional player in any league at any level of play to have a career batting average of over .400. During his career with the Philadelphia Giants (1924), Pennsylvania Red Caps (1925), Brooklyn Royal Giants (1925-27, 1931), New York Lincoln Giants (1929-30), he established himself as one of the greatest hitters in baseball history.
Smith, an outfielder who stood 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighed 160 pounds, also was nicknamed “Scrappy” for his aggressive, often pugnacious style. He was a line drive hitter who could hit the ball to all fields, an excellent drag bunter and rarely struck out. He led the Negro American League in home runs (23), batting average (.464) and outfield assists (14) in 1929.
Smith played well in “barnstorming” games against major leaguers and hit .335 in Cuba’s famed winter ball circuit. He was particularly stellar in games at Yankee Stadium, where the Brooklyn Royal Giants played when Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and the rest of the Yankees were on road trips.
Smith was listed No. 16 on the Sports Illustrated list of the “50 Greatest Sports Figures” of the 20th century from South Carolina.
SC Athletic Hall of Fame announces selections for the 2023 class
Woody Dantzler Joe Hamilton Robert Brooks The South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame will increase by eight this May when the new class is inducted in Columbia. The organization Monday announced the …
sportstalksc.com
