David Samuel Whatley (November 10, 1914 – March 13, 1961), nicknamed "Speed" and "Hammer Man", was an American Negro league outfielder in the 1930s and 1940s.
| Speed Whatley | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Outfielder | |
| Born: November 10, 1914 Griffin, Georgia | |
| Died: March 13, 1961 (aged 46) Oakland, California | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| Negro league baseball debut | |
| 1937, for the Birmingham Black Barons | |
| Last appearance | |
| 1944, for the New York Black Yankees | |
| Teams | |
|
A native of Griffin, Georgia, Whatley made his Negro leagues debut with the Birmingham Black Barons in 1937, leading the Negro American League in batting average with a .428 mark.[citation needed] He played for the Homestead Grays from 1939 to 1942,[1] then served in the United States Army during World War II.[2][3] He returned to the Grays during their 1944 Negro World Series championship season, but finished the season with the New York Black Yankees.[4] Whatley died in Oakland, California in 1961 at age 46.
References edit
- ^ "David Whatley". seamheads.com. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
- ^ "Negro Leaguers Who Served With The Armed Forces in WWII". baseballinwartime.com. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
- ^ Gary Ashwill (July 25, 2017). "The Hammer Man". Agate Type. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
- ^ "1944 Homestead Grays". seamheads.com. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
External links edit
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference and Seamheads
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