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Josh Gibson

baseball player

Born: Died: American

Joshua Gibson (December 21, 1911 – January 20, 1947) was an American baseball catcher who played primarily in the Negro leagues. In 1972, he became the second Negro league player to be inducted in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Gibson played for the Homestead Grays from 1930 to 1931, moved to the Pittsburgh Crawfords from 1932 to 1936, and returned to the Grays from 1937 to 1939 and 1942 to 1946. In 1937, he played for Ciudad Trujillo in Trujillo's Dominican League and from 1940 to 1941, he played in the Mexican League for Azules de Veracruz. Gibson served as the first manager of the Cangrejeros de Santurce, one of the most historic franchises of the Puerto Rico Baseball League.

Gibson was known as a spectacular power hitter who, by some accounts, hit close to 800 career home runs. (In the Negro League statistical records, his career home run total was 166 and Major League Baseball recognizes 171.) He was known as the "black Babe Ruth"; in fact, some fans at the time who saw both Ruth and Gibson play called Ruth "the white Josh Gibson".

Notable For

American baseball player

Josh Gibson's Historical Timeline

  1. Negro Baseball League star Josh Gibson suffers a nervous breakdown and is admitted to the hospital for rest and treatmen

    Negro Baseball League star Josh Gibson suffers a nervous breakdown and is admitted to the hospital for rest and treatment; he is released in time for preseason training

  2. Josh Gibson dies

    Josh Gibson, American baseball player, known for american baseball player, died on 1947-01-20.

Associated Historical Events

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Josh Gibson born?
Josh Gibson was born on 1911-01-20 (American).
What is Josh Gibson known for?
American baseball player
What historical events involved Josh Gibson?
Josh Gibson was involved in 2 recorded historical events, including Negro Baseball League star Josh Gibson suffers a nervous breakdown and is admitted to the hospital for rest and treatmen, Josh Gibson dies.
When did Josh Gibson die?
Josh Gibson died on 1947-01-01.

Related Years