Alvin Gipson
Pitcher
Born: (1914-05-07)May 7, 1914
Shreveport, Louisiana
Died: March 25, 1987(1987-03-25) (aged 72)
Shreveport, Louisiana
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
Negro Major Leagues debut
1941, for the Birmingham Black Barons
Last appearance
1946, for the Birmingham Black Barons
Teams
Independent/Minor

Major Leagues

Career highlights and awards
  • 1942 Negro League All-Star
  • NAL single game strikeout record (20)

Alvin "Bubber" Gipson, Sr. (May 7, 1914 – March 25, 1987) was an American Negro league pitcher in the 1940s. A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, Gipson spent most of his career in Birmingham as a mainstay of the Black Barons' pitching staff.

Early life

Alvin Gipson was born on May 7, 1914, in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Career

Independent ball

Alvin Gipson began his career playing with Abe Saperstein's independent Cincinnati Buckeyes/New Orleans Crescent Stars, touting a 22–3 record in 1939 or 1940.[1][2] Gipson was billed as "potentially another Satchel Paige" in press announcing his team's barnstorming tours.[2]

Negro Major Leagues

Chicago American Giants

Though no league play statistics are listed for Gipson with the Chicago American Giants,[3] he appears in their 1941 team photo taken at Muelenbach Field in Kansas City.[4]

Birmingham Black Barons

Gipson joined the Black Barons in 1941 and was on the pitching staff as they won the NAL pennant in 1943 and 1944. He registered a 0–1 record in the NAL's split season playoffs against the American Giants in 1943,[5] but did not make any appearances in either World Series.[6][7]

1942 All-Star Game

In 1942, two East-West All-Star games were played to benefit the Army-Navy Relief Fund. Gipson was named to the West's roster for the second game, held in Cleveland at Municipal Stadium. Gipson made an appearance in relief, pitching 3 innings and giving up 2 runs (1 earned) in the 9-2 loss to the East.[8]

Strikeout Record

On August 21, 1943, Alvin Gipson struck out 20 Philadelphia Stars batters in Birmingham, setting a Negro American League record. In the 5-1 victory, Gipson struck out the side in 4 of the 9 innings he pitched, including the ninth. Stars second baseman Marvin Williams was fanned 4 times. Following his performance, fans rushed the field to celebrate.[9][10]

Military service

On July 2, 1945, Gipson was drafted into the United States Army.[11]

Return to barnstorming

After leaving the Black Barons, Gipson pitched for the independent Detroit Senators and Cincinnati Crescents. Both teams were managed by Winfield Welch, Gipson's manager in Birmingham.[12][13]

Return to Chicago

In 1949, Gipson followed his old manager Welch and returned to the American Giants, staying with the team through the 1950 campaign.[14][15] Gipson represented the American Giants on a Negro League all star team taking on an integrated Major League all star team in October 1950.[16]

Death and legacy

Alvin Gipson died on March 25, 1987, at the VA Medical Center in his hometown of Shreveport, Louisiana following a brief illness.[3][17] In 1999, The Times newspaper in Shreveport listed Gipson among the top 100 baseball players to come from the area.[18]

References

  1. ↑ "Black Barons Headed for Home; "Welch Day" Here to Be Season's Big Attraction". The Weekly Review. Birmingham, Alabama. August 22, 1941. Retrieved May 7, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. 1 2 "Coming Monday". The Independent-Record. Helena, MT. August 3, 1940. Retrieved May 7, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. 1 2 "Alvin Gipson". seamheads.com. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Chicago American Giants Team photograph, 1941 | Digital Collection". collection.baseballhall.org. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
  5. ↑ "Play-Off Championship Series" (PDF). Center for Negro League Baseball Research. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
  6. ↑ "1943 Season- Seamheads Negro Leagues Database". seamheads.com. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
  7. ↑ "1944 Season- Seamheads Negro Leagues Database". seamheads.com. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
  8. ↑ Lester, Larry (2001). Black baseball's national showcase : the East-West All-Star Game, 1933-1953. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press. ISBN 0-8032-8000-9. OCLC 45951683.
  9. ↑ Hauser, Christopher (2006). The Negro Leagues chronology : events in organized Black baseball, 1920-1948. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co. ISBN 0-7864-2516-4. OCLC 63277903.
  10. ↑ "On this day in Alabama history: Strikeout record set". Alabama NewsCenter. 2019-08-21. Retrieved 2021-05-07.
  11. ↑ "67 Negroes are Called for Army Induction July 2". The Times. Shreveport, LA. Retrieved May 7, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Detroit and Cubans Tangle Here Tonight". The Knoxville News-Sentinel. July 11, 1947. Retrieved May 7, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "Welch Pilot of Top Negro Agreggation". Saint Joseph Herald-Press. Saint Joseph, MI. June 15, 1948. Retrieved May 7, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "A Series With Chicago". The Kansas City Star. July 24, 1949. Retrieved May 7, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "Negro Giants and Cubans to Play 2 Games Today". Chicago Tribune. June 4, 1950. Retrieved May 7, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ "Major Leaguers Meet All-Stars". Chicago Defender. p. 18 – via Proquest.
  17. ↑ "Obituary for Alvin Gipson (Aged 74)". The Shreveport Journal. March 27, 1987 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ "The Top 100 List". The Times. Shreveport, LA. August 22, 1999. Retrieved May 7, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
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