George Alexander "Sharky" Sweatt (December 7, 1893 – July 19, 1983) was an American second baseman in Negro league baseball. He played for the Kansas City Monarchs[1] and Chicago American Giants from 1922 to 1927.[3]

George Sweatt
Second baseman
Born: (1893-12-07)December 7, 1893
Humboldt, Kansas
Died: July 19, 1983(1983-07-19) (aged 89)
Los Angeles, California
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
debut
1922, for the Kansas City Monarchs
Last appearance
1928, for the Chicago Giants
Negro National League statistics
Batting average.263
Home runs8
Runs scored164
Teams

Life

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During his youth, Sweatt worked in hayfields near his hometown of Humboldt, Kansas, and later at Humboldt's Monarch Cement plant.[4] He attended Pittsburg State University, and Kansas State University, and lettered four times. He became a teacher at Coffeyville Junior College in Coffeyville, Kansas after graduating.[5][6] When he was in the off-season with the Monarchs, Sweatt was placed in charge of the playground and athletics at his hometown Cleveland School in Coffeyville, Kansas.[7]

Sweatt played in the Colored World Series in 1924 and 1925 with the Monarchs, and in 1926 and 1927 with the American Giants. This gives him the distinction of being the only regular position player to appear in the Negro league's first four World Series.[8]

After retiring from the Negro leagues in 1928, Sweatt worked for the postal service until 1957. In 1983, George A. Sweatt Park was dedicated in his memory in Humboldt. The Johnson-Sweatt Classic baseball tournament began in 1999, a memorial to Sweatt and Walter Johnson, also from Humboldt.[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Champion Monarchs Open Season With Victory" The Kansas City Advocate, Kansas City, Kansas, Friday, May 29, 1925, Page 3, Columns 1 to 5
  2. ^ "Chicago Giants Jump on Bross For Four Runs in First Inning" Chicago Heights Star, Chicago, IL, Tuesday, June 5, 1928, Page 11, Columns 3-5
  3. ^ "George Sweatt Negro League Statistics & History". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved June 9, 2012.
  4. ^ a b "George Alexander "Sharky" Sweatt". allencountyhistory.com. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  5. ^ "George Sweatt". seamheads.com. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  6. ^ Kates, Ronald E.; McDaniel, John N. (2010). Baseball/Literature/Culture: Essays, 2008-2009. McFarland. p. 58. ISBN 978-0786436811.
  7. ^ "To Coach at Cleveland School." Coffeyville Daily Journal, Coffeyville, Kansas, Saturday, September 2, 1922, Page 6, Column 8
  8. ^ Lester, Larry; Miller, Sammy J.; Clark, Dick (2000). Black Baseball in Chicago. Arcadia Publishing. pp. 44. ISBN 0738507040. george sweatt teacher.
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