Alvin Jacob Powell (July 15, 1908 – November 4, 1948),[1] was an outfielder for the Washington Senators (1930, 1934–1936 and 1943–1945),[2] New York Yankees (1936–1940)[3] and Philadelphia Phillies (1945).[4]
Jake Powell | |
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Outfielder | |
Born: (1908-07-15)July 15, 1908 Silver Spring, Maryland | |
Died: November 4, 1948(1948-11-04) (aged 40) Washington, D.C. | |
Batted: Right Threw: Right | |
MLB debut | |
August 3, 1930, for the Washington Senators | |
Last MLB appearance | |
September 30, 1945, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |
MLB statistics | |
Batting average | .271 |
Home runs | 22 |
Runs batted in | 327 |
Teams | |
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Career highlights and awards | |
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Powell helped the Yankees win the World Series every year from 1936 to 1939 and batted .455 in the 1936 series.[5] In eleven seasons, he played in 688 games and had 2,540 at bats, 353 runs, 689 hits, 116 doubles, 26 triples, 22 home runs, 327 RBIs, 65 stolen bases, 173 walks, a .271 batting average, .320 on-base percentage, .363 slugging percentage, 923 total bases and 43 sacrifice hits. Defensively, he recorded a .975 fielding percentage.
He played in 31 games in 1939 and 12 games in 1940 before the Yankees sold him to the minor leagues.[6] In the fall of 1944 – during World War II – Powell served as an emergency police officer in Montgomery County, Maryland. He returned to baseball at the start of the 1945 season. In 1948, Powell tried to make a comeback, playing in 31 games for the Gainesville G-Men of the Florida State League, but batted just .220.[7]
Throughout his career, Powell had been involved in a number of controversies on and off the field. While playing for the 1936 World Series team, he received a $5,000 check, which he later gambled away. He also stole various items out of hotel rooms during his baseball days.[8] During a dugout interview in a July 1938 game versus the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park, Powell was asked by WGN radio announcer Bob Elson how he stayed in shape during the off-season. Powell – who claimed to be a policeman in his hometown of Dayton, Ohio (but in reality had only applied without being hired) – replied that he kept in shape by "cracking niggers over the head with my blackjack."[9] He was subsequently suspended for 10 days by Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis, for making "an uncomplimentary reference to a portion of the population."[6] He was later ordered by the Yankees to walk through Harlem as an act of apology, accompanied by noted Black aviator Hubert Julian.[6] Powell was later accused of purposefully colliding with Jewish star Hank Greenberg, costing Greenberg his season after only 12 games with a broken wrist.[10]
In November 1948, Powell was arrested in Washington, D.C. for passing bad checks. He drew a revolver while at a police station and committed suicide.[6]
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New York Yankees 1936 World Series champions | |
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New York Yankees 1937 World Series champions | |
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New York Yankees 1938 World Series champions | |
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