George Scales

For the football goalkeeper, see George Scales (footballer).
George Scales
2nd Baseman / Manager
Born: (1900-08-16)August 16, 1900
Talladega, Alabama
Died: April 15, 1976(1976-04-15) (aged 75)
Compton, California
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
debut
1921, for the St. Louis Giants
Last appearance
1946, for the Baltimore Elite Giants
Negro league statistics
Batting average.319
Home runs64
Runs scored489
Teams
As Player

As Player/Manager

Career highlights and awards

George Louis Scales (August 16, 1900 - April 15, 1976),[1] nicknamed "Tubby", was an American second baseman and manager in Negro league baseball, most notably with the New York Lincoln Giants and Baltimore Elite Giants. Born in Talladega, Alabama,[1] he batted .319 over a 25-year career during which he played several positions. He also managed for twelve seasons in the Puerto Rican Winter League, winning six pennants,[1] and led the Caribbean World Series champions in 1951.

Buck Leonard claimed that George Scales was the best curveball hitter he ever saw.[2]

At age 52, Scales received votes listing him on the 1952 Pittsburgh Courier player-voted poll of the Negro leagues' best players ever.[3]

After retiring from baseball in 1958, he became a stockbroker.[4] He died at age 75 in Compton, California.[1]

Scales was among 39 final candidates considered for the Baseball Hall of Fame's Class of 2006 by the Committee on African-American Baseball, however he was not among the 17 elected.[5][6]

On November 5, 2021, he was selected to the final ballot for the Baseball Hall of Fame's Early Days Committee for consideration in the Class of 2022. He received four of the necessary twelve votes.[7]

  1. ^ a b c d "Pre-Negro Leagues Candidate Profile: George Walter "Tubby" Scales". Archived from the original on 2007-06-08.
  2. ^ Charlton, James; Shatzkin, Mike; Holtje, Stephen (1990). The Ballplayers: baseball's ultimate biographical reference. New York: Arbor House/William Morrow. p. 965. ISBN 0-87795-984-6.
  3. ^ "1952 Pittsburgh Courier Poll of Greatest Black Players"
  4. ^ James A. Riley (1994). The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues. New York: Carroll & Graf Publishers, Inc.
  5. ^ Associated Press (21 November 2005). "Hall to consider 39 Negro, pre-Negro leaguers". ESPN.com. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  6. ^ National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum (27 February 2006). "Seventeen from Negro Leagues, Pre-Negro leagues Eras Elected to the Hall of Fame by Special Committee". Archived from the original on 28 February 2006. Retrieved 20 February 2022.
  7. ^ "Fowler, Hodges, Kaat, Miñoso, Oliva, O'Neil Elected to Hall of Fame". baseballhall.org. December 5, 2021. Retrieved December 5, 2021.