Jimmie Humphries

Elija James Humphries (November 17, 1890 – September 10, 1971) was an American professional baseball player, manager and executive. He was a longtime figure in minor league baseball in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

For the Irish hurler, see Jimmy Humphreys.
Jimmie Humphries
Humphries in 1955
Infielder / Manager / Owner
Born: (1890-11-17)November 17, 1890[lower-alpha 1]
Waco, Texas
Died: September 10, 1971(1971-09-10) (aged 80)
Fort Worth, Texas
Batted: Unknown Threw: Unknown[lower-alpha 2]

Biography

Humphries' playing career in professional baseball spanned 1907 to 1918.[3][lower-alpha 3] A second baseman and shortstop, he had a career-best .277 batting average in 1916, compiling 136 hits in 136 games with the McAlester Miners of the Western Association, although batting records for multiple of his seasons are incomplete.[3] He appeared in at least 376 minor league games during a 10-season playing career.[3]

Humphries was a player-manager with the Bonham Boosters in 1911, the Sherman Cubs in 1912, the Sherman Lions in 1913, and the McAlester Miners from 1915 to 1917.[3] He led the Miners to a first-place finish in 1917.[4]

In 1919, Humphries was hired as the Oklahoma City Indians team secretary and in 1920, he briefly managed the team.[5] He served as the team's business manager in the 1930s and 1940s, and in 1948, he became the team's president. In 1951, Humphries bought the franchise and became its owner.[5] He signed pitcher Bill Greason in 1952, making Greason the second African American player in the Texas League.[6] Humphries owned the team through 1957; it folded when the Texas League reorganized after that season.[5] All told, Humphries was with the Oklahoma City Indians for 39 years, "one of the longest careers with a single franchise in baseball history."[7]

In 1958, Humphries moved his franchise to Corpus Christi, Texas, to become the Corpus Christi Giants, and remained owner.[8][9] He later had a stake in the Victoria Giants of the Texas League.[10]

Humphries was born in Waco, Texas,[3] and attended Baylor University.[11] He died in Fort Worth, Texas, in September 1971,[12] and was interred at Rose Hill Cemetery there.[11]

Notes
  1. Date of birth of November 17, 1890, is per his draft registration card of April 1942, which he signed.[1] Online photos of his gravestone show it lists that date. His entry in the Social Security Death Index has it as November 17, 1889.[2] Baseball-Reference.com lists December 23, 1889.[3]
  2. Baseball middle infielders, such as Humphries, almost always throw right-handed.
  3. Per existing records, Humphries did not play professionally during 1909 or 1910, although minor league records from this era can be incomplete.

References
  1. "Draft Registration Card". Selective Service System. April 1942. Retrieved September 11, 2020 – via fold3.com.
  2. "Social Security Death Index". Social Security Administration. Retrieved September 11, 2020 – via fold3.com.
  3. "Jimmie Humphries Minor Leagues Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 11, 2020.
  4. "McAlester Wins Pennant". The Pittsburgh Press. September 4, 1917. p. 28. Retrieved September 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  5. Tramel, Berry (March 27, 2013). "Bill Greason: Owner Jimmie Humphries paved the way". newsok.com.
  6. "Tribe Signs Negro". The Oklahoman. Oklahoma City. July 29, 1952. p. 33. Retrieved September 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  7. Burke, Bob (2003). Baseball in Oklahoma City. Arcadia Publishing. p. 10. ISBN 1531617832 – via Google Books.
  8. "Segregation Law Used in Baseball". Leader-Telegram. Eau Claire, Wisconsin. AP. September 26, 1958. p. 19. Retrieved September 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  9. "A whole new ballgame". caller.com. March 31, 2005.
  10. Lyons, John (October 1, 1961). "Victoria Still Has Hopes Of Staying in Texas League". The Victoria Advocate. Victoria, Texas. p. 13A – via Google News.
  11. "Jimmie Humphries Dies". The Oklahoman. Oklahoma City. September 12, 1971. p. 40. Retrieved September 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
  12. "City Baseball Pioneer, 81, Dies". The Oklahoman. Oklahoma City. September 12, 1971. p. 13-A. Retrieved September 11, 2020 – via newspapers.com.
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