William "Dizzy" Dismukes (March 15, 1890 – June 30, 1961) was an

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

and

manager Management (or managing) is the administration of organizations, whether businesses, nonprofit organizations, or a government bodies through business administration, nonprofit management, or the political science sub-field of public administra ...

Negro league baseball The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams of African Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be used narrowly for the seven relativel ...

and during the pre-Negro league years. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama, where his father Isaac Lee Dismukes was a deacon in a Baptist church, and his mother Sallie taught Sunday School. He knew from the time he was a youth that baseball was his first love, and he dropped out of school to follow his dream of becoming a baseball player.

Career

Dismukes was a right-handed submariner, who is considered by many historians to be one of the best pitchers in the Negro leagues. Born and raised in

Birmingham, Alabama Birmingham ( ) is a city in the north central region of Alabama, United States. It is the county seat of Jefferson County, Alabama, Jefferson County. The population was 200,733 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List ...

, he began his baseball career at age 17. Among his achievements as a pitcher, he defeated the then-major league champion Pittsburgh Pirates 2–1, in an exhibition game in 1911. While a player, he periodically wrote about baseball for such black newspapers as the ''Pittsburgh Courier'', beginning in the 1920s. Among the teams he played for were the Brooklyn (NY) Royal Giants, Indianapolis ABCs and the St. Louis Stars. During his managing years, Dismukes became known for his wonderful memory during his playing and managing, and became known as a strategist. He is credited with teaching Webster McDonald and Carl Mays the tricks of submarine-style pitching. He spent a number of years with the Kansas City Monarchs, in such roles as traveling secretary and business manager. Later in his career, after major league baseball was integrated, he was a scout for the Chicago Cubs and then the New York Yankees. He joined the Yankees as a scout in 1953, having resigned his position as secretary of the Kansas City Monarchs. He died in 1961, at age 71, at the home of his sister in

Campbell, Ohio Campbell (; ) is a city in eastern Mahoning County, Ohio, United States, along the Mahoning River. The population was 7,852 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Located directly southeast of Youngstown, Ohio, Youngstown, it is a suburb i ...

; the cause of death was hardening of the arteries."Dizzy Dismukes, ABC Pitcher, Dies." ''Indianapolis Recorder'', June 29, 1961, p. 11. At age 62, Dismukes received votes listing him on the 1952 ''

Pittsburgh Courier The ''Pittsburgh Courier'' was an African American weekly newspaper published in Pittsburgh from 1907 until October 22, 1966. By the 1930s, the ''Courier'' was one of the leading black newspapers in the United States. It was acquired in 1965 by ...

'' player-voted poll of the Negro leagues' best players ever."1952 Pittsburgh Courier Poll of Greatest Black Players"
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Notes

References

External links

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Baseball-Reference Black Baseball stats
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Seamheads
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Seamheads
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dismukes, Dizzy 1890 births 1961 deaths French Lick Plutos players Kansas City Monarchs players Homestead Grays players West Baden Sprudels players Chicago American Giants players Indianapolis ABCs players Birmingham Black Barons players Dayton Marcos players Memphis Red Sox players San Francisco Park players Club Fé players Negro league baseball managers Baseball players from Birmingham, Alabama American expatriate baseball players in Cuba