Albert Goodwill Spalding was born September 2, 1850 in Byron, Illinois. He was a professional baseball player and founder of the famous sporting goods manufacturer. A.G. Spalding was the premier pitcher of the 1870s and an organizational genius during baseball’s formative years.
Vernon Louis Gómez was born November 26, 1908 in Rodeo, California. Known as Lefty, this Hispanic left-handed pitcher played for the New York Yankees between 1930 and 1942. Remembered mainly for his colorful personality, Lefty Gomez was also one of baseball’s greatest winners, ranking third in Yankee history in regular-season wins with 189.
Napoleon Lajoie [la-ZHOWAY] was born September 5, 1874 in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Of French Canadian descent, Lafoie was nicknamed “Nap” and sometimes known as “Larry.” In his career as a second baseman in Major League Baseball, he was considered one of the greatest players of the fledgling American League in the early 20th century. He was one of the most powerful and consistent righthanded hitters of the dead-ball era.
Osborne Earl Smith was born on December 26, 1954 in Mobile, Alabama. Known as Ozzie, he is a 13-time Gold Glove Award winner and is widely cited as the greatest defensive player of all time. He carried the nickname “The Wizard of Oz,” Oz sometimes spelled -oz and sometimes spelled Ah’s.
Joshua Gibson was born December 21, 1911 in Buena Vista, Georgia. A strong and agile catcher, Gibson was called by many “the black Babe Ruth.” The serious, dour-faced Gibson used a short, compact stride and a massive upper body to crush line drive home runs in ballparks all over North and South America. His clouts overshadowed his defensive abilities — a good arm, quick feet, and a rock-solid presence behind the plate.
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