Bill Deck, Negro League pitcher dies at 95

Bill Deck - 1939

Bill Deck, former pitcher for the Philadelphia Stars of the Negro Leagues died Tuesday February 22, 2011 at Jefferson Hospital in Philadelphia according to Dr. Steven McIlwain. He was 95.

Born Sept 28, 1915, Deck had an early start in Negro League baseball as he was a ball chaser for the Hilldale Daises, where he had the chance to watch Hall of Famer Judy Johnson operate up close and personal.

Deck would go on to play for local semi-pro teams in the early 1930's before signing on with the Philadelphia Stars in 1939.

In 1943, Deck was drafted into the Marines for World War II. Deck was in one of the first all-black Marine units in the war. He served until 1946, and upon his return, played for the Bacharach Giants until 1951. 

Deck returned to Philadelphia where he lived in North Philadelphia until his death.

- Update - Excerpts from a 2007 interview I conducted with Deck are posted here. "Bill Deck's Exciting Journey Through the Negro Leagues."

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Clyde Parris - Private Autograph Signing March 5, 2011

BaseballHappenings.net is proud to present a private signing with former Negro Leaguer Clyde Parris. He is the last living alum of the legendary Baltimore Elite Giants, having played with them in 1946. All items are due by March 5, 2011.

Affectionately known as "The Dude", the Panamania-born Parris entered pro ball in the United States with the Baltimore Elite Giants of the Negro Leagues in 1946. Later that season he signed with the New York Black Yankees and played with them until 1948. He spent part of the 1949 season with the Cleveland / Louisville Buckeyes. He is currently one of less than 20 living Negro Leaguers to have entered the Negro Leagues before Jackie Robinson made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

He would eventually be signed to the Brooklyn Dodgers farm system, reaching the Triple-A level for six seasons, earning MVP honors at Class-A Elmira and winning the Triple-A batting title in 1956.

Click here to read a recent article about Parris' career, "Batting Average? You were thinking about surviving!"

Parris has never done a public or private signing. He appears in the 2009 Topps Allen and Ginter set.

The prices for the signing are as follows:
Cards / Photos / Flats / Index Cards - $10
Your Baseball - $12
Our 8x10 Photos - $15 (includes autograph)
Inscriptions - $5

Shipping costs are as follows:
You can send a SASE with your items, however, you assume all risk for the SASE.

$2 Baseball Cards / Index Cards / Photos Smaller Than 5x7
$4 Photos 5x7 or Larger
$5 Baseballs

If you are located outside of the United States, please email for a shipping quotation.

Payment Forms Accepted:
Paypal / Credit Card
Money Order

Please send your items with a post-it note and member name to ensure the correct return.

For details on paying by either Paypal / Credit Card, please send an email to baseballhappenings@yahoo.com

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Clyde Parris continues to carry the legacy of the Negro Leagues

2009 Allen and Ginter Clyde Parris

Jonathan "Clyde" Parris is one of the last living links to the Negro Leagues. Debuting in 1946 with the Baltimore Elite Giants, he is the last living player from the organization that produced Hall of Famers Roy Campanella and Leon Day, as well as Joe Black and Junior Gilliam. I recently caught up with Parris for a piece with the Queens Times / Ledger newspapers.

Click here to read more about the career of Clyde Parris, and how he was extremely close to being called up to the Brooklyn Dodgers after leading the minor leagues in hitting.

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Recent Brooklyn Dodger passings - Tony Malinosky, Gino Cimoli, Cliff Dapper

As we push farther into 2011, the list of living players that appeared in uniform for the Brooklyn Dodgers are dwindling. In the past week, we lost three Dodger alumni: Tony Malinosky, who was the oldest living major league player; Cliff Dapper, the first player to be traded for a broadcaster; and Gino Cimoli, the first batter to appear in a major league game on the West Coast. Click on each of their photos to learn more about each player.

Tony Malinosky

Cliff Dapper

Gino Cimoli

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Tony Malinosky,101, former Brooklyn Dodger passes away

Tony Malinosky, former Brooklyn Dodger passed away last week in Oxnard, CA. He was 101. Malinosky held the distinction of being the oldest living major league player. He played in 35 games for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1937.

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