The Alicevillenative played at Holmes County (Miss.) Bessemer native Frank "Pig" House (1930-2005) was a major-league catcher with the Detroit Tigers from 1950-1958. In 2016 the team moved into the newly renovated Sewell-Thomas Stadium, a $42 million renovation making The Joe look like a totally new ball park. In March 2001, the Indians organization named Morton one its "Top 100 Indians.". Some high school data is courtesy David McWater. The Bessemer native starred in football, basetball and track at McAdory Highand Auburn, where he won the Heisman Trophy in 1985. He posted a .303/.357/.563 batting line with 28 home runs and 113 RBIs at Double-A Huntsville in 2012, and reached Triple-A the following year. Featuring Hall of Fame greats, superstars, and active players, this list of basketball players who were born in Alabama includes Charles Barkley, DeMarcus Cousins, Robert Horry, and Eric Bledsoe. Subscribe to Stathead Baseball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Baseball Reference Database. Scott signed Aaron for the Clowns, and at the age of 18, his professional baseball career began. The Mobile metropolitan area is home to a bit more than 400,000 people. Northport native Frank Lary (1930-2017) pitched in the minor leagues during the early 1950s before he was called up to the major leagues by the Detroit Tigers in 1954. Blocton native: Suttles was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006 after being chosen for enshrinement by the Negro League Committee. Pratt led the American League with 103 RBIs in 1916 and topping the circuit in games played five times. He left the team and returned to Mobile. They will welcome all corrections to their data. Six of [] After emerging as a baseball star at Cullman High, Rutledge immediately became a standout shortstop at Alabama and led the team in hitting, stolen bases and runs scored as a freshman. An Elbanative, McKinnon became a four-time All-Gulf South Conference player and a three-time Division II All-American atNorth Alabama, as the Lions went 48-5-1 and won three straight NCAA Division II national titles with McKinnon. Three Alabama cities currently have Double-A teams; the Birmingham Barons, the Mobile BayBears, and the Montgomery Biscuits, and local games are popular attractions. update=copyright.getFullYear(); Washington County: Wilmer Mizell, baseball. Creg Stephenson | AP photo by John Bazemore. Mobile native Cleon Jones (1942- ) played football for Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical University before joining the New York Mets in 1963. After his release, he returned to Mobile and played in several semi-pro leagues. McCovey was a star on the Mobile Central High School baseball team. He won more than 20 major stakes with world records in 1946 and 55. Bellhorn joined the Boston Red Sox in 2004, just in time to hit 17 home runs and drive in 82 as that team broke its 86-year World Series title drought. Community College before starring at Florida State. In 1998, he competed at the World Wheelchair Games where he medaled in three different track and field events; Gold Medal in the 200m (setting a world record), Silver Medal in 100m, and a Bronze in 400m. World-Telegram staff photo - via Library of Congress online archive. Thirteen states have no native sons in the Hall of Fame. All rights reserved (About Us). He also slapped 31 doubles and knocked in 95 runs that year, leading Alabama to the College World Series and winning the Golden Spikes Award. On Wednesday, Major League Baseball officially recognized the baseball that Radcliffe, Davis and Suttles - and dozens of other Alabama natives - played as Major League-quality, meaning. MLB Network will televise the enshrinement ceremony, including the acceptance speeches of the new Hall of Famers, at 12:30 p.m. CDT Sunday from Cooperstown, New York. Suttles played his last Negro National League game in 1944, three years before Jackie Robinson became the Major League's first African-American player of the 20th century. Clio native: Sutton was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1998 in his fifth year of eligibility. He logged only 17 carries and caught 14 passes in 10 NFL seasons. He also coached Alabama for many years in the 1960s, and the Crimson Tides baseball stadium is named for him. He gained the nickname "Satchel" when he worked part-time at the local train depot. Those skills came later, when Paige spent five years at a reform school after he was arrested for shoplifting. Did you know that there was only one former Alabama A&M University ballplayer who made it to the majors? He broke in with the St. Louis Browns in 1912, and was one of the top second basemen of his era. But Smith is part of Mobile's rich baseball history, and counts as the fifth Mobile-born ballplayer in the Hall of Fame. Magadan spent 16 seasons (1986-2001) in the major leagues as a third baseman, but never achieved stardom. Jacksons career was derailed by a football injury in January 1991, but he returned to play three more seasons on the diamond before retiring in 1994. Bellhorn was an All-American shortstop at Auburn in 1995, and a second-round pick of the Oakland Athletics that summer. When the R&A dropped its feature groups for the 151st Open Championship, one name was surprisingly left off defending champ, Cam Smith. The Methodology. As a junior in 1983, Magadan set one of SEC baseballs most-hallowed records when he batted .525 (114-for-217). Sewell later managed for 10 seasons, leading the lowly Browns to their lone American League pennant in 1944. He ran for more than 5,000 yards and 27 TDs in the NFL and was named to three Pro Bowls. Olson was an All-American relief pitcher at Auburn in both 1987 and 1988, totaling 10 saves each year. Doyle Alexander Frank Allen (baseball) Tanner Allen Tim Anderson (baseball) Ivy Andrews Jimmie Armstead Graham Ashcraft B Billy Bancroft (coach) Dan Bankhead Garnett Bankhead Joe Bankhead Sam Bankhead Red Barnes Sam Barnes (baseball) Colter Bean Jordan Beck (baseball) Joe Beckwith Willie McCovey, first baseman, Giants 1959-1973, 1977-80, Padres 1974-76, Athletics 1976. Top 20 baseball players in Alabama and Auburn history, Ranking the top 20 baseball players in Alabama and Auburn history, Alabama and Auburn renew their baseball rivalry at Plainsman Park this weekend. He then spent eight seasons in the NFL with the New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles, retiring after the 1999 season. update=copyright.getFullYear(); A standout baseball, basketball and football player at Lee-Huntsville High, he became the first African-American quarterback in the SEC at Tennesssee, where he was known as "The Artful Dodger." The national high school player of the year at Childersburg, he played one season at Alabama before playing in the NBA from 2001-15. Every state in the United States of America, and more than forty-five countries, have had at least one player make it to the show. A Roanoke native who grew up in Masillion, Ohio, Gillom pioneered modern punting by catching the snap deeper than normal to allow him to punt with more power and give the kick more hangtime. RELATED:Alabamas greatest football players. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Many are familiar with his reputation as a baseball Hall of Famer and one of the game's hardest-throwing pitchers, and others are familiar with Feller's. He also played for the California Angels and New York Yankees in an eight-year big-league career, and later managed the Red Sox for three seasons. Etowah County: Carnell "Cadillac" Williams. Major League Baseball Players Born in Alabama / Played in 1963 Since the 19th Century, Major League Baseball has enjoyed a rich, diverse, world-wide set of talent not seen in any other major league sport. Leach led the SEC with a 1.30 ERA in 1974, and was drafted in the seventh round by Boston in 1976. copyright=new Date(); A punter and defensive lineman at Ohio State, he played for the Cleveland Browns from 1947-56 when the Browns won three NFL championships. He retired following the 2001 season, finishing with 217 saves. We, as you are well aware, enjoy taking that extra step here and have taken that common data and added this amazing chart which will enable you to see a historical breakdown of players from any given year in history by their place of birth: If you would like to see a comprehensive list broken down by country of the first player born Joe Sewell, shortstop, Indians 1920-30, Yankees 1931-33. The University of Alabama baseball program started in 1892. Win Expectancy, Run Expectancy, and Leverage Index calculations provided by Tom Tango of InsideTheBook.com, and co-author of The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball. The 6-foot-10 forward from Andalusiastarred at Alabama, setting the career record for blocked shots, before winning seven NBA titles with three different teams. All these great baseball men. Or write about sports? So, well put Sir Charles here. He played briefly in the NFL for the Baltimore Colts and New York Giants. One of the most controversial players in NFL history, he is a six-time Pro Bowl selection and a member of the NFL All-2000s Team. A tradition at Sewell-Thomas Stadium is to play the Rednex song "Cotton-Eyed Joe" during the after the 7th inning. Buck O'Neil, then a scout with the Cubs, traveled to Alabama and persuaded Williams to return. He loved baseball from an early age, so much so that he often skipped school to play around and listen to games on the radio at a local pool hall. He also played for the New York Mets, the Milwaukee Braves, and the Chicago White Sox before retiring in 1965. The 25-time All-Star is most famous for breaking Babe Ruth's career home run record, but he remains baseball's all-time leader in runs batted in and total bases. When Sewell played for Alabama, they were not in the Southeastern Conference. He ran for 138 yards on just five carries against Virginia Tech in 1973. Sewell-Thomas Stadium is nicknamed "The Joe" by Crimson Tide fans, in honor of Baseball Hall of Fame member Joe Sewell, who played college baseball at Alabama. Following his major-league career, Andrews returned to Alabama as pitching coach for the minor-league Birmingham Barons. . Elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972, he was known for his toughness and his propensity to pitch inside. A Georgiananative, Morrow played at Southern Mississippi and later played three seasons with the Oakland Raiders. He enjoyed modest success with the Yankees, Cincinnati Reds and New York Mets from 2004-08, and is now an assistant coach at his alma mater. This is a stretch, but Leeds Barkleys hometown is in Jefferson, Shelby and St. Clair counties. She became the first African-American woman to win a gold medal by high-jumping 5 feet, 6 1/8 inches at the 1948 Olympics in London after the 1940 and 1944 Olympic Games were cancelled because of World War II. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. According to Baseball in Mobile, a book written by Joe Cuhaj and Tamra Carraway-Hinckle, professional baseball debuted in Mobile in the 1880s with the creation of the Gulf Baseball League, which featured two teams from Mobile and two from New Orleans. He started on Auburns 1957 national championship team and then was named All-American in 1958 and 1959. The Stevenson native and Jackson County High graduate played baseball and tennis at Auburn before becoming a harness racing champion. He was a two-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro. So did outfielders Cleon Jones and Tommie Agee, who played baseball and football together at Mobile's County High; and pitcher/catcher Ted "Double Duty" Radcliffe, who was born a year before Paige and played with him in the Negro Leagues for decades. Did you know that Sammy Sosa Limestone County: Philip Rivers, football. His brother Wilson, also a pitcher, played with Satchel on the Mobile Tigers. He was visited in the hospital and later at home by such stars as Walter Payton, Janet Jackson and President George Bush. Creg Stephenson | AP photo by Charles Krupa. He averaged at least 13 points per game for nine straight season, including a career high 19.4 points per game in 2007-08. Void in ONT. A native of Eutaw, he pitched in the Negro Leagues from 1925-34, mostly with the Chicago American Giants. He played his entire 19-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career, primarily as a left fielder, for the Boston Red Sox from 1939 to 1960; his career was interrupted by military service during World War II and the Korean War. He returned to Oxford, Miss., in January 19912 to pursue his degree, but he died in May 1991 after collapsing from complications resulting from a blood clot. The Big Hurt famously came to Auburn on a football scholarship, but quickly made his mark on the diamond. The following 200 pages are in this category, out of approximately 355 total. He broke Babe Ruths career home run record by hitting his 715th homer in April 1974. A right-handed pitcher and Camden native, he broke into the Negro Leagues for the Birmingham Black Barons in 1944 and played professionally until 1956. 1. Brown was the star of Alabama's first recognized national. After World War II, he later played basketball at Alabama. Irvin died earlier this year. Satchel Paige's professional baseball career was launched. Davenport also briefly managed the Giants in 1985. Research later found he had the most advanced stage of CTE. A durable player who played in 166 straight pro games, he is a member of the College and Pro Football Halls of Fame. So were championship boxers Joe Louis, Evander Holyfield and Deontay Wilder. Baseball Players. Don Sutton, pitcher, Dodgers 1966-1980, 1988, Astros 1981-82, Brewers 1982-84, Athletics 1985, Angels 1985-87. CB: Collegiate Baseball The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. "For starting pitchers we have two Dominicans, one Italian, one Mexican and one Japanese. More than Philadelphia. Served as head baseball coach at the University of South Alabama . Talladega County: Gerald Wallace, basketball. He started all 180 NFL games in which he played. Sewell played just half a minor-league season before joining the Cleveland Indians when starting shortstop Ray Chapman was killed by a pitch in August of 1920. The Alabama Crimson Tide baseball team represents the University of Alabama in NCAA Division I college baseball. Some defensive statistics Copyright Sports Info Solutions, 2010-2023. That's because Smith's family moved from Mobile to the Watts section of Los Angeles when he was six years old. National College Baseball Hall of Fame inductees, Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Baseball America College Player of the Year Award, Baseball America Freshman of the Year Award, Collegiate Baseball Freshman Player of the Year Award, National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association, List of NCAA Division I baseball programs, "2010 College Baseball Hall of Fame Inductees", "2007 College Baseball Hall of Fame Inductees", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alabama_Crimson_Tide_baseball&oldid=1161791099, 1950, 1983, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2006, 2010, 2023, 1947, 1948, 1950, 1955, 1968, 1983, 1986, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2021, 2023. Ozzie Smith, 68 6. Whistler native, Mobile County Training School: Williams was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987 in his sixth year of eligibility. A high-flying dunk artist early in his career, he earned a reputation for a reckless style of play that led to a series of injuries but often kept him in the lineup. Also joining the Hall of Fame lineup on Sunday are outfielder Harold Baines, designated hitter Edgar Martinez and pitchers Roy Halladay, Mike Mussina and Lee Smith. Smith played at Auburn in the first decade of the 20th century, when it was still known as Alabama Polytechnic Institute. His 156 TDs ranks fifth all-time in NFL history. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. In addition to filtering, you can quickly COMPARE player stats or use the MULTI-PLAYER STAT VIEWER to view multiple player cards on the same page. This category highlights baseball players, past and present, originally from the state of Alabama. A standout at Dothans Carver High, the 7-foot-2 giant played collegeiately at Gardner-Webb (N.C.) and Jacksonville (Fla.) and averaged an NCAA record 22.7 rebounds per game. As a Red, he led the National League with 52 home runs in 1977 and later in his career also played for the New York Mets and Chicago White Sox. Worthington won 10 games and saved 21 for the Twins 1965 World Series team, and led the AL in saves with 18 at age 39 in 1968. Alabama has plenty of other notable athletes who have made their mark through the years. The following Crimson Tide alumnus have appeared in a Fall Classic: Joe Sewell in the 1920 World Series, Riggs Stephenson in the 1929 World Series, Joe Sewell & Riggs Stephenson in the 1932 World Series, Luke Sewell in the 1933 World Series (and again as a manager in the 1944 World Series ), and Al Worthington in the 1965 World Series. Learn about the the most Famous Alabama Baseball Players including Bo Jackson, Hank Aaron, Tim Anderson, Willie Mays, Gunnar Henderson and many more. Much of the play-by-play, game results, and transaction information both shown and used to create certain data sets was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by RetroSheet. Birmingham native Bob Veale (1935- ) was a major-league pitcher with the Pittsburgh Pirates from 1964-1971, a team leader in strikeouts for seven seasons and part of the Pirates' 1971 World Series winning team. Alabama has produced some of Americas greatest athletes, from modern heroes like Bo Jackson, Charles Barkley and Julio Jones to Negro Leagues baseball stars Monte Irvin and Dan Bankhead. Born in Wilsonville in 1899, he played baseball at Auburn but is best known as The Worlds Greatest Archer. Iconic Olympic sprinter Jesse Owens was born here. Where what happened yesterday is being preserved today. And despite Mobile's openness to baseball on Sundays, his mother didn't approve his playing on the holy day. Collegiate Data ( about ) courtesy SABR's Collegiate Committee. Satchel played with the White Sox for a season and a half, when his contract was sold to the Birmingham Black Barons of the Negro National League. All rights reserved (About Us). He ranks in the top 10 all-time in strikeouts with more than 3,500. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. He retired with a record of 68-3, with 54 knockouts. Leaders: On stat grids. 21+ (18+ NH/WY). By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Gambling Problem? The team plays its home games on campus at SewellThomas Stadium. He was part of the "Miracle Mets" who upset the Baltimore Orioles in the 1969 World Series. He played for the St. Louis Cardinals, Pittsburgh Pirates and New York Mets from 1952-53 and 1956-62, compiling a record of 90-88 and pitching 61 complete games. Most of the Black Bears players were grown men with regular week-day jobs who played ball on the weekends. A member of the 1988 U.S. Olympic team and a first-round pick of the Chicago White Sox in 1989, Thomas was an immediate success in the big leagues and one of the greatest hitters of his or any era. Prior to 2014, Sewell was the first player from an SEC school inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame (though his time at Alabama pre-dates the SEC). Worthington, a Birmingham native, signed with the New York Giants out of Alabama in 1951. Born in tiny Vredenburgh, he remains the career and single-season scoring leader in AHSAA history, averaging 41 points per game during his career at J.F. Henry Manush (1901-1971), a native of Tuscumbia, Colbert County, began his 17-year Major League Baseball career in 1923 with the Detroit Tigers. Jones burst into stardom as a receiver and kick returner at Foley, where he won the Mr. Football Award before starring at Alabama and helping the Crimson Tide win the 2009 national title. A fourth-round draft pick by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2010, the first baseman has not yet reached the major leagues. He batted .288/.390/.377 for his career, with his best year coming in 1990 when he hit .328 with 72 RBIs for the New York Mets. Six players heard their names called as pieces of the future in various big . was the first foreign-born (Cuba) player to reach the Put your baseball knowledge to the test with our new daily trivia game, Immaculate Grid. Turner, a 6-foot-1, 241-pounder known for his blocking prowess, Research later found he had the most advanced stage of CTE, Kirkland became the first disabled athlete to be inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, The unknown story of how UNA signed Ronald McKinnon, high school teammate Jerome Sanders told AL.com in 2010, How brutal hazing at Alabama nearly ended Bart Starr's career, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Creg Stephenson | Baseball Hall of Fame photo. Titus native, Wetumpka High School, Alabama: The former University of Alabama player and coach was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977 after being chosen for enshrinement by the Veterans Committee. Six players will be enshrined, including the first to be unanimously selected for induction by the Baseball Writers' Association of America -- former New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera. Morgan County: Vicki Orr Wiley, basketball. He then spent three years in the Army Air Force during World War II, returning to the big leagues in 1946. document.write(update); Mobile, Alabama: a baseball town since the 1880s, and the birthplace of five ballplayers in the National Baseball Hall of Fame. An outstanding two-way third baseman, Tabor hit 21 home runs in 1940 and drove in 101 in 1941. Early Wynn, pitcher, Senators 1939, 1941-44, 1946-48, Indians 1949-1957, 1963, White Sox 1958-62. Bullock County: Jimmy Hitchcock, football & baseball. Hank Aaron, nicknamed "Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank" is a retired Major League Baseball right fielder who played for the Braves and the Brewers. "He never had an off night," high school teammate Jerome Sanders told AL.com in 2010. As a pitcher/outfielder in 1997, Hudson batted .396 with 18 home runs and 95 RBI and went 15-2 on the mound to earn SEC Player of the Year honors. I just want them to remember Henry Aaron, he said during his 1982 induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. He retired in 1924 with a career batting line of .292/.345/.403 in 1,836 big-league games. At Auburn, she was a three-time All-American, was named SEC Player of the Year in 1988, led the Tigers to three straight Final Fours and later played on the 1992 U.S. Olympic Team. Frank Thomas, first baseman, White Sox 1990-2005, Athletics 2006, 2008, Blue Jays 2007-08: Auburn: Thomas was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2014 in his first year of eligibility. He played professionally in Europe and the CBA before becoming a basketball college head coach at Indiana, UAB and currently at Texas Southern. On Oct. 28, 1989 against Vanderbilt, he hit Brad Gaines and was paralyzed. Kimera Bartee Brian Barton Kevin Bass Norm Bass Kevin Batiste Kim Batiste Earl Battey Allen Battle Howard Battle Don Baylor Charlie Beamon Charlie Beamon Jr. Tony Beasley Tim Beckham Kevin Belcher (baseball) Cool Papa Bell Derek Bell (baseball) Josh Bell (first baseman) He won the Harlon Hill Trophy in 1995 and is the only defensive player to ever win the award. He played his entire career with the San Francisco Giants, retiring in 1970, and was awarded the Golden Glove in 1962. Crenshaw County: Chuck Person, basketball. He then started 176 of 182 games with the Cleveland Browns, finishing his career as the Browns' all-time leading receiver and the all-time leading receiver for NFL tight ends. Though football dominates team athletics in Alabama, baseball has long been a close second in the states sports culture. All-Star Major League Baseball player (1943-53) and manager. He ended his career with the best career interception-to-attempt ratio in Tennessee history, throwing 12 interceptions in 407 attempts. Compare/Analyze: Click multiple rows for players of interest. Born in Selma to a military family, she became the most decorated female soccer player in American history. was the first foreign-born (Dominican Republic) Call (800) 327-5050 or visit gamblinghelpline.ma.org (MA), Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). His total winnings were over $2 million. All Rights Reserved by Baseball Almanac, Inc.Hosted by Hosting 4 Less. Hitchcock was primarily a pinch-hitter and part-time starter during his 9-year MLB career, but went on to enjoy enormous success as a manager, scout and executive. In Mobile County, there's baseball legend Satchel Paige and NFL quarterback Richard Todd. A native of Gainesville who played at Parker High in Birmingham before starring at Grambling (La.) Williams signed with the Cubs in 1956. Satchel Paige (c. 1906-1982) Baseball Player. More than San Francisco. Here are Alabama's Baseball Hall of Fame players (presented in order of induction): Heinie Manush, left fielder, Tigers 1923-27, Browns 1928-30, Senators 1930-35, Red Sox 1936, Dodgers 1937-38, Pirates 1938-39. He later served as Republican Congressman from North Carolina from 1969-75 later served in the administrations of Presidents Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan. As a Red, he led the National League with 52 home runs in 1977 and later in his career also played for the New York Mets and Chicago White Sox. In 11 NBA seasons, he averaged 20.7 points and averaged 10.7 rebounds as a rookie in 1974-75. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Hank Aaron, baseball. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Can you complete the grid? Gardner-Webb transfer pitcher Bobby Alcock recently announced that he was transferring to Alabama. Surf ad-free, get the daily PLAYER TRACKER (take a tour), access to . Part of the Baseball Almanac Family. But Williams wanted to play baseball, like his older brother Franklin, who was already in the Pirates' minor league system. He mashed 32 home runs that year, and was also named MVP of the All-Star game. Terry Moore (1912-1995) a native of Vernon, Lamar County, played for Major League Baseball's St. Louis Cardinals from 1935-1948 (missing three seasons during World War II), including World Series victories in 1942 and 1946. The Sulligentnative starred at Sulligent High and at Auburn before a professional career that included stints with the NFL's Buffalo Bills and USFL's Birmingham Stallions. Records are through the firing of Brad Bohannon. He was drafted No. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. He played tight end in the NFL from 1993-2002, he caught 100 passes for 1,008 yards and 12 touchdowns. Mobile is the third largest city in Alabama. After graduation, he signed with the New York Giants. Blount County: Bryan Kirkland, wheelchair athlete. Based on career WAR, Hall of Fame status, peak performance and overall contributions to the game, we selected an initial pool of more than 200 players from both the major leagues . BA: Baseball America Sutton played high school baseball in Pensacola before his 23-season MLB career, during which he won 324 games and struck out 3,574 batters. Since then, Alabama has had 2 players inducted into the Hall of Fame.[6][7]. An Empire native, the longtime Negro Leagues star became the first African-American pitcher in Major League Baseball with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. four-hundred home runs plateau? He became a 3-point shooting specialist and earned the nickname "Big Shot Rob" for his clutch shooting during his 16-year NBA career. The current team began playing in Birmingham in 1981, having previously played in Montgomery, Alabama as the Montgomery Rebels.