Gibson, Josh (1911-1947), was one of the greatest hitters in baseball history. Gibson played in the Negro leagues from 1930 through 1946, before African Americans were allowed to play in white-controlled major leagues. Gibson, a catcher, had a career batting average of .372, the highest in the history of the major leagues, which includes the Negro leagues. Gibson’s .466 batting average in 1943 is the highest single-season batting average in major league history. Gibson also gained fame for the length of many of his home runs.
Joshua Gibson was born in Buena Vista, Georgia, on Dec. 21, 1911. He began his professional baseball career with the Memphis Red Sox in 1930. He played for the Pittsburgh Crawfords from 1933 to 1936 and for the Homestead (Pennsylvania) Grays from 1937 to 1946. During the winter, he played baseball for various teams outside the United States, including teams in Mexico, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. Gibson died of a brain tumor on Jan. 20, 1947, at the age of 35. He was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972.
See also Negro leagues.
