Bill McAfee

William Fort McAfee, Jr. (September 7, 1907 – July 8, 1958) was an American baseball pitcher and politician.

He played Major League Baseball from 1930 to 1934 for the Chicago Cubs, Boston Braves, Washington Senators, and St. Louis Browns. He appeared in 83 major league games, all but seven as a relief pitcher, and compiled a record of 10-4 with an ERA of 5.69. He had his best season in 1932 when he was the starting pitcher in five games and compiled a 6-1 record and 3.92 ERA for the Senators.

McAfee had played college baseball for the University of Michigan from 1927 to 1929 and participated in the Michigan Wolverines baseball team's 13-game tour of Japan in the fall of 1929. He also played minor league baseball in the International League for the Reading Keystones, Newark Bears, Montreal Royals, and Rochester Red Wings.

A native of Georgia, McAfee later returned to his home state. He was elected and served as the mayor of Albany, Georgia. He died in a plane crash near Culpeper, Virginia in 1958.

Early years McAfee was born in Smithville, Georgia in 1907. At the time of the 1910 United States census, he was living in Smithville with his father William Fort McAfee, Sr. and two older sisters, Hilda and Mary. His father was a Georgia native and a widower. By 1920, the family had moved to Charlotte, North Carolina. The family consisted of McAfee's father, his second wife Lucy, stepmother to McAfee and his two older sisters; and a younger half-brother (age two). His father was employed as manager for International Harvester Company. McAfee played baseball and other sports in high school.

University of Michigan McAfee enrolled at the University of Michigan and played baseball for the Michigan Wolverines baseball team in 1928 and 1929. In September 1929, he traveled to Japan with the Michigan baseball team for a month at the invitation of Meiji University. This was part of a series of interactions between the universities since after World War I. The team played against the Meiji and other university baseball teams during its month's stay, winning 11 of 13 games on its tour of the country. The team returned from Japan in October 1929 aboard the , sailing from Ray Fisher, Ernest McCoy, Louis Kubicek, and Ray Nebelung. McAfee was also a member of Michigamua and the Theta Delta Chi fraternity while at Michigan. He graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in 1930.

Professional baseball At six feet, two inches, McAfee was considered "a giant" in the early 1930s.

After his brief stint with the Cubs, McAfee spent most of the 1930 season with the Reading Keystones in the International League. He appeared in 21 games for the Keystones and compiled a 7-8 record with a 6.22 ERA.

In October 1930, the Cubs traded McAfee to the Boston Braves in exchange for Bobby Smith. In April 1930, The Sporting News reported on the expectations for McAfee: "McAfee did not show much promise in the conditioning search at St. Pete, but before the team left he was going along on high, [Bill] McKechnie spoke glowingly of his fast ball, curve, control and his pitching sagacity. It's almost too much to expect McAfee to fill Bobby Smith's shoes, but McKechnie will be a bit disappointed if McAfee does not step in as a regular starter." McAfee appeared in 18 games for the Braves during the 1931 season, all but one as a relief pitcher. He compiled a 0-1 records with a 6.37 ERA. In two months with the team, he compiled a 6-1 record with a 3.92 earned run average (ERA) in eight game (five as starter). However, McAfee's ERA soared to 6.62, the highest of his major league career, in 61-2/3 innings with the Senators in 1933. Even so, he compiled a 3-2 record in 1933.

At the beginning of August 1933, McAfee was sent to the Rochester Red Wings in a deal for Ed Chapman. He appeared in 17 games for the Red Wings, compiling a 1-4 record with a 5.37 ERA. During the 1934 season, McAfee appeared in 28 games for the Browns, all as a relief pitcher. He compiled a 1-0 record with a 5.84 ERA.

In February 1935, McAfee announced that he was retiring from baseball to pursue a business career in Chicago with his father.

Later years and family After retiring from baseball, McAfee returned to his home state and lived in Albany, Georgia. He was the co-owner of a truck and tractor company, a distributor for International Harvester, and was active in promoting Little League and PONY League baseball in Albany. He was also elected as the mayor of Albany in 1956 and again in 1958. He held the position at the time of his death.

McAfee was married to Lillian Foote McAfee. They had a son, William Fort McAfee III (1937–2011), and a daughter, Linda (McAfee) Halford. He was buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Albany.