Hugh Alexander

Hugh Alexander (July 10, 1917 – November 25, 2000) was an American professional baseball player and scout. He was an outfielder during his brief playing career, but after he suffered a career-ending injury at the age of 20 he became one of baseball's most celebrated scouts.

Born in Buffalo, Missouri, Alexander moved to Oklahoma with his family at the age of five. Alexander the player stood tall, weighed , and batted and threw right-handed. He spent 1936 and 1937 in the lower levels of the Cleveland Indians' farm system, and batted .348 and .344 in successive seasons. Called to the Majors, he appeared in seven games for the Indians in August, getting one hit in eleven at bats (.091) and striking out five times. During a 64-year scouting career, working for the Indians, Chicago White Sox, Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs, Alexander earned the nickname "Uncle Hughie" and would sign other stars, including Steve Garvey, Frank Howard, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell and Don Sutton for the Dodgers alone. He retired in 1998, and died on November 25, 2000.