Sammy Vick

Samuel Bruce Vick (April 12, 1895 – August 17, 1986) was an American professional right fielder in Major League Baseball. He played for the New York Yankees from 1917 to 1920, and the Boston Red Sox in 1921. He stood , and weighed 163 lb., and he batted and threw right-handed. He was born in Batesville, Mississippi, and attended Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi.

After playing one season of minor league baseball in 1917, Vick was signed by the Yankees and was used sparingly by them later that same season. He became their starting right fielder in 1919. With Babe Ruth's arrival, and Bob Meusel's emergence in 1920, Vick's productivity and playing time diminished. Following the season, he was traded to the Red Sox in a deal that brought future Hall of Famer pitcher Waite Hoyt to the Yankees. In his five-season career, Vick had a .248 batting average, with two home runs and 50 RBIs in 213 games played.

After his major league career ended after the 1921 season, he returned to the minor leagues and played in various leagues until 1930. Vick died, after a long illness, in Memphis, Tennessee, at age 91.

Early life Samuel Bruce Vick was born on April 12, 1895 in Batesville, Mississippi, to Hugh, a farmer, and Lillie. After attending Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi, he signed a minor league baseball contract with the Memphis Chickasaws of the Southern Association (SA). He played one season in Memphis, playing in 126 games, and had a .322 batting average along with 24 doubles and 12 triples. The first appearance occurred on April 19, in the second game of a double header against the Boston Red Sox. He relieved starting right fielder Frank Gilhooley late in the game, and collected a hit in each of his two at bats against Red Sox pitcher, Babe Ruth. He had a run batted in (RBI) and scored a run in the game, although the Red Sox won the game by a score of 9 to 5. His other appearance that season was as a pinch hitter in a game against the Washington Senators on April 25, and failed to collect a hit.

In 1919, Vick became the Yankees's starting right fielder. On April 30, in his fourth appearance of the season, he led off the bottom of the first inning with a home run off Mule Watson of the Philadelphia Athletics: his first career home run. He struggled at the plate during the first two months of the season, with a batting average of .208 after the June 1 game. However, he began to increase his productivity in June and July. By early August, he had raised his average to a season-high of .266. For the remainder of the season, Vick's production had a steady, slow decline; he finished the season with a .248 batting average, along with 27 RBIs, 15 doubles, and nine triples. The Yankees now had an outfield that consisted of Ruth, established players of Duffy Lewis and Ping Bodie, and Bob Meusel, a rookie. Injuries to Lewis and Bodie allowed for periods of lengthy playing time for Vick in July and September. Later in the season, Vick and his manager Miller Huggins got into a heated argument, during which Vick punched Huggins. Appreciating Vick's spirit, the manager quickly forgave him. Vick's final totals in 1920 consisted of a .220 batting average in 51 games.

Boston Red Sox The Yankees felt that Vick had not lived up to his potential during his four seasons with the team. Considering the team now had a solid outfield of Ruth, Meusel, Lewis, and Bodie, and the Yankees needed pitching; Vick became expendable. On December 15, 1920, the Yankees traded Vick, Muddy Ruel, Del Pratt and Hank Thormahlen to the Red Sox for Waite Hoyt, Harry Harper, Wally Schang and Mike McNally. He did not appear in a game until June 2, and was mostly used as a pinch hitter and late-game replacement. He was absent from the line-up for most of July as well, until August when again, he was used mainly as a pinch hitter. In total, he played in just 44 games for the Red Sox, with only 15 games in the outfield; 12 of them starting the game. Vick had a season-total of 77 at bats, a .260 batting average, and nine RBIs. Vick died on August 17, 1986 at age 91 in Memphis, Tennessee after a long illness, and is interred at Forrest Memorial Park located in Batesville.