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Buck O'Neil

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Baseball Player

The Resume

    (November 13, 1911-October 6, 2006)
    Birth name is John Jordan O'Neil
    First baseman of Memphis Red Sox (1937)
    First Baseman/Manager of K.C. Monarchs (1937-1955)
    Negro American League Batting champ (1940, 46)
    Scout for the Chicago Cubs and K.C. Royals
    Co-owned Miami Giants
    Chairs Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Board of the Directors
    Veterans' Committee of the National Baseball Hall of Fame
    Member of the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame
    Historian on Ken Burn's Baseball
    Honored by the Baseball Hall of Fame (1990)
    East-West All-Star Classic first baseman (1942, 43, 49)
    East-West All-Star Classic West manager (1950, 53-55)
    Died at 94 - RIP

Why he might be annoying:

    He smoked camel cigarettes.
    He had several nicknames besides Buck, one of them was Nancy.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He is incredibly good natured and forgiving.
    Baseball historians and sportscasters considered him one of the best baseball storytellers.
    He managed Jackie Robinson on the K.C. Monarchs (1947).
    He is one of the rare players of yesteryear who does not complain about his salary compared to what he would make today. He earned $100 per month with $1 meal money per day. On the $1 he could buy three meals, cigarettes and had 15 cents left over.
    His best year in the Negro league he made $1,000 per month.
    He said: 'I didn't make much money, but I made more than the principal of the high school, and more than my father made at the post office.'
    Although he was a victim of a racist era, he held almost no animosity.
    He said the three best baseball players were Willie Mays, Oscar Charleston and Josh Gibson.
    He signed Ernie Banks, Lou Brock, Lee Smith and Joe Carter.
    He is the first African-American coach in Major League Baseball (1962-Chicago Cubs).
    He fought for the U.S. Navy during WW II (1944-45).
    He attended the University of Florida.
    Although a proponent of the great Negro League stars, he is fair and balanced, when asked why the Negro League won many exhibition games against Major League teams, he points out that Major League players would not play as hard for fear of hurting themselves and being put out of baseball. He also stated that the Negro players had more to prove, the major leaguer just wanted the paycheck.
    He batted .353 during the Negro World Series helping to sweep the Homestead Grays in four games (1942).
    He won all four East-West All-Star Classic that he managed for the West (1950, 53-55).

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 3 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 8 Votes: 62.50% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 88 Votes: 51.14% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 16 Votes: 43.75% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 25 Votes: 72.00% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 16 Votes: 43.75% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 41 Votes: 46.34% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 48 Votes: 39.58% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 167 Votes: 46.11% Annoying
    In 2007, Out of 195 Votes: 44.62% Annoying
    In 2006, Out of 702 Votes: 39.46% Annoying
    In 2005, Out of 268 Votes: 43.66% Annoying
    In 2004, Out of 288 Votes: 47.22% Annoying