{{Short description|American baseball player (1913–1982)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2022}} {{Infobox baseball biography |name=Mays Copeland |image= |position=Pitcher |bats=Right |throws=Right |birth_date={{birth date|1913|8|31}} |birth_place=Mountain View, Arkansas, U.S. |death_date={{death date and age|1982|11|29|1913|8|31}} |death_place=Indio, California, U.S. |debutleague = MLB |debutdate=April 27 |debutyear=1935 |debutteam=St. Louis Cardinals |finalleague = MLB |finaldate=April 27 |finalyear=1935 |finalteam=St. Louis Cardinals |statleague = MLB |stat1label=Win–loss record |stat1value=0–0 |stat2label=Earned run average |stat2value=13.50 |stat3label=Strikeouts |stat3value=0 |teams= *St. Louis Cardinals ({{mlby|1935}}) }} '''Mays Copeland''' (August 31, 1913 – November 29, 1982) was an American baseball pitcher. Born in 1913 in Mountain View, Arkansas, he played professional baseball in the St. Louis Cardinals organization from 1933 to 1936. He appeared in 68 professional games, compiling a 46–44 win–loss record.<ref name=BRM>{{cite web|title=Mays Copeland Minor League Statistics and History|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Baseball-Reference.com|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/copelma01.shtml|access-date=January 13, 2022}}</ref>

During the 1933 season, he appeared in 41 games for the Springfield (MO) Cardinals and compiled a 17–12 record.<ref name=BRM/>

In April 1934, Springfield sold Copeland to the Houston club in the Texas League.<ref>{{cite news|title=Springfield Cards Sell Mays Copeland|newspaper=Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise|date=April 3, 1934|page=10|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92506656/mays-copeland/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He compiled a 16–10 record for Houston with a 3.65 earned run average (ERA).<ref name=BRM/>

After two successful seasons in the minor leagues, he was sold to the Cardinals in December 1934.<ref>{{cite news|title=Cardinals Get Copeland, Pitcher with Houston|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=December 27, 1934|page=17|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92507116/copeland/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He injured his arm in spring training camp,<ref name=Inj/> and appeared in only one game with the Cardinals on April 27, 1935, giving up two hits and allowing one earned run.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mays Copeland Statistics and History|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|work=Baseball-Reference.com|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/copelma01.shtml|access-date=January 13, 2022}}</ref>

In May 1935, the Cardinals released Copeland to the Columbus Red Birds.<ref>{{cite news|title=Pitcher Copeland Is Released by Cards to Reduce Squad|newspaper=The St. Louis Star and Times|date=May 11, 1935|page=6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92507995/mays-copeland/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He was reportedly sent to Columbus "to work out a 'sore arm'."<ref>{{cite news|title=Cards Took 2 Games Sunday From the Reds|newspaper=Bartlesville Examiner-Enterprise|date=June 10, 1935|page=6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92508391/copeland/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Subject To Go Back Up When Arm Is Healed|newspaper=Springfield Leader and Press|date=June 9, 1935|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92508715/copeland/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Branch Rickey rated Copeland as his "No. 1 recruit," and his failure to deliver due to arm trouble was cited by Rickey as the No. 1 reason why the 1935 Cardinals failed to live up to expectations.<ref name=Inj>{{cite news|title=Rickey Lists Four Major Reasons Why Cardinals Fail to Deliver: Rookie Copeland, With Arm Injury, Upset All Plans|newspaper=St. Louis Star-Times|author=Ray J. Gillespie|date=July 2, 1935|page=18|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92509416/copeland/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He spent the rest of the 1935 season with Springfield and Houston.<ref>{{cite news|title=Landis Orders Copeland Back To Columbus|newspaper=Fort Worth Star-Telegram|date=August 7, 1935|page=11|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92509668/copeland/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

He concluded his professional baseball career in 1936 with Springfield and the Houston Buffs.<ref>{{cite news|title=Press Box Gossip|newspaper=Springfield Leader and Press|date=February 5, 1937|page=17|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92510145/copeland/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He was placed on the suspended list with a sore arm in 1937 and unsuccessfully attempted a comeback in 1938.<ref>{{cite news|title=Cardinals Reduce Holdovers A Only 11 Contracts Go Out|newspaper=Springfield Leader and Press|date=January 23, 1938|page=9|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92510465/copeland/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

His twin brother, Hays Copeland, also played baseball and tried out with the Cardinals.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mays Copeland's Twin to Return For Cardinal Tryout Next Spring|newspaper=The Springfield News Leader|author=Springfield, Missouri|date=September 24, 1933|pages=9, 10|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92505992/mays-copeland/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

Copeland served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was wounded in action in Belgium in December 1944.<ref>{{cite news|title=Cpl. Mays Copeland Wounded In Action|newspaper=The Union City Times-Gazette|date=January 20, 1945|page=6|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92510768/copeland/|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

Copeland died in 1982 in Indio, California, at age 69.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92505675/obituary-for-mays-copeland-aged-69/|title = Obituary for Mays Copeland (Aged 69)|newspaper = The Desert Sun|date = December 1982|page = 5}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{Baseballstats |mlb=112661 |espn= |br=c/copelma01 |fangraphs= |brm=copela001may |retro=C/Pcopem101}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Copeland, Mays}} Category:1913 births Category:1982 deaths Category:Major League Baseball pitchers Category:St. Louis Cardinals players Category:Baseball players from Arkansas Category:People from Mountain View, Arkansas Category:20th-century American sportsmen Category:Cleveland A's players Category:Columbus Red Birds players Category:Houston Buffaloes players Category:Springfield Cardinals (Missouri) players