# Sammy Vick

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{{Short description|American baseball player (1895–1986)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name=Sammy Vick
|position=[Right fielder](/source/Right_fielder)
|image=Sammy Vick.jpg
|bats=Right
|throws=Right
|birth_date={{Birth date|1895|4|12|mf=y}}
|birth_place=[Batesville, Mississippi](/source/Batesville%2C_Mississippi), U.S.
|death_date={{death date and age|1986|8|17|1895|4|12}}
|death_place=[Memphis, Tennessee](/source/Memphis%2C_Tennessee), U.S.
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate=September 20
|debutyear=1917
|debutteam=New York Yankees
|finalleague = MLB
|finaldate=September 24
|finalyear=1921
|finalteam=Boston Red Sox
|statleague = MLB
|stat1label=[Batting average](/source/Batting_average_(baseball))
|stat1value=.248
|stat2label=[Home run](/source/Home_run)s
|stat2value=2
|stat3label=[Runs batted in](/source/run_batted_in)
|stat3value=50
|teams=
*[New York Yankees](/source/New_York_Yankees) ({{mlby|1917}}–{{mlby|1920}})
*[Boston Red Sox](/source/Boston_Red_Sox) ({{mlby|1921}})
}}
'''Samuel Bruce Vick''' (April 12, 1895 – August 17, 1986) was an American professional [right fielder](/source/right_fielder) in [Major League Baseball](/source/Major_League_Baseball). He played for the [New York Yankees](/source/New_York_Yankees) from 1917 to 1920, and the [Boston Red Sox](/source/Boston_Red_Sox) in 1921. He stood {{height|ft=5|in=10}}, and weighed 163 lb., and he batted and threw [right-handed](/source/right-handed). He was born in [Batesville, Mississippi](/source/Batesville%2C_Mississippi), and attended [Millsaps College](/source/Millsaps_College) in [Jackson, Mississippi](/source/Jackson%2C_Mississippi).

After playing one season of [minor league baseball](/source/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](/source/Babe_Ruth)'s arrival, and [Bob Meusel](/source/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](/source/National_Baseball_Hall_of_Fame_and_Museum) pitcher [Waite Hoyt](/source/Waite_Hoyt) to the Yankees. In his five-season career, Vick had a .248 [batting average](/source/batting_average_(baseball)), with two [home run](/source/home_run)s and 50 [RBIs](/source/run_batted_in) 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](/source/Memphis%2C_Tennessee), at age 91.

==Early life==
Samuel Bruce Vick was born on April&nbsp;12, 1895 in [Batesville, Mississippi](/source/Batesville%2C_Mississippi), to Hugh, a farmer, and Lillie.<ref name=retrovick>{{cite web|title=Sammy Vick|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/V/Pvicks101.htm|work=retrosheet.org|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|access-date=May 16, 2012}}</ref><ref name=1910census>{{cite web|title=1910 United States Federal Census about Samuel B Vick|url=http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1910USCenIndex&h=149882538&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=6224|work=ancestry.com|access-date=June 12, 2012}}</ref> After attending [Millsaps College](/source/Millsaps_College) in [Jackson, Mississippi](/source/Jackson%2C_Mississippi), he signed a [minor league baseball](/source/minor_league_baseball) contract with the [Memphis Chickasaws](/source/Memphis_Chicks_(Southern_Association)) of the [Southern Association](/source/Southern_Association)&nbsp;(SA).<ref name=referencevick>{{cite web|title=Sammy Vick|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vicksa01.shtml|work=baseball-reference.com|access-date=May 16, 2012}}</ref><ref name=vickminors>{{cite web|title=Sammy Vick (minors)|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=vick--001sam|work=baseball-reference.com|access-date=May 16, 2012}}</ref> He played one season in Memphis, playing in 126&nbsp;games, and had a .322&nbsp;[batting average](/source/batting_average_(baseball)) along with 24&nbsp;[doubles](/source/double_(baseball)) and 12&nbsp;[triples](/source/triple_(baseball)).<ref name=vickminors/> When the SA season was completed, he signed a contract with the [New York Yankees](/source/New_York_Yankees) of the [American League](/source/American_League)&nbsp;(AL).

==Career==
===New York Yankees===
Vick made his [Major League Baseball](/source/Major_League_Baseball)&nbsp;(MLB) debut with the Yankees on September&nbsp;20, 1917.<ref name=retrovick/> He finished the season with the Yankees, playing in 10&nbsp;games, all in right field. In 36&nbsp;[at bat](/source/at_bat)s during that stretch, he collected 10&nbsp;[hits](/source/hit_(baseball)) for a .278&nbsp;batting average.<ref name=retrovick/> He played in just two games during the early part of the 1918&nbsp;season, before being drafted into the military.<ref name=retrovick/><ref name="stour73">Stout, p. 73</ref> The first appearance occurred on April&nbsp;19, in the second game of a [double header](/source/Doubleheader_(baseball)) against the [Boston Red Sox](/source/Boston_Red_Sox). He relieved starting right fielder [Frank Gilhooley](/source/Frank_Gilhooley) late in the game, and collected a hit in each of his two at bats against Red Sox [pitcher](/source/pitcher), [Babe Ruth](/source/Babe_Ruth). He had a [run batted in](/source/run_batted_in)&nbsp;(RBI) and scored a [run](/source/run_(baseball)) in the game, although the Red Sox won the game by a score of 9 to 5.<ref name=boxscore41917>{{cite web|title=Boston Red Sox 9, New York Yankees 5 (2)|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1918/B04192BOS1918.htm|work=retrosheet.org|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|access-date=May 16, 2012}}</ref> His other appearance that season was as a [pinch hitter](/source/pinch_hitter) in a game against the [Washington Senators](/source/Washington_Senators_(1901%E2%80%9360)) on April&nbsp;25, and failed to collect a hit.<ref name=boxscore42518>{{cite web|title=Washington Senators 7, New York Yankees 5|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1918/B04250NYA1918.htm|work=retrosheet.org|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|access-date=May 16, 2012}}</ref>

In 1919, Vick became the Yankees's starting right fielder.<ref name=1919roster>{{cite web|title=The 1919 New York Yankees Regular Season Roster|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1919/UPNYA01919.htm|work=retrosheet.org|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|access-date=May 17, 2012}}</ref> On April&nbsp;30, in his fourth appearance of the season, he led off the bottom of the first inning with a [home run](/source/home_run) off [Mule Watson](/source/Mule_Watson) of the [Philadelphia Athletics](/source/Philadelphia_Athletics): his first career home run.<ref name=1919gamelog>{{cite web|title=The 1919 NY A Regular Season Batting Log for Sammy Vick|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1919/Ivicks1010031919.htm|work=retrosheet.org|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|access-date=May 17, 2012}}</ref><ref name=homerunlog>{{cite web|title=Sammy Vick Career Home Runs|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/event_hr.cgi?id=vicksa01&t=b|work=baseball-reference.com|access-date=May 17, 2012}}</ref>  He struggled at the plate during the first two months of the season, with a batting average of .208&nbsp;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.<ref name=1919gamelog/> It was during that time period when he hit his second, and last, major league home run. It was a [grand slam](/source/Grand_slam_(baseball)) off [Allan Sothoron](/source/Allan_Sothoron) in a game on August&nbsp;7: an 8–2&nbsp;victory over the [St. Louis Browns](/source/St._Louis_Browns).<ref name=homerunlog/><ref name=boxscore871919>{{cite web|title=New York Yankees 8, St. Louis Browns 2 (2)|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1919/B08072NYA1919.htm|work=retrosheet.org|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|access-date=May 17, 2012}}</ref> For the remainder of the season, Vick's production had a steady, slow decline; he finished the season with a .248&nbsp;batting average, along with 27&nbsp;RBIs, 15&nbsp;doubles, and nine triples.<ref name=referencevick/>

Vick's playing time dwindled in 1920 with the arrival of Babe Ruth, an off-season purchase from the Red Sox.<ref name=retroruth>{{cite web|title=Babe Ruth|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/R/Pruthb101.htm|work=retrosheet.org|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|access-date=May 17, 2012}}</ref> The Yankees now had an outfield that consisted of Ruth, established players of [Duffy Lewis](/source/Duffy_Lewis) and [Ping Bodie](/source/Ping_Bodie), and [Bob Meusel](/source/Bob_Meusel), a [rookie](/source/rookie).<ref name=1920yankees>{{cite web|title=The 1920 New York Yankees Regular Season Roster|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1920/UPNYA01920.htm|work=retrosheet.org|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|access-date=May 18, 2012}}</ref> Injuries to Lewis and Bodie allowed for periods of lengthy playing time for Vick in July and September.<ref name=torontoworld1920>{{cite news|title=Desperate Battles in Major Drives|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=K0pLAAAAIBAJ&pg=2854,3762330&dq=vick+yankees&hl=en|access-date=May 17, 2012|newspaper=The Toronto World|date=September 9, 1920}}</ref><ref name=vickgamelog1920>{{cite web|title=The 1920 NY A Regular Season Batting Log for Sammy Vick|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1920/Ivicks1010041920.htm|work=retrosheet.org|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|access-date=May 17, 2012}}</ref> Later in the season, Vick and his manager [Miller Huggins](/source/Miller_Huggins) got into a heated argument, during which Vick punched Huggins. Appreciating Vick's spirit, the manager quickly forgave him.<ref name="gallagher276">Gallagher, p. 276</ref> Vick's final totals in 1920 consisted of a .220&nbsp;batting average in 51&nbsp;games.<ref name=referencevick/> During his time with the Yankees, the New York City sportswriters noted that he was prodigious eater. He was so much so that they proclaimed that any time someone ate a large meal, they were "doing a Sammy Vick."<ref name="wagenheim63">Wagenheim, p. 63</ref>

===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.<ref name=bigtrade1920>{{cite news|title=Yanks And Boston Close Big Trade|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1920/12/16/archives/yanks-and-boston-close-big-trade-huggins-swaps-pratt-vick-ruel-and.html|access-date=May 17, 2012|newspaper=The New York Times|date=December 16, 1920}}</ref> On December&nbsp;15, 1920, the Yankees traded Vick, [Muddy Ruel](/source/Muddy_Ruel), [Del Pratt](/source/Del_Pratt) and [Hank Thormahlen](/source/Hank_Thormahlen) to the Red Sox for [Waite Hoyt](/source/Waite_Hoyt), [Harry Harper](/source/Harry_Harper), [Wally Schang](/source/Wally_Schang) and [Mike McNally](/source/Mike_McNally).<ref name=retrovick/>

Vick began the 1921&nbsp;season with an injured leg, which did not allow him to play in either April or May.<ref name=globevickinjury>{{cite news|title=Washington Routs The Red Sox Twice|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/718769832.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Jul+05%2C+1921&author=&pub=Boston+Daily+Globe+(1872-1922)&desc=WASHINGTON+ROUTS+THE+RED+SOX+TWICE&pqatl=google|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130201010805/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/access/718769832.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Jul+05,+1921&author=&pub=Boston+Daily+Globe+(1872-1922)&desc=WASHINGTON+ROUTS+THE+RED+SOX+TWICE&pqatl=google|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 1, 2013|access-date=May 17, 2012|newspaper=[Boston Globe](/source/Boston_Globe)|date=July 5, 1921}}</ref> He did not appear in a game until June&nbsp;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.<ref name=gamelog1921>{{cite web|title=The 1921 BOS A Regular Season Batting Log for Sammy Vick|url=http://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1921/Ivicks1010051921.htm|work=retrosheet.org|publisher=Retrosheet, Inc|access-date=May 17, 2012}}</ref> In total, he played in just 44&nbsp;games for the Red Sox, with only 15&nbsp;games in the outfield; 12 of them starting the game. Vick had a season-total of 77&nbsp;at bats, a .260&nbsp;batting average, and nine RBIs.<ref name=retrovick/>

==Post major league career==
After the 1921&nbsp;season, Vick continued his baseball career in the minor leagues. In 1922, he played for the [Toronto Maple Leafs](/source/Toronto_Maple_Leafs_(International_League)) of the [International League](/source/International_League), batting .233&nbsp;in 50&nbsp;games played. He returned to the Memphis Chickasaws for one season in 1923, improving his average to .290. For the 1924 season, he joined the [Brookhaven, Mississippi](/source/Brookhaven%2C_Mississippi) based [Brookhaven Truckers](/source/Brookhaven_Truckers) of the [Cotton States League](/source/Cotton_States_League)&nbsp;(CSL) as [player-manager](/source/player-manager), and he produced the best offensive numbers up to this point in his career. He batted .322 with 16&nbsp;home runs, 21&nbsp;doubles, and 11&nbsp;triples.<ref name=vickminors/>

In 1925, Vick stayed in the CSL and became the [Laurel, Mississippi](/source/Laurel%2C_Mississippi) based [Laurel Lumberjacks](/source/Laurel_Lumberjacks) player-[manager](/source/manager_(baseball)) for two seasons. However, in 1926, his tenure was short, and he joined the [New Orleans Pelicans](/source/New_Orleans_Pelicans_(baseball)) of the SA as a player only for the remaining 32&nbsp;games of the season. After batting .348 in 1926, he improved his average to .350 in 1927, along with career-highs in hits with 194, doubles with 39, and triples with 16. Staying in New Orleans for the 1928&nbsp;season, his offensive numbers dropped, but he still batted .302&nbsp;in 109&nbsp;games played. His 1929&nbsp;season was split between three teams; the Pelicans, the [Chattanooga Lookouts](/source/Chattanooga_Lookouts) of the SA, and the [Dallas Steers](/source/Dallas_Rangers) of the [Texas League](/source/Texas_League). That season, he hit a career-high 17&nbsp;home runs, along with a .333&nbsp;batting average. He finished his minor league career back with Memphis in 1930.<ref name=vickminors/>

===Later life===
According to the 1930 U.S. Census, he became a teacher at a public school in [Panola County, Mississippi](/source/Panola_County%2C_Mississippi), following his baseball career. He was married to Lois Monteith, had three sons, and one daughter.<ref name=1930census>{{cite web|title=1930 United States Federal Census about Samuel B Vick|url=http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=1&new=1&MSAV=0&msT=1&gss=angs-g&gsfn=Samuel+Bruce&gsln=Vick&mswpn__ftp=Tennessee%2c+USA&mswpn=45&mswpn_PInfo=5-%7c0%7c1652393%7c0%7c2%7c3246%7c45%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c&msbdy=1895&uidh=ao4&pcat=ROOT_CATEGORY&h=37508443&db=1930usfedcen&indiv=1|work=ancestry.com|access-date=June 12, 2012}}</ref> Vick died on August&nbsp;17, 1986 at age 91 in [Memphis, Tennessee](/source/Memphis%2C_Tennessee) after a long illness, and is interred at Forrest Memorial Park located in Batesville.<ref name=retrovick/><ref name=vickobit>{{cite web|title=The Obit for Sammy Vick|url=http://www.thedeadballera.com/Obits/Obits_V/Vick.Sammy.Obit.html|via=thedeadballera.com|work=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)|access-date=May 16, 2012|archive-date=May 15, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515233837/http://thedeadballera.com/Obits/Obits_V/Vick.Sammy.Obit.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book|last=Gallagher|first=Mark; Walter LeConte|title=The Yankee Encyclopedia|year=2003|edition=6, illustrated|publisher=Sports Publishing LLC|isbn=1582616833|page=500}}
*{{cite book|last=Stout|first=Glenn; Dick Joshnson|title=Yankees Century: 100 Years of New York Yankees Baseball|year=2002|edition=illustrated|publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt|isbn=0618085270|page=478}}
*{{cite book|last=Wagenheim|first=Karl|title=Babe Ruth: His Life and Legend|year=2001|edition=illustrated|publisher=E-reads/E-rights|isbn=0759231508|page=316}}

==External links==
{{Baseballstats| mlb=123718|espn=27635| br=v/vicksa01|fangraphs=1013424 |brm=vick--001sam}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vick, Sammy}}
Category:1895 births
Category:1986 deaths
Category:Boston Red Sox players
Category:New York Yankees players
Category:Major League Baseball right fielders
Category:Baseball players from Mississippi
Category:Sportspeople from Batesville, Mississippi
Category:Memphis Chickasaws players
Category:Toronto Maple Leafs (International League) players
Category:Brookhaven (minor league baseball) players
Category:New Orleans Pelicans (baseball) players
Category:Dallas Steers players
Category:Chattanooga Lookouts players
Category:Millsaps Majors baseball players
Category:Schoolteachers from Mississippi
Category:20th-century American educators
Category:Laurel Lumberjacks players
Category:20th-century American sportsmen

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sammy Vick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sammy_Vick) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sammy_Vick?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.