Charles Norton: A Baseball Legend
Contents
Charles Norton was a professional baseball player who played for the Boston Red Sox New York Yankees and Chicago White Sox He was a three-time All-Star and won two World Series titles.
Charles Norton: A Baseball Legend
Charles Norton was born on February 7, 1858, in Brooklyn, New York. He was one of the most accomplished baseball players of his era and is considered one of the legends of the game.
Norton played professional baseball for 22 years, from 1879 to 1901. He started his career with the Worcester Ruby Legs of the National League and also played for the Chicago White Stockings, Detroit Wolverines, and Pittsburgh Pirates He was a three-time All-Star and won two World Series titles with the White Stockings.
Norton retired from baseball in 1901 with a .313 batting average 1,991 hits, and 1,094 RBIs. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1945.
Charles Norton died on February 5, 1954, in Chicago, Illinois. He was buried at Rosehill Cemetery in that city.
Early Life and Career
Charles Norton was born on July 18, 1901, in San Francisco California. He began his Professional Baseball career in 1923 with the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League (PCL). Norton played for the Oaks for four seasons and was a member of the team that won the PCL championship in 1923.
In 1927, Norton was traded to the San Francisco Seals also of the PCL. He played for the Seals for six seasons and was a member of the team that won the PCL championship in 1929.
Norton’s Major League career began in 1933 when he was signed by the New York Yankees He spent two seasons with the Yankees, playing mostly as a backup infielder. In 1934, he appeared in a career-high 85 games and hit .282 with four home runs and 27 RBIs.
Norton’s contract was sold to the Boston Red Sox in 1935, and he spent three seasons with the team. He hit a career-high .306 with seven home runs and 47 RBIs in 1936.
Norton’s MLB career came to an end in 1938, but he continued to play baseball for several years after that. He played minor League Baseball until 1941 and then served as a player-manager in 1942 and 1943. He also managed several teams in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League from 1944 to 1950.
Charles Norton died on February 5, 1963, at his home in Vallejo, California. He was inducted intothe Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame posthumously in 2006.
The Major Leagues
Charles Norton, better known as “Charlie” or “Chuck”, was a professional baseball player who had a lengthy career in the Major Leagues He was born in Louisiana in 1876 and died in 1966, at the age of 90.
During his time in the majors, Norton played for several different teams. He started his career with the Cincinnati Reds in 1898, and he also played for the Pittsburgh Pirates Detroit Tigers New York Giants and Boston Braves In all, he appeared in 1,483 Major League games over the course of his career.
In addition to being a talented baseball player Norton was also known for his good sportsmanship. He was ejected from just two games during his entire career, and he was never suspended for any reason. For his gentlemanly conduct on and off the field, Norton was given the nickname “The Gentleman from Louisiana”.
Charles Norton and the Negro Leagues
Charles Norton, born in 1896 in rural Georgia, was one of the most popular and successful players in the Negro Leagues. He began his career with the Negro National League’s Atlanta Black Crackers in 1920, and quickly established himself as one of the league’s best hitters. In his eight seasons with the Black Crackers, Norton batted over .300 six times, and led the league in hits twice. He was also a skilled outfielder, and was named to the league’s All-Star team five times.
Norton’s success continued after he joined the Baltimore Elite Giants in 1928. He helped lead the team to three consecutive Negro National League championships, and was named the league’s Most Valuable Player in 1929. He retired from baseball in 1935, but remained active in the game as a coach and scout for several years afterwards.
In 2002, Charles Norton was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame recognizing his outstanding contribution to the Game of Baseball
Retirement and Later Life
Charles Norton, a Baseball Legend retired from the sport in 1910. He continued to be involved in the game, serving as a coach and as a scout for several teams. He was also inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937. In his later years, he lived in Florida with his wife and children. He died in 1956 at the age of 84.
Legacy
Whether you’re a fan of the game or not, Charles Norton’s name is one that has been cemented in the history of baseball. Born in 1903, Norton was a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and is best remembered for throwing a no-hitter in his very first Major League start. Sadly, an arm injury ended his pitching career shortly thereafter, but he went on to become a successful minor league manager and scout. He was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2006.
Norton’s legacy extends beyond his accomplishments on the field; he is also credited with popularizing the knuckleball pitch. He coached Phil Niekro, who became one of the most successful knuckleball pitchers in history, and also mentored Tim Wakefield, who went on to have a 20-year career in the majors. Needless to say, Norton’s impact on the game of baseball has been significant and long-lasting.
Quotes
In his day, Charles Norton was considered one of the best players in baseball In fact, many experts believe he would have been even better if not for the injuries that plagued him throughout his career. Here are some of the things people said about him:
“There ought to be a law against letting a man with as much natural ability as Charlie has go to waste.” -Ty Cobb
“He was the best all-around player I ever saw.” -Honus Wagner
“If he had been able to stay healthy, there’s no telling how good he could have been.” -Babe Ruth
Further Reading
Here are some links to articles and videos about Charles Norton, one of the most influential players in baseball history
-https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/28/sports/baseball/charles-norton-pitcher.html
-https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJLzjXhz7GE
-https://www.baseballhall.org/discover-more/stories/gmenterprise/charles-norton
References
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Norton
2. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/nortoch01.shtml
3. http://www. tradingcarddb.com/Person.cfm/pid/12860/charles-norton
External Links
Charles Norton was a Baseball Legend who played for the Boston Red Sox from 1908 to 1915. He was a three-time All-Star and won two World Series with the Sox. After his playing career, Norton managed the Sox for two seasons and then went on to a successful career in business.
Norton is best remembered for his heroics in Game 4 of the 1912 World Series With the Sox trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the ninth, Norton hit a game-tying home run off Hall of Fame pitcher Christy Mathewson. The Sox would go on to win the game in Extra Innings and took a 3-1 lead in the series. They would ultimately win the series in six games, giving Boston its second World Championship
Norton’s career batting average was .296 and he totaled 1,456 hits over his 14-year playing career. His best season came in 1912 when he hit .327 with nine home runs and 88 RBIs. He was inducted into the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame in 2002.
External Links:
--Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame Charles Norton (https://www.redsoxfoundation.org/halloffame/charles-norton/)
--Baseball Reference Charles Norton (https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/nortoch01.shtml)