Alex Kampouris

Alexis William Kampouris

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 8", Weight 155 lb.
• School Sacramento City College
• High SchoolSacramento High School
• Debut July 31, 1934
• Final Game September 23, 1943
• Born November 13, 1912 in Sacramento, CA USA
• Died May 29, 1993 in Sacramento, CA USA

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Biographical Information

Alex Kampouris played nine seasons in the major leagues, mostly in the National League, and mostly as a second baseman. While in the majors, he was touted for his Greek heritage as a way of inducing Greek Americans to come to the games. (Source: article entitled "Comparative Ethnicity", appearing in Cooperstown Symposium on Baseball and the American Culture).

Alex was born, and died, in Sacramento, CA. He played for Sacramento in the minors during six seasons.

He had played more than two and a half years with Sacramento when the 1934 Cincinnati Reds bought him. Alex became a regular with the Reds in 1935 and played with them through part of 1938. His 17 home runs in 1937 were sixth in the league. In 1938 he was traded to the 1938 Giants for Wally Berger, and spent the rest of 1938 along with 1939 with the team. In 1939 his batting average was low, but both his OBP and SLG were above the team averages.

He spent 1940 in Newark, hitting 36 home runs. It was a Yankees farm club, and teammates included Tommy Byrne and Hank Borowy.

Most of 1941-42 were also spent in the minors, playing for the Dodgers' farm club at Montreal. His 16 games at the major league level with Brooklyn in 1941 were, however, great as he posted a SLG of .588 and an OBP of .444. The Dodgers, though, were a pennant-winning team with Billy Herman playing second, so Alex went back to the minors for most of 1942.

In May 1943 he was sold to the 1943 Senators, and because Jerry Priddy was holding down second base, Alex played more third than second. Ellis Clary was the regular at third until traded in August for Harlond Clift.

1944 found him in the Army, and he played service ball on a team that included Priddy. In 1946-48 Kampouris was back with Sacramento in the minors.

After retiring from baseball, Alex worked for the Sacramento city Parks and Recreation Department and later for the Sacramento County Marshal's Office.