Buster Adams

Elvin Clark Adams

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 0", Weight 180 lb.

• Debut April 27, 1939
• Final Game September 21, 1947
• Born June 24, 1915 in Trinidad, CO USA
• Died September 1, 1990 in Rancho Mirage, CA USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Colorado native Buster Adams spent seventeen seasons in professional baseball from 1935 to 1951.

Adams opened his career with the Springfield Cardinals of the Class C Western Association in 1935, where he played third base. He appeared in 133 games and hit .290 with 19 home runs. Buster made 50 miscues at the hot corner for a .871 fielding percentage and became an outfielder for the remainder of his career. He played only AA ball or better for the balance of his playing days. Adams made his major league debut with the St. Louis Cardinals on April 27, 1939, appearing in two games with a hitless at bat and spent the rest of the season with the Columbus Red Birds and Sacramento Solons, where he hit .265 with seven homers. Adams was in his fifth season with the Sacramento club, in 1942 when he broke out, appearing in 178 games and hitting .309 while slugging 27 home runs.

Buster opened his 1943 season with the Cardinals, playing eight games; on June 1st, the Cardinals traded him (along with Dain Clay and Coaker Triplett) to the Philadelphia Blue Jays for Danny Litwhiler and Earl Naylor. Buster appeared in 111 games with the Jays and hit .256 with four homers. He also played well in 1944, hitting .283 with 17 home runs. Buster started slowly in 1945 and the Phillies, who had resumed using their traditional name, dealt him back to the Cardinals for John Antonelli and Glenn Crawford. Buster had a career year during the rest of the final wartime season. He appeared in 140 games, hit a career-high .292, had 101 RBI along with 104 runs scored and hit 20 bombs. His numbers undoubtedly helped the Cardinals to their second-place finish, just three games back of the pennant-winning Chicago Cubs. Meanwhile, the hapless Phillies finished dead last with a 46-108 record. Buster's luck changed when the majority of major leaguers returned from the war in 1946. He appeared in 81 games, batting .185 with five homers. The love affair between Buster and the Phillies continued and they purchased him back on March 21, 1947. Adams appeared in 69 games, hitting .247 with just two homers and he played his last game on September 21st. This finished his major league run, having appeared in 576 games with 50 home runs and a career .266 batting average.

Adams spent four more years (1948-1951) in baseball, all in the Pacific Coast League and probably had his best year in the minors when he hit .318 with 15 home runs for the San Diego Padres in 1950 at the age of 35. Adams finished his twelve-year minor league run in 1951 in the PCL with a career .280 batting average in 5,151 at-bats. He also had 169 home runs and played in 1,503 games.

After baseball, and until his retirement, Adams worked and lived in Rancho Mirage, CA. He died from congestive heart failure at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage on September 1, 1990. He was 75.

Notable Achievements

• 20-Home Run Seasons: 1 (1945)
• 100 RBI Seasons: 1 (1945)
• 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 1 (1945)

Related Sites

• BR Minors page
• Find-A-Grave Memorial for Buster Adams