Felix Evans

Felix Evans
(Chin)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 180 lb.
• School Morehouse College
• Debut 1938
• Final Game 1948
• Born October 3, 1910 in Atlanta, GA USA
• Died August 21, 1993 in Pompano Beach, FL USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Felix Evans was a Negro League hurler for over a decade and made one All-Star team. His best pitch was a curveball.

Evans played both baseball and football in college. He debuted as a pro with the Atlanta Black Crackers in 1935 then was with them again in 1938. In between, he was 0-5 for Habana in the 1937-1938 Cuban Winter League but that was hardly surprising as the team went a deplorable 8-58. He started 1939 2-0 for Atlanta before the team moved and became the Indianapolis ABCs. In late July, the ABCs sold him to the Baltimore Elite Giants. He was released by Baltimore and ended the year with the Newark Eagles, completing a series of four clubs in a season.

Chin played with the Ethiopian Clowns under the name Kalibari for part of 1940 and finished the year with the Memphis Red Sox, where he finally found stability. He was 2-2 for Memphis in 1941, 1-0 in 1942 and 1-0 in 1943. After limited action in 1944 and 1945, Felix had his big year at age 34.

Evans was 6-1 in 1946. He was the starting pitcher for the West in the second 1946 East-West Game. He held the East to one hit (by Buck Leonard) and no walks in three innings while fanning two (Larry Doby and Howard Easterling). In addition to Doby and Leonard, the lineup he faced included two other Hall-of-Famers, Josh Gibson and Monte Irvin. In the bottom of the third, West manager Quincy Trouppe let Felix bat with two on, but he bunted two offerings from Barney Brown foul, then popped up. He was relieved by Memphis teammate Dan Bankhead and the West went on to win, 4-1.

Evans was 1-0 in 1947 and ended his Memphis run in 1948. He was a corner infielder for the Birmingham Black Barons in 1949 and hit .295. After his baseball career ended, he became a teacher.

Notable Achievements

• NAL All-Star (1946)
• NAL ERA Leader (1939)

Sources

• The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues by James Riley
• The Complete Book of Baseball's Negro Leagues by John Holway
• Cuban Baseball: A Statistical History by Jorge Figueredo
• Black Baseball's National Showcase by Larry Lester