George Sweatt

George Alexander Sweatt
(Never Sweatt, Sharkey, The Teacher)

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 2", Weight 195 lb.
• School Auxiliary Manual Training Normal School
• High School Humboldt (KS) High School
• Debut 1922
• Final Game 1927
• Born December 12, 1893 in Humboldt, KS USA
• Died July 19, 1983 in Los Angeles, CA USA

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Biographical Information

George Sweatt played all three outfield slots and every infield position except shortstop in a seven-year career in the Negro Leagues. He was one of two men to appear in all four Negro World Series between the Negro National League and the Eastern Colored League along with Rube Currie.

Sweatt played almost every sport while in college - football, basketball, track and baseball. He became a teacher in Coffeyville, KS after graduating college. Sweatt served in the 816th Pioneer Infantry Regiment in World War I, serving in France; he arrived there two weeks before the war ended. George then returned to teaching.

Sweatt was a semipro baseball player whose work earned the notice of the Kansas City Monarchs, who signed him, though he would be 27 years old before the 1921 season began; he did not appear for Kansas City in a league game that year. In 1922 in the Negro Leagues, Sweatt hit .228/.307/.322; he usually played 2B when Newt Joseph was at third and 3B when Joseph was at second.

In 1923, George improved his batting line to .305/.348/.413 while primarily backing up Bubbles Anderson at second base. As a bench player in 1924 (primarily in the outfield), he hit .271/~.323/.424. In the 1924 Negro World Series, Sweatt batted .278. He figured prominently in several games. In game five, he was manning center field when Judy Johnson hit an inside-the-park homer past him to cost Kansas City the game. In game six, he tripled home Dobie Moore in the 8th with the winning run. In game seven, his 2-out 12th-inning triple off Nip Winters revived the Monarchs' chances; he was injured on the play but the pinch-runner scored the winning run.

Sweatt was only 4 for 33 in the postseason in 1925 after being a regular seasom backup, as he failed to deliver heroics; Kansas City failed to repeat their victory of the first Negro World Series. George started 1926 as the second baseman for Kansas City but was traded to the Chicago American Giants for Cristobal Torriente. He hit .262 as Chicago's center fielder. In the playoffs, he hit .296 against the Monarchs as the American Giants won the series; in one game, George scored the key tally. Sweatt hit .257 in the 1926 Negro World Series, the 3rd-best average on a winning Chicago entry.

Sweatt moved to right field in 1927 and hit .271. He bated .212 only in the 1927 Negro World Series but his club won for the third straight year.

When Chicago switched hands after that season, the new owner did not offer a raise to Sweatt. He retired from playing baseball to work for the United States Postal Service, but still managed the Chicago Giants on the weekends for a time. He then spent six years managing semipro baseball.

In 1936, Sweatt moved to Evanston, IL, where he volunteered on several fronts for decades. He retired from the Postal Service in 1957 but remained an active member of the community. At age 80, he scored 153 in a bowling game. He moved to California to be with his son during the last years of his life.

Notable Achievements

• Won three Negro World Series with the Kansas City Monarchs in 1924 and the Chicago American Giants in 1926 and 1927

Sources

• The Complete Book of Baseball's Negro Leagues by John Holway
• The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues by James Riley
• Research by Gary Ashwill and Patrick Rock