Goose Tatum

Reece Tatum

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 195 lb.

• Debut 1941
• Final Game 1948
• Born May 3, 1921 in Jersey, AR USA
• Died January 18, 1967 in El Paso, TX USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Goose Tatum was a Negro League player of the 1940s. Off the diamond, he was a star performer for basketball's Harlem Globetrotters.

Tatum debuted with the Birmingham Black Barons, backing up Lyman Bostock Sr. at first base in 1941-1942. He hit .326 for the 1943 Cincinnati Clowns then served in the USAAF during World War II.

Returning to action with the Indianapolis Clowns in 1946, Tatum hit .364 and would have led the Negro American League had he qualified. The Philadelphia Phillies offered him a $1,000 minor league contract, but he turned it down, wanting a major league deal. He made the West team in the first 1947 East-West Game and went 2 for 4 with a run from the 7th slot of the order in a 5-2 win, playing the whole game at first base. Despite his efforts, he was replaced by Bob Boyd for the second game.

Goose went 2 for 11 against the Bob Feller and Ewell Blackwell All-Stars in 1947. His two-run single off Jesse Flores on October 23rd in the bottom of the 13th gave the Negro Leaguers a win. Tatum had appendicitis in 1948 and fell to .226. He ended his career with the Clowns the next year, but would continue playing for lesser black teams, joining up with Nathaniel Clifton, a fellow Harlem Globetrotter.

Tatum once stabbed Hilton Smith with a screwdriver.

Noted for his long wingspan (7' 3"), Tatum impressed crowds with his reach at first base, where his good glove added to his two .300 seasons at the plate.

In 2011, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame along with players such as Chris Mullin and Dennis Rodman.

Notable Achievements

• NAL All-Star (1948)

Sources

• The Biographical Encyclopedia of the Negro Baseball Leagues by James Riley
• The Complete Book of Baseball's Negro Leagues by John Holway
• Black Baseball's National Showcase by Larry Lester