Hooper Triplett

Floyd Hooper Triplett

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 10", Weight 170 lb.

• Born December 17, 1919 in Statesville, NC USA
• Died April 12, 1988 in Statesville, NC USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

The brother of major leaguer Coaker Triplett, OF Hooper Triplett played in the minors from 1937 to 1946, missing the 1943-1945 seasons due to military service during World War II. His career ended when on August 11, 1946, he was suspended indefinitely for betting on a game.

His entire career was spent in the sprawling minor league organization of the St. Louis Cardinals. His first two seasons in 1937 and 1938 were in the North Carolina State League with the Shelby Cardinals, who moved to Gastonia mid-way through the second year. He hit.306 and .286 in 93 and 92 games while still a teenager, and showed good power with 20 and 21 doubles and 10 and 17 homers, respectively. In 1939, he was still with Gastonia, now in the Tar Heel League, and hit .391 in 105 games, with 33 doubles and 27 homers. He led the Class D circuit in batting average, homers and RBIs (115), winning a Triple Crown. In 1940, he moved up to the Columbus (GA) Red Birds in the Class B South Atlantic League where he hit .369 in 130 games, with 36 doubles, 12 triples and 15 homers. He won another batting title that year. In 1941, he moved up again, splitting the season between the New Orleans Pelicans of the Southern Association and the Columbus (OH) Red Birds of the American Association. He hit .322 in 119 games for New Orleans, but just .250 in 21 games at Columbus. In 1942, he played 15 games with Columbus and another 71 for the Rochester Red Wings of the International League. After batting just .195 for Columbus, he hit .272 with Rochester.

At that point, the war intervened and he was away from baseball for the next three seasons, although details of his service are not readily available. When he returned, he was 26 and no longer considered a prospect. He went back down to Columbus, GA where the team in the SALLY League was now called the Columbus Cardinals. He hit .314 in 61 games. He also played one game for the AAA Columbus team, going 0 for 1. However, his career ended in ignominy as on August 11th, he was handed an indefinite suspension by the league for placing a $20 bet on the Columbia Reds against his own team before the game of August 3rd. He was also fined $500. Ten days later, the suspension was made permanent by National Association President William Bramham. On August 27th, it was reported that he had signed with the Nuevo Laredo Owls of the Mexican League, but league President Jorge Pasquel voided the deal, not wishing to create another point of friction in the already tense relationship with Organized Baseball.