James Atkins

James Curtis Atkins

• Bats Left, Throws Right
• Height 6' 3", Weight 205 lb.
• High School Phillips High School (Birmingham), Paul Hayne High School
• Debut September 29, 1950
• Final Game May 10, 1952
• Born March 10, 1921 in Birmingham, AL USA
• Died February 28, 2009 in Hanceville, AL USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Right-handed pitcher James Atkins was originally signed by the Detroit Tigers in 1941 coming out of high school in Birmingham, AL. He spent the next four years, 1941-1945, in the United States Marines during World War II. After returning from the service, he won 20 games for the Class D Geneva Red Birds of the Alabama State League in 1946 (tying Max Peterson for the league lead) and was pitching for the Birmingham Barons when he was purchased by the Boston Red Sox in 1950. The Atkins diet consisted of brief stints with the Red Sox in 1950 and 1952 where he lost his only decision in four games.

Jim continued in the minors through the mid 1950s, throwing a no-hitter for the Pacific Coast League champion Oakland Oaks in 1953. Pitching for the Beaumont Exporters in the Texas League in 1955, he threw complete games in both ends of a doubleheader shutting out the Shreveport Sports, 1-0, in the first game before losing the nightcap. Atkins appeared in 406 games in the minors, winning 143 and losing 121 with a career 4.30 ERA. Jim spent 12 years in professional baseball, from 1946 to 1957, and was 36 years old when he retired.

Jim later lived in Cullman, AL and was in the real estate business following his days in baseball. He died nearby in 2009 and is buried at Jefferson Memorial Gardens in Birmingham.

Sources

The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball: Third Edition
Baseball Players of the 1950s
SABR MILB Database:page

Related Sites

• James Atkins at the SABR Bio Project
• Find-A-Grave for James Atkins