Turkey Stearnes
From BR Bullpen
Norman Thomas Stearnes
- Bats Left, Throws Left
- Height 5' 11", Weight 175 lb.
- High School Pearl High School
- Debut 1923
- Final Game 1940
- Born May 8, 1901 in Nashville, TN USA
- Died September 4, 1979 in Detroit, MI USA
Inducted into Hall of Fame in 2000
Biographical Information[edit]
Outfielder Turkey Stearnes was a longtime member of the Detroit Stars and one of the Negro Leagues' most prolific sluggers.
He was primarily a center fielder.
Notable Achievements[edit]
- 5-time All-Star (1933-1935, 1937 & 1939)
- 2-time NNL Batting Average Leader (1929 & 1931)
- 3-time NNL On-Base Percentage Leader (1929, 1931 & 1935)
- 2-time NNL Slugging Percentage Leader (1929 & 1931)
- 2-time NNL OPS Leader (1929 & 1931)
- NAL At-Bats Leader (1939)
- NAL Runs Scored Leader (1939)
- NNL Hits Leader (1925)
- 2-time NNL Total Bases Leader (1925 & 1931)
- NAL Singles Leader (1939)
- NNL Doubles Leader (1926)
- 6-time NNL Triples Leader (1923-1925, 1927, 1934 & 1937)
- 7-time League Home Runs Leader (1924/NNL, 1925/NNL, 1928/NNL, 1931/NNL, 1932/NSL, 1939/NAL & 1940/NAL)
- 2-time NNL RBI Leader (1925 & 1927)
- Baseball Hall of Fame: Class of 2000
Year-By-Year Managerial Record[edit]
| Year | Team | League | Record | Finish | Organization | Playoffs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1937 | Detroit Stars | Negro American League | 0-3 | 6th | Detroit Stars | Replaced Percy Miller (14-16) and Roosevelt Cox (1-6) |
Further Reading[edit]
- Gemma Kaneko: "Turkey Stearnes, Negro Leagues legend: It's nearly Thanksgiving, so let's celebrate baseball's greatest Turkey", mlb.com, November 24, 2020. [1]
- Bill Ladson: "Turkey Stearnes excelled in 'unorthodox' way", mlb.com, January 31, 2021. [2]
- Vanessa Ivy Rose: "Turkey Stearnes and the Inclusive Grand Slam", in Sean Forman and Cecilia M. Tan, eds.: The Negro Leagues Are Major Leagues: Essays and Research for Overdue Recognition, Baseball-Reference and SABR, Phoenix, AZ, 2021, pp. 53-55. ISBN ISBN 978-1-970159-63-9
- Norman Thomas Stearnes: Fans Called Him “Turkey,” I Called Him Dad: A Daughter Remembers Baseball Hall of Famer Norman Thomas Stearnes, McFarland, Jefferson, NC, 2023. ISBN 978-1-4766-8891-6
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