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Ted ‘Double Duty’ Radcliffe, Baseball Player born

Ted Radcliffe

On this date, in 1902, Ted Radcliffe, a Black baseball player in the Negro Leagues, was born.

Born in Mobile, Alabama, the widely traveled Ted Radcliffe--was a man of many talents. Not only was he a three-time all-star catcher, but he also matched this accomplishment with three all-star nominations as a pitcher.  In the 1932 Negro World Series, he caught Satchel Paige in the first game of a doubleheader, then pitched a shutout in the second game. This performance gave him the nickname "Double Duty." From 1928 through 1950, Radcliffe played with more than 15 clubs, including the great 1932 Pittsburgh Crawfords team.  Like his friend and sometimes business associate Satchel Paige, Radcliffe was always open to a better offer.

Throughout his career, Radcliffe exercised an entrepreneurial spirit, often forming all-star teams of Negro League stars to book exhibition games against white major league stars independently. More often than not, Satchel Paige was Radcliffe's business partner in these highly successful ventures. In addition to his catching and pitching duties, Radcliffe took on managerial responsibilities in the late 1930s.  In 1937 and 1938, he managed the Memphis Red Sox and, in 1943, took the helm of the Chicago American Giants.

Throughout this time, he continued as an active player. A flamboyant personality second only to Satchel Paige made Radcliffe a crowd-pleaser throughout his career. Ted Radcliffe died in August 2005.

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