| Russell Awkard | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Outfielder | |
| Born: October 7, 1917 Howard County, Maryland | |
| Died: April 1, 2002 (aged 84) Louisville, Kentucky | |
Batted: Left Threw: Right | |
| Negro league baseball debut | |
| 1940, for the New York Cubans | |
| Last appearance | |
| 1941, for the Newark Eagles | |
| Teams | |
|
Russell Alfred Awkard (October 7, 1917 – April 1, 2002) was an American Negro league outfielder in the 1940s.
A native of Howard County, Maryland, Awkard initially played for the Washington Royals, [1] [2] and joined the New York Cubans in 1940. Awkard was a World War II veteran, having served in the US Army's Quartermaster Corps in England, France and Belgium. [2] [3] He was considered to be one of the Negro league's finest players.[ according to whom?] [4] He was featured in an article in USA Today titled "The Name is Awkard, with one W." in 1993. [5] Prior to his death, he met with Bill Clinton along with other Negro league players arranged by Bob Hieronimus. [6]
References
- ^ "nlbpa.com - Awkard, Russell". nlbpa.com.
- ^ a b "Russell Awkard Obituary - Washington D.C., DC - The Washington Post". The Washington Post.
- ^ "Negro Leaguers Who Served With The Armed Forces in WWII". baseballinwartime.com. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
- ^ Elias, R. (2010). The Empire Strikes Out: How Baseball Sold U.S. Foreign Policy and Promoted the American Way Abroad. New Press. ISBN 978-1-59558-528-8. Retrieved 2015-04-29.
- ^ Heaphy, L. A. (2003). The Negro Leagues, 1869-1960. McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0-7864-1380-5. Retrieved 2015-04-29.
- ^ Glenn, S. (2006). Don't Let Anyone Take Your Joy Away: An Inside Look at Negro League Baseball and Its Legacy. iUniverse. ISBN 978-0-595-40075-1. Retrieved 2015-04-29.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference and Seamheads
.jpg){kind=small} | This Negro league baseball outfielder article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
- 1917 births
- 2002 deaths
- New York Cubans players
- Newark Eagles players
- African Americans in World War II
- United States Army personnel of World War II
- Baseball outfielders
- 20th-century African-American sportspeople
- African-American United States Army personnel
- Baseball players from Howard County, Maryland
- Negro league baseball outfielder stubs