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Smoky Burgess
Forrest Harrill "Smoky" Burgess (February 6, 1927 – September 15, 1991) was an American professional baseball catcher, pinch hitter, coach, and scout, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1949 to 1967. Burgess was selected as an All-Star in six seasons (being on the National League (NL) team for nine All-Star games). He became known, later in his career, for his abilities as an elite pinch hitter, setting the MLB career record for career pinch-hits with 144. During his career, he led NL catchers in fielding percentage three times. He stood 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 m) tall, weighing 245 pounds (111 kg). Burgess batted left-handed and threw right-handed. A statue of Burgess was unveiled in his hometown on November 9, 2024.
Burgess was born on February 6, 1927, in Caroleen, North Carolina, the son of Lloyd Luther Burgess and Ocie (Lewis) Burgess. Lloyd worked in textiles, and was a standout semi-professional baseball player. Burgess attended Tri-High School in Caroleen, and played baseball under coach Forrest Hunt, who had been a catcher in the New York Yankees minor league system. Hunt taught Burgess to be an aggressive hitter. He played American Legion baseball from 1942 to 1944.
When asked why Burgess was her only ball playing child, his mother explained it was because "Forrest couldn’t pick cotton like his brothers!"
Burgess was originally signed by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1943, but Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis voided the deal after Burgess was deemed to be too young. The Chicago Cubs signed him as an amateur free agent one year later.
Burgess played in Minor League Baseball (MiLB) from 1944 to 1948 before he made his major league debut in the 1949 season. In 1944, he played in 54 games for the Class D Lockport Cubs, batting .325. He spent the majority of the 1945 and 1946 seasons in military service. In 1947, he led the Class B Tri-State League with a .387 batting average with the Fayetteville Cubs. Burgess followed that by leading (minimum 100 games played) the Southern Association with a .386 average, in 1948 with the Double-A Nashville Volunteers. In 1949, he played 19 games for the Triple-A Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League, batting .279 in 43 at bats. After playing in 46 games for the Chicago Cubs in 1949, in 1950, he played the season with the Triple-A Springfield Cubs of the International League, where he hit .327 in 88 games.
Burgess made his major league debut at the age of 22 with the Chicago Cubs on April 19, 1949. He played in 46 games, batting .268 in 56 at bats for the Cubs that season. He returned to the Cubs for the 1951 season, starting 49 games at catcher, and batting .251 in 219 at bats.
In early October 1951, Burgess was traded along with Bob Borkowski to the Cincinnati Reds for Johnny Pramesa and Bob Usher. On December 10, 1951, the Reds traded Burgess, Connie Ryan and Howie Fox to the Philadelphia Phillies for catcher Andy Seminick, Eddie Pellagrini, Dick Sisler and Niles Jordan, before the start of the 1952 season. With the Phillies, he platooned alongside the right-handed-hitting Stan Lopata. He started 102 games to Lopata's 52 in 1952, and led the team in hitting with a .296 batting average in 371 at bats. In 1953, he started 85 games, and hit .292 in 312 at bats. Burgess had his best season in 1954, when he had career-highs with a .368 batting average and .942 OPS (on base plus slugging) in 108 games for the Phillies, again starting 85 games; and earning his first All-Star Game selection.
At the beginning of the 1955 season, after playing seven games for the Phillies, Burgess was once again traded for Andy Seminick. The Phillies traded Burgess, Steve Ridzik and Stan Palys to the Cincinnati Reds for Seminick, Glen Gorbous and Jim Greengrass. In being returned to Cincinnati, Burgess finally got the chance to play every day. He rose to the occasion, hitting for a .306 batting average for the rest of the season along with 20 home runs and 77 runs batted in (RBI) gaining his second consecutive berth on the National League All-Star team. Burgess started 103 of the 116 games in which he played for the Reds that season, and had a career-high number of plate appearances in a season for any team on which he ever played (477).
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Smoky Burgess
Forrest Harrill "Smoky" Burgess (February 6, 1927 – September 15, 1991) was an American professional baseball catcher, pinch hitter, coach, and scout, who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) from 1949 to 1967. Burgess was selected as an All-Star in six seasons (being on the National League (NL) team for nine All-Star games). He became known, later in his career, for his abilities as an elite pinch hitter, setting the MLB career record for career pinch-hits with 144. During his career, he led NL catchers in fielding percentage three times. He stood 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 m) tall, weighing 245 pounds (111 kg). Burgess batted left-handed and threw right-handed. A statue of Burgess was unveiled in his hometown on November 9, 2024.
Burgess was born on February 6, 1927, in Caroleen, North Carolina, the son of Lloyd Luther Burgess and Ocie (Lewis) Burgess. Lloyd worked in textiles, and was a standout semi-professional baseball player. Burgess attended Tri-High School in Caroleen, and played baseball under coach Forrest Hunt, who had been a catcher in the New York Yankees minor league system. Hunt taught Burgess to be an aggressive hitter. He played American Legion baseball from 1942 to 1944.
When asked why Burgess was her only ball playing child, his mother explained it was because "Forrest couldn’t pick cotton like his brothers!"
Burgess was originally signed by the St. Louis Cardinals in 1943, but Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis voided the deal after Burgess was deemed to be too young. The Chicago Cubs signed him as an amateur free agent one year later.
Burgess played in Minor League Baseball (MiLB) from 1944 to 1948 before he made his major league debut in the 1949 season. In 1944, he played in 54 games for the Class D Lockport Cubs, batting .325. He spent the majority of the 1945 and 1946 seasons in military service. In 1947, he led the Class B Tri-State League with a .387 batting average with the Fayetteville Cubs. Burgess followed that by leading (minimum 100 games played) the Southern Association with a .386 average, in 1948 with the Double-A Nashville Volunteers. In 1949, he played 19 games for the Triple-A Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League, batting .279 in 43 at bats. After playing in 46 games for the Chicago Cubs in 1949, in 1950, he played the season with the Triple-A Springfield Cubs of the International League, where he hit .327 in 88 games.
Burgess made his major league debut at the age of 22 with the Chicago Cubs on April 19, 1949. He played in 46 games, batting .268 in 56 at bats for the Cubs that season. He returned to the Cubs for the 1951 season, starting 49 games at catcher, and batting .251 in 219 at bats.
In early October 1951, Burgess was traded along with Bob Borkowski to the Cincinnati Reds for Johnny Pramesa and Bob Usher. On December 10, 1951, the Reds traded Burgess, Connie Ryan and Howie Fox to the Philadelphia Phillies for catcher Andy Seminick, Eddie Pellagrini, Dick Sisler and Niles Jordan, before the start of the 1952 season. With the Phillies, he platooned alongside the right-handed-hitting Stan Lopata. He started 102 games to Lopata's 52 in 1952, and led the team in hitting with a .296 batting average in 371 at bats. In 1953, he started 85 games, and hit .292 in 312 at bats. Burgess had his best season in 1954, when he had career-highs with a .368 batting average and .942 OPS (on base plus slugging) in 108 games for the Phillies, again starting 85 games; and earning his first All-Star Game selection.
At the beginning of the 1955 season, after playing seven games for the Phillies, Burgess was once again traded for Andy Seminick. The Phillies traded Burgess, Steve Ridzik and Stan Palys to the Cincinnati Reds for Seminick, Glen Gorbous and Jim Greengrass. In being returned to Cincinnati, Burgess finally got the chance to play every day. He rose to the occasion, hitting for a .306 batting average for the rest of the season along with 20 home runs and 77 runs batted in (RBI) gaining his second consecutive berth on the National League All-Star team. Burgess started 103 of the 116 games in which he played for the Reds that season, and had a career-high number of plate appearances in a season for any team on which he ever played (477).
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