Sammy Byrd

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American baseball player and golfer (1906–1981)

title: "Sammy Byrd" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["albany-senators-players", "alexandria-reds-players", "american-bricklayers", "american-male-golfers", "baseball-players-from-birmingham,-alabama", "baseball-players-from-georgia-(u.s.-state)", "cincinnati-reds-players", "golfers-from-birmingham,-alabama", "golfers-from-georgia-(u.s.-state)", "jonesboro-buffaloes-players", "knoxville-smokies-players", "major-league-baseball-outfielders", "multisport-professional-athletes", "new-york-yankees-players", "people-from-bremen,-georgia", "pga-tour-golfers", "sportspeople-from-the-atlanta-metropolitan-area", "1906-births", "1981-deaths", "20th-century-american-sportsmen", "20th-century-american-artisans"] description: "American baseball player and golfer (1906–1981)" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sammy_Byrd" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American baseball player and golfer (1906–1981) ::

::data[format=table title="infobox person"]

FieldValue
imageSammy Byrd 1946.jpg
captionByrd in 1946
birth_date
birth_placeBremen, Georgia, U.S.
death_date
death_placeMesa, Arizona, U.S.
module{{Infobox baseball biography
positionOutfielder
batsRight
throwsRight
debutleagueMLB
debutdateMay 11
debutyear1929
debutteamNew York Yankees
finalleagueMLB
finaldateSeptember 27
finalyear1936
finalteamCincinnati Reds
statleagueMLB
stat1labelBatting average
stat1value.274
stat2labelHome runs
stat2value38
stat3labelRuns batted in
stat3value220
{{Infobox golferembed
statusProfessional
yearpro1933
extourPGA Tour
prowins11
pgawins6
otherwins5
majorwins
masters3rd: 1941
usopenT16: 1939
openDNP
pga2nd: 1945
wghofid
wghofyear
award1
year1
awardssection
::

|image=Sammy Byrd 1946.jpg |caption=Byrd in 1946 |birth_date= |birth_place=Bremen, Georgia, U.S. |death_date= |death_place=Mesa, Arizona, U.S. |module={{Infobox baseball biography|embed=yes |position=Outfielder |bats=Right |throws=Right |debutleague = MLB |debutdate=May 11 |debutyear=1929 |debutteam=New York Yankees |finalleague = MLB |finaldate=September 27 |finalyear=1936 |finalteam=Cincinnati Reds |statleague = MLB |stat1label=Batting average |stat1value=.274 |stat2label=Home runs |stat2value=38 |stat3label=Runs batted in |stat3value=220 |teams=

Byrd made his professional baseball debut in 1926, and made his MLB debut with the New York Yankees in 1929. He was primarily a reserve player, and saw action as a defensive replacement and pinch runner for Babe Ruth, which earned him the nickname "Babe Ruth's Legs". The Yankees sold Byrd to the Cincinnati Reds before the 1935 season, and he retired from baseball to pursue a career as a professional golfer after the 1936 season. He won six PGA events during his career.

Early life

Samuel Dewey Byrd was born on October 15, 1906, in Bremen, Georgia, as the second of four children of Rhone and Delphia Byrd. He was often known by his middle name when he was growing up. His family moved to Birmingham, Alabama, in 1911. They lived near a golf course, where he worked as a caddy. He graduated from Birmingham's Simpson High School, where he played baseball and basketball. His father, who worked in construction, trained him to be a bricklayer.

Professional career

Baseball career

After playing sandlot baseball in Birmingham, Byrd signed with the Birmingham Barons of the Class A Southern Association in 1926. The Barons optioned him to the Jonesboro Buffaloes of the Class D Tri-State League before the start of the season. The league folded during the season, He played for the Knoxville Smokies of the Class B South Atlantic League in 1927, where he batted .331 with 15 home runs in 140 games. During the 1927 season, the New York Yankees purchased Byrd's contract. In 1928, the Yankees optioned Byrd to the Albany Senators of the Class A Eastern League, and he batted .371 with 18 home runs in 130 games.

Byrd made his Major League Baseball debut with the Yankees on May 11, 1929, as a pinch hitter and defensive replacement for Earle Combs. He batted .312 with five home runs in 202 plate appearances across 62 games for the Yankees in 1929. In 1930, Byrd batted .284 with six home runs in 254 plate appearances across 92 games. He batted .270 with three home runs in 281 plate appearances across 115 games in 1931.

::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/SammyByrdGoudeycard.jpg" caption="Byrd's 1933 [[Goudey]] [[baseball card"] ::

Byrd got a big opportunity to be the starting center fielder for the Yankees in 1932, as Combs went to the bench. Using a 34 oz baseball bat, in place of the 37 oz bats he usually used, helped him to match his home run total for all of 1931 before April 1932 ended. By May, Byrd was experiencing sinus problems and Combs had retaken the starting center fielding job. Aside from a 15 game stretch in September, Byrd spent the rest of the 1932 season backing up the starting outfield of Ruth, Combs, and Ben Chapman. He finished the 1932 season with a .297 average and eight home runs in 243 plate appearances across 105 games. Byrd made one appearance in the 1932 World Series as a defensive replacement for Ruth in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 4. In 1934, he batted .246 with three home runs in 218 plate appearances across 106 games. Byrd led American League outfielders with a .988 fielding percentage in 1934, committing two errors in 160 chances.

After the 1934 season, the Yankees sold Byrd to the Cincinnati Reds. Byrd played for the Reds as a starting outfielder in 1935, alongside Chick Hafey, with Ival Goodman, Harlin Pool, and Adam Comorosky competing for the remaining playing time. He batted .262 with nine home runs in 460 plate appearances in 121 games. Heading into the 1936 season, Cincinnati started Goodman, Babe Herman, and Kiki Cuyler in the outfield, and Byrd returned to a reserve role.

The Reds traded Byrd to the Rochester Red Wings of the International League for Phil Weintraub and Jack Rothrock following the 1936 season. Byrd refused the assignment to the minor leagues, and announced in February 1937 that he was retiring from baseball to focus on his golf career. Cincinnati sent Rochester another player to complete the trade, and sold Byrd to the St. Louis Cardinals, who sent him a new contract for $10,000. After consulting with Jones, Ed Dudley, and Bill McWane, Byrd informed the Cardinals that he still intended to retire and pursue a career in golf.

Byrd was called "Babe Ruth's Legs", a reference to the fact that he often would appear as a pinch runner and defensive replacement for Ruth at the end of games toward the latter part of Ruth's career. In 745 major league games, Byrd posted a .274 batting average (465-for-1,700) with 304 runs, 38 home runs, 220 runs batted in, and a .412 slugging percentage. He recorded a .975 fielding percentage playing at all three outfield positions.

Golf career

Upon joining the Yankees, Byrd quickly developed the reputation of being the best golfer in professional baseball. In 1930, Bobby Jones played a round of golf with Byrd, and called Byrd "the very best man with a driver I ever saw." Byrd won the first tournament he entered, the amateur portion of the 1933 Southeastern PGA Open. He made his professional golf debut in a tournament at the Pinehurst Resort in November 1933. In January 1937, he won a golf tournament of baseball players in Sarasota, Florida, by fourteen strokes.

When Byrd retired from baseball in 1937, he became an assistant to Dudley at the Philadelphia Country Club. He tied with Abe Espinosa for fifth place in the 1938 Crescent City Open and tied with Ralph Guldahl for fourth place of the 1938 St. Petersburg Open Invitational. In July 1939, Byrd won the Philadelphia Open Championship. In 1940, Byrd became the golf pro at the Merion Golf Club in Haverford Township, Pennsylvania. He competed in the 1940 Masters Tournament and tied for 14th place, becoming the first person to play in both a World Series and a Masters Tournament.

At the 1941 Providence Open, Byrd set a competitive record at Triggs Memorial Golf Course when he shot a 66, six under par, in the first round. He finished in third place in the 1941 Masters Tournament. He finished in fourth place in the 1942 Masters Tournament.

Byrd resigned from the Merion Golf Club to succeed Jimmy Demaret as the golf pro at the Plum Hollow Country Club in Southfield, Michigan, effective November 1, 1943. In February 1944, he won the New Orleans Open with a score of 285, five strokes ahead of Byron Nelson. In June 1944, Byrd won the Philadelphia Inquirer Open Invitational. He won the Michigan PGA Championship in July 1944 with a score of 142, while Harmon, Jack Winney, and Al Watrous tied with 145, Byrd lost the final of the 1945 PGA Championship to Nelson, 4 and 3, in match play.

Byrd defended his Michigan PGA Championship title in August 1945, beating Chick Rutan by two strokes, 142 to 144. In March 1946, Byrd teamed with Sam Snead in the Inverness Invitational Four-Ball, which they lost to Demaret and Hogan. Byrd hosted the 1947 PGA Championship, which was held at Plum Hollow Country Club. In the 1948 Masters Tournament, he tallied the highest score ever at the second hole, recording a 10. He finished the round with a 12-over-par 84. He retired from the PGA Tour in 1949.

On April 1, 1963, Byrd became the golf pro at Willowbrook Country Club. Byrd won his last tournament, a Senior PGA Tour event, in 1967.

Personal life

Byrd married Rachel Elizabeth Smith of Birmingham in October 1932, days after the conclusion of the 1932 World Series. Teammate Bill Dickey was his best man. Their daughter, Catherine, was born in 1939. After Rachel died in 1979, Byrd moved to Gilbert, Arizona, to be closer to his daughter.

He died in Mesa, Arizona, on May 11, 1981.

Awards and honors

In 1974, Byrd was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame for his accomplishments in golf and baseball.

Professional wins (11)

PGA Tour wins (6)

Other wins (6)

:This list is probably incomplete.

Results in major championships

::data[format=table]

Tournament19381939194019411942194319441945194619471948194919501951
Masters TournamentT1434NTNTNT4047
U.S. OpenCUTT1641T26NTNTNTNTCUTT23T37CUTT49
PGA ChampionshipR32NTR162R64R64R64
::

:Note: Byrd never played in The Open Championship. : : :NT = no tournament :CUT = missed the half-way cut :R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = round in which player lost in PGA Championship match play :"T" indicates a tie for a place

References

References

  1. Jones, Jimmy. (March 17, 1934). "Famous Georgia Athletes". The Atlanta Constitution.
  2. "Sammy Byrd". [[Society for American Baseball Research]].
  3. "1926 Jonesboro Buffaloes Statistics".
  4. "1927 Knoxville Smokies Statistics".
  5. (August 30, 1927). "Going Up: Yankees Buy Slugging Dewey Byrd, Outfielder, in Sally League". The Tribune.
  6. Royal, Chip. (August 27, 1943). "Sammy Byrd, Former Yank, Wins New Success at Golf". The Portsmouth Herald.
  7. "1928 Albany Senators Statistics".
  8. "1929 New York Yankees Statistics".
  9. "1930 New York Yankees Statistics".
  10. "1931 New York Yankees Statistics".
  11. Hunt, Marshall. (May 1, 1932). "He's a Bird - That Byrd! New Home Run Hitter Sensation of Yanks". New York Daily News.
  12. Ritt, William. (April 27, 1932). "Byrd Uses Lighter Bat, Changes Style of Grip, Becomes Slugging Hero". The Parsons Sun.
  13. (January 12, 1933). "Byrd, Yank Ace, Turns Up Nose At Golf Career". The Tampa Tribune.
  14. "1932 New York Yankees Statistics".
  15. "1934 New York Yankees Statistics".
  16. (December 5, 1934). "Gehrig Takes Second Place For Fielding". The Anniston Star.
  17. Husted, Bob. (December 20, 1934). "The Referee". The Dayton Herald.
  18. (January 21, 1935). "Sammy Byrd May Become Star With Reds In 1935". Palladium-Item.
  19. "1935 Cincinnati Reds Statistics".
  20. Husted, Bob. (April 13, 1936). "The Referee". The Dayton Herald.
  21. House, Jack. (February 26, 1937). "Dewey Byrd Back In Majors After Deal With Cards". The Birmingham News.
  22. Bleile, Gene. (May 30, 2019). "He hit thirty-eight homers!". Cape Gazette.
  23. Conklin, Les. (May 10, 1929). "Sammy Byrd, Warming Yank Bench, Is Best Golfer In the Big Leagues". The Tribune.
  24. Neil, Edward J.. (November 19, 1933). "Sammy Byrd, Yank Fielder, Joins Professional Golfers; Has Good Future, Says Neil". The Tampa Tribune.
  25. Thompson, Ian. (May 25, 2020). "MR. GOLF: Sam Byrd has lots of local ties". Tuscaloosa News.
  26. Kaese, Harold. (June 27, 1971). "Sammy Byrd, baseball's king of golf". The Boston Globe.
  27. (October 30, 1933). "Tony Penna Annexes Southeast P.G.A. Title". The Miami Herald.
  28. (November 15, 1933). "Runyan-M'Farlane Team's 132 WIns Best Ball Event". Record-Journal.
  29. (January 25, 1937). "BYRD SCORES 284, WINS AT SARASOTA; Ex-Yankee, Even With Par for 72 Holes, Takes Baseball Players' Golf Title". The New York Times.
  30. (March 7, 1937). "Dewey Byrd Gives Up Baseball For Position As Pro Linksman". The Birmingham News.
  31. (February 22, 1938). "Cooper Winner In Golf Event". Salt Lake Telegram.
  32. (March 5, 1938). "Harper Ties Revolta In St. Petersburg Open Meet". The Tampa Tribune.
  33. (September 27, 1941). "Byrd Leads at Providence". Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
  34. (March 30, 1942). "Sammy Byrd Garners Golf Tilt With 279". The Pasadena Post.
  35. Morrow, Art. (October 20, 1943). "Byrd Leaves Merion For Detroit Pro Job". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  36. (February 29, 1944). "Byrd Takes Top Honors With a 72-Hole Total of 285 on New Orleans Links; 5-STROKE MARGIN FOR GOLF VICTOR Byrd 285 Score Leads Nelson as Four-Day $5,000 Open Competition Ends M'SPADEN THIRD AT 291 New Orleans Tourney Brings $3,161,000 Total in War Bond Purchases". The New York Times.
  37. Keck, Harry. (June 15, 1944). "Sammy Byrd Better As Golfer Than He Was in Baseball". Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph.
  38. (January 29, 1945). "BYRD'S 268 TAKES TEXAS OPEN GOLF; Sammy's Total of 16 Under Par Enables Him to Top Nelson in San Antonio Tourney TRIUMPHS BY ONE STROKE McSpaden in Third Place With 270-Three Leaders Better the Scoring Mark of 271 Persuaded to Play Only Two 6-Stroke Holes". The New York Times.
  39. (January 29, 1945). "Sammy Byrd Wins With Golf Record". The Minneapolis Star.
  40. Howell, Eritz. (July 16, 1945). "Byron Nelson Stages Late Rally to Take PGA Gonfalon". The Ogden Standard-Examiner.
  41. (November 20, 1945). "Sammy Byrd Wins Azalea Open Golf Tournament". The Salt Lake Tribune.
  42. (March 11, 1946). "4-BALL GOLF TITLE TO HOGAN-DEMARET; Texas Pros Defeat Snead and Byrd by 2 Up in Final 36-Hole Round at Miami LONG PUTT ENDS MATCH Ben Sinks 20-Footer on Last Green for Birdie 3 That Clinches Triumph Halve 4 Holes in Row Lead Shaved to 1-Up". The New York Times.
  43. (June 17, 1947). "Sam Byrd Host To PGA Players". The Pittsburgh Press.
  44. "Sam Byrd - 1948 Masters". The Augusta Chronicle.
  45. (March 31, 1963). "Switch to Golf Was Good Move for Byrd". The Huntsville Times.
  46. (May 12, 1981). "Sports great Sam Byrd dies". The Anniston Star.
  47. (October 5, 1932). "Yank Gardener Espouses Bride". Clarion-Ledger.
  48. (May 14, 1981). "Sammy Byrd, Played For Yanks and Reds, Then Starred in Golf". The New York Times.
  49. "Sam Byrd PGA TOUR Player Profile, Stats, Bio, Career".
  50. (July 19, 1939). "Sammy Byrd Wins Philadelphia Open". The Whittier News.
  51. Gundelfinger Jr., Phil. (June 30, 1942). "Byrd's 132, 10-Under, Wins State Open". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  52. (August 7, 1944). "Nelson Shoots 277 to Triump; Byrd's 208 Wins Michigan Open". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  53. (July 24, 1944). "Byrd State Golf Champ". The Times Herald.
  54. (August 20, 1945). "Sam Byrd Wins Title". The Eugene Guard.
  55. Drive, Daily. "Stray shots: Norman out? Byrd still in".

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