Known as "Lefty," he pitched in the Negro Leagues for the Detroit Stars and Kansas City Monarchs from 1920 to 1939 and managed the Monarchs from 1937 to 1940.
He developed his talents as a teenager, before becoming a professional at age 22.
In 2006, he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame posthumously.
He was born in Waco, Texas.
He was part of a 2006 Hall of Fame class that included Bruce Sutter.
