Dave Malarcher

David "Gentleman Dave" Julius Malarcher (October 18, 1894 – May 11, 1982) was an American third baseman in Negro league baseball. He played for the Indianapolis ABCs, Detroit Stars, and Chicago American Giants from 1916 to 1934.

In his own words, captured in documentary, Malarcher's mother was born in slavery. His father was the head workman on a big plantation. He was the youngest of 11 children, and grew up in Union, Louisiana. He started playing baseball at a very young age, and had older brothers also playing baseball, his oldest brother playing on the men's team.^[1]

Malarcher was attending New Orleans University and playing for the New Orleans Eagles at the age of 22 in 1916 when he was picked up by the Indianapolis ABCs who were traveling back from the winter baseball league in Cuba. The ABCs offered him $50 a month for his first contract.

He attended college at Dillard University (formerly New Orleans University).

In 1917, at the age of 22, Malarcher registered for the WWI Draft. ^[2] He listed his current address as 446 Indiana Avenue in Indianapolis, Indiana. He said he was currently employed as a ball player and employed by C.I. Taylor. And he listed his mother as a dependent.

Malarcher was drafted in 1918, and served for the 369th Infantry Regiment where it was said the regiment was denied a combat role under the U.S. flag, so the regiment served under the French flag. The regiment returned to a parade down Lenox Avenue in Harlem, New York.^[1]

After the War, Malarcher went to work for Rube Foster, playing for the Detroit Stars, and then the Chicago American Giants.^[1]

References

• "New Orleans University Produces Baseball Great" www.dillard.edu Story by Ryan Whirty
• Negro League Baseball Museum

External links

• Negro league baseball statistics and player information from Seamheads.com, or Baseball-Reference (Negro leagues)