Sammy Byrd

Samuel Dewey Byrd (October 5, 1906 – May 11, 1981) was an American professional baseball player and professional golfer.[1][2][3]

Sammy Byrd
Outfielder
Born: (1906-10-05)October 5, 1906
Bremen, Georgia
Died: May 11, 1981(1981-05-11) (aged 74)
Mesa, Arizona
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
May 11, 1929, for the New York Yankees
Last MLB appearance
September 27, 1936, for the Cincinnati Reds
MLB statistics
Batting average.274
Home runs38
Runs batted in220
Teams
Career highlights and awards
Sammy Byrd
Personal information
Full nameSamuel Dewey Byrd
Born(1906-10-05)October 5, 1906
Bremen, Georgia
DiedMay 11, 1981(1981-05-11) (aged 74)
Mesa, Arizona
Nationality United States
Career
StatusProfessional
Former tour(s)PGA Tour
Professional wins11
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour6
Other5
Best results in major championships
Masters Tournament3rd: 1941
PGA Championship2nd: 1945
U.S. OpenT16: 1939
The Open ChampionshipDNP

Known as "Sammy" or "Sam", Byrd was born in Bremen, Georgia but grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. He played Major League Baseball from 1929 to 1936 for the New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds. He was called "Babe Ruth's Legs", a reference to the fact that he often would appear as a pinch runner at the end of games toward the latter part of Ruth's career. In 1936, Byrd quit baseball to pursue a career in professional golf. He won six events on the PGA Tour between 1942 and 1946. He lost the final of the 1945 PGA Championship to Byron Nelson, 4 & 3, in match play. He is the only person to have played in a World Series and competed in golf's Masters Tournament. He made one appearance in the 1932 World Series (game 4) while playing for the New York Yankees - as a defensive replacement for Babe Ruth - in the bottom of the 9th inning. He finished twice in the top 10 at the Masters: third in 1941 and fourth in 1942. During his last appearance in 1948, he tallied the highest score ever at the second hole recording a 10. He finished the round with a 12-over-par 84. [4]

In 745 major league games, Byrd posted a .274 batting average (465-for-1700) with 304 runs, 38 home runs, 220 RBI and a .412 slugging percentage. He recorded a .975 fielding percentage playing at all three outfield positions.

Byrd was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1974.[5] He died in Mesa, Arizona in 1981 at the age of 74 from undisclosed causes.

Professional wins (11)

PGA Tour wins (6)
  • 1942 (1) Greater Greensboro Open
  • 1943 (1) Chicago Victory National Open
  • 1944 (2) New Orleans Open, Philadelphia Inquirer Open Invitational
  • 1945 (2) Texas Open, Azalea Open

Other wins (5)

this list is probably incomplete

Results in major championships
Tournament 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951
Masters Tournament T14 3 4 NT NT NT 40 47
U.S. Open CUT T16 41 T26 NT NT NT NT CUT T23 T37 CUT T49
PGA Championship R32 NT R16 2 R64 R64 R64

Note: Byrd never played in The Open Championship.

  Top 10
  Did not play

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

See also

References
  1. Strege, John (October 15, 2004). "Double Play: Mark McGwire is the latest former baseball player to take a serious cut at golf". Golf World. Archived from the original on October 29, 2004.
  2. "Diamond Heroes On The Links". USGA. Archived from the original on September 18, 2004.
  3. "Philosophy: History of Connection". Archived from the original on June 20, 2000.
  4. "Sam Byrd - 1948 Masters". The Augusta Chronicle. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
  5. "Profile at Alabama Sports Hall of Fame". Retrieved October 29, 2013.
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