William Brooks Southworth (June 20, 1917 – February 15, 1945) was an American professional baseball player who became a decorated bomberpilot in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. He was the son of baseball player and managerBilly Southworth.[a] While the two men had different middle names, the younger was commonly known as "Billy Southworth Jr."
^"Tourists to Offer Father and Son Combination". The Herald-Sun. Durham, North Carolina. March 1, 1936. p. IV-2. Retrieved January 24, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
^ ab"Billy Southworth Jr., Quits Baseball to Join Army Air Corps Cadets". The Buffalo News. AP. December 23, 1940. p. 28. Retrieved January 24, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
^ ab"Billy Southworth Jr. Lost When B-29 Crashes in Bay". The Cincinnati Post. UP. February 16, 1945. p. 8. Retrieved January 24, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
billy, southworth, william, brooks, southworth, june, 1917, february, 1945, american, professional, baseball, player, became, decorated, bomber, pilot, united, states, army, forces, during, world, baseball, player, manager, billy, southworth, while, different,. William Brooks Southworth June 20 1917 February 15 1945 was an American professional baseball player who became a decorated bomber pilot in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II He was the son of baseball player and manager Billy Southworth a While the two men had different middle names the younger was commonly known as Billy Southworth Jr Billy Southworth Jr Southworth c 1943BornWilliam Brooks Southworth 1917 06 20 June 20 1917Portland Oregon U S DiedFebruary 15 1945 1945 02 15 aged 27 Queens New York U S Alma materOhio State UniversityOccupationBaseball playerYears active1936 1940ParentBilly Southworth father Contents 1 Biography 2 Notes 3 References 4 External linksBiography editSouthworth was born in 1917 in Portland Oregon 1 His father had played for the Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League during 1915 and 1916 as an outfielder 2 The younger Southworth grew up in Columbus Ohio He graduated from East High School and attended Ohio State University Also an outfielder Southworth signed in early 1936 with the Asheville Tourists for which his father was the manager the team was a Minor League Baseball affiliate of the St Louis Cardinals 3 Southworth played five seasons for farm teams of the Cardinals Cleveland Indians and Philadelphia Athletics 1 Records of the era are incomplete but he played in at least 467 minor league games including 102 games in 1939 with the Rome Colonels of the Canadian American League 1 That season he had a 342 batting average and was named the league s most valuable player 1 4 He reached the top minor league level in 1940 appearing in 15 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League 1 On December 12 1940 almost a year before the Attack on Pearl Harbor Southworth enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps becoming one of the first American professional baseball player to enlist in the armed forces prior to World War II 5 4 Rising to the rank of major Southworth was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Air Medal after completing 25 bombing missions in the European Theater of Operations in 1942 and 1943 6 In early 1945 he died at age 27 while leading flight training for the Boeing B 29 Superfortress when his aircraft crashed into Flushing Bay off the Borough of Queens in New York City 6 5 He is buried at Green Lawn Cemetery in Columbus Ohio 1 6 Notes edit The elder Southworth was posthumously inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008 References edit a b c d e f Billy Southworth Jr Minor Leagues Statistics Baseball Reference com Billy Southworth Sr Minor Leagues Statistics Baseball Reference com Tourists to Offer Father and Son Combination The Herald Sun Durham North Carolina March 1 1936 p IV 2 Retrieved January 24 2023 via newspapers com a b Billy Southworth Jr Quits Baseball to Join Army Air Corps Cadets The Buffalo News AP December 23 1940 p 28 Retrieved January 24 2023 via newspapers com a b Billy Southworth Jr Lost When B 29 Crashes in Bay The Cincinnati Post UP February 16 1945 p 8 Retrieved January 24 2023 via newspapers com a b c Billy Southworth Jr Baseball s Greatest Sacrifice External links editCareer statistics and player information from Baseball Reference Minors Billy Southworth Jr at Find a Grave Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Billy Southworth Jr amp oldid 1181481737, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
