Buddy Crump played one game in centerfield for the 1924 New
York Giants.
Arthur Elliott Crump was born November 29, 1901, in Norfolk,
Virginia, to Archie Marson Crump and Mary Lewis Benthall Crump. Archie and Mary
had seven children; Arthur was the third of the five that survived. The 1910
census finds them living on Outer Street in the Tanners Creek area of Norfolk.
Archie is a house carpenter, and the kids are Mable, 16; Edward, 11: Arthur, 8;
Archie Jr., 5; and Mary Jr., 2.
By the 1920 census the family is living at 721 E 28th
Street in Norfolk, a house they own on a mortgage. Archie and Mary are both 51,
and Archie is still a house carpenter. All the kids are still at home: Mable,
26, does not work; Edward, 22, is a pipe fitter and goes to school; Arthur, 18,
is a sheet metal worker; Archie, 15, is a soda dispenser at a soda fountain and
goes to school; Mary, 11, goes to school.
In 1922 Arthur played professional baseball, for the
Portsmouth Truckers of the Class B Virginia League, but no stats are available.
The 1922 Norfolk city directory listed him as a driver. In 1923 he apparently
began the season with Portsmouth, but didn’t play enough to appear in the
official stats. He was sent down to the Greeneville (Tennessee) Burley Cubs of
the Class D Appalachian League; in 99 games, mostly in the outfield, he hit
.318/.357/.451 in 346 at-bats, and in ten games as a pitcher he had a 2-2
record in 33 innings.
In the 1924 Norfolk directory, Arthur, still living with his
parents and most of his siblings on E 28th, was listed as a ball
player. He returned to Portsmouth and had a good year. From the June 24 Wilson
Times:
CRUMP-MANNERS SOLD TO NEW YAWK
Portsmouth Outfielder and Moundsman go up Next Fall
First Virginia League Sale This Season; Price Is Not Named
Norfolk, Va., June 23.—Portsmouth last night announced the
first baseball sale of the Virginia League season.
Arthur Crump, Norfolk boy, better known to his many friends
here and on the Virginia League circuit as “Buddy,” has been sold to the New
York Giants and along with him will go John Manners, of the Trucker twirling
staff. Crump is the Trucker centerfielder…
Both players have been sold for delivery at the close of the
Virginia League season. No announcement was made as to the purchase price.
Crump is the leading hitter on the Virginia circuit. The
latest reports on his work at bat show an average of .375. His performance for
the Truckers this year, both in the field and with the bludgeon has been noteworthy.
Coming up from the Appalachian League, where he was farmed
last season by the Truckers, he immediately stepped into the limelight in the
Virginia circuit as a dangerous hitter, and contributed much toward early
Trucker success. As a fielder Crump covers much ground, and on the paths is
fast.
Buddy slumped after the sale, and finished the season
hitting .302/.380/.463 in 473 at-bats in 129 games, with 16 homers. In the
field he led the league’s outfielders in assists and finished second in
putouts. He went to New York, where he got into one game. On September 28, at
home against the Phillies, he played centerfield and batted cleanup—behind Ross
Youngs and followed by Bill Terry, Hack Wilson, and Travis Jackson. In the
first he struck out against Bill Hubbell; in the third he followed a triple by
Youngs with a sacrifice fly. The rest of the way he faced reliever Johnny
Couch, making outs in the fifth and seventh and lining into a double play in
the ninth as the Giants lost 11-6; in the field he made two errors in four
chances. That was the last game of the season, and Buddy finished his major
league career with a .000 batting average and .500 fielding percentage.
Buddy went to spring training with the Giants in 1925. There
were reports that he might make the team, but he was optioned back to the
Virginia League, to the Rocky Mount Broncos. He hit .301/.366/.435 in 352
at-bats in 97 games, playing in the outfield. After the Virginia League season
he was called back to the Giants, but this time he didn’t actually join the
team. From the September 14 Worcester Evening Gazette:
GIANTS GIVE UP PENNANT HOPES
NEW YORK, Sept. 14.—Being resigned to their fate as far as
the 1925 season is concerned, the New York Giants will attempt an innovation in
major league baseball strategy, beginning today. They will open an autumn
school for baseball fledglings and daily sessions will be held at the Polo
Grounds. It was reported that John McGraw, instead of accompanying the Giants
on their last Western trip, would take direct charge of the school.
The early class will be composed of John Wisner and Walter
Hunzinger, relief pitchers with the club this year; Pip Koehler and Arthur
Crump, who made the spring training trip to Sarasota; Outfielder Earl Webb,
obtained from Toledo, Catchers Ott and Austin and Pitcher Gus Lindberg.
Buddy signed another Giants contract in January 1926, but
early in spring training he was sent to Little Rock of the Class A Southern
Association. Albany Times-Union, March 6:
Crump’s release came as a surprise to all, including
himself. Crump, who played all the positions known to modern baseball, was
looked upon as one of the rising young men of the profession and appeared to be
a sure bet to land some sort of a substitute job.
Arkansas Gazette, March 11:
The trio of arrivals yesterday included the pair of recruits
sent up from Florida by John McGraw of the New York Giants—Gus Lindberg, the
pitcher, and Arthur Crump, who is listed as an infielder, but may be changed to
a pitcher. Mr. Crump, it seems, is left-handed, and with top prices being paid
for southpaw pitchers, McGraw has asked Joe Cantillon to try to teach young
Crump to get enough control of his curve ball to put it over the plate.
Apparently not much came of that experiment; there is no
evidence of Buddy doing any pitching, plus by the time the season began he had
been demoted again, back to the Virginia League, this time with the Wilson
Bugs. On May 27, this filler item appeared in the Milwaukee Journal:
Good Hitting
Buddy Crump, product of Norfolk sandlots and property of the
New York Giants, playing for Wilson, has been doing some fine hitting.
Despite that, he was about done in Wilson, as reported in
the Greensboro Daily News on June 4:
Buddy Crump, local boy recently released by the Giants, wore
a Norfolk uniform for the first time of his professional career. He will play
the garden until some of the Norfolk cripples are able to get back in the
lineup.
The Norfolk Tars were also in the Virginia League; Buddy
played some outfield for them, but doesn’t seem to have stuck with them for
long. Between the two teams he hit .279/.373/.379 in 140 at-bats in 42 games.
In 1927 Buddy returned to Norfolk. He played more first base
than outfield, generally batting third or fourth in the lineup. He had his best
offensive season, hitting .346/.436/.530 in 466 at-bats in 129 games, with 16
home runs. Along the way, an article appeared in the July 17 Richmond
Times-Dispatch about a game to be played that day between the Richmond
Independents and the Norfolk Orioles, either amateur or semi-pro teams:
…Of interest to fans will be the appearance of Kid Crump,
brother of Buddy Crump, first sacker of the Norfolk Virginia League club, who
was last year sold to the Giants. The Kid is said to be a snappy ball player,
covers an acre of territory around short, and bats with the best of ‘em.
Presumably this was 22-year-old Archie Jr.
On June 4, 1928, Buddy walked three times for Richmond
against Norfolk. Those were the only two Virginia League teams left after the
other two disbanded; if Buddy had played for Richmond before that I didn’t find
any indication of it. By July 13, if not sooner, he had turned up with the
Selma Cloverleafs of the Class B Southeastern League. He played in 88 games for
them, all at first base; to have played in that many suggests that he was there
soon after June 4. His hitting dropped off dramatically from 1927, to
.241/.309/.340 in 303 at-bats.
From the Selma Times-Journal, March 11, 1929:
“Buddy” Crump Signs Contract With Leafs
Another holdout worry of local moguls has been eliminated by
receipt of a signed contract from “Buddy” Crump, outfield prospect, it was
announced Monday.
Crump will be furnished transportation for the trip to Selma
and he is expected to be on hand when training starts a week from today. The
former First Sacker’s acceptance of terms will be welcome news for local fans,
who were greatly pleased last year by the outfielder’s willingness to sacrifice
his play in the gardens to hold down first base for the Clover Leafs.
Buddy began the season with Selma but in late April was
released to the Pensacola Flyers, also in the Southeastern League. But he only
played in 18 games between the two teams, hitting .218/.295/.327. I don’t know
what he did the rest of the year, but somewhere around this time he got
married. The 1930 census, taken April 11 of that year in Norfolk, shows
ballplayer Arthur E. Crump, 28, married at 27, and Elizabeth Crump, 22, married
at 21, living at 102 W 27th Street. They are one of five households
at that address and they pay $20 a month rent. The 1930 Norfolk directory shows
them at 308 E 27th.
The 1932 Norfolk directory shows Buddy and Betty at 2408
Chesapeake in Ocean View, with Buddy listed as a painter. He was playing
semi-pro baseball in Norfolk during these years; in 1933 for the Norfolk Police
team.
The 1935 Norfolk directory shows the two of them at 3027 Grundy Avenue,
Buddy still a painter. But that summer he got back into pro baseball at the age
of 33. From the August 12 Charleston Evening Post:
Crump’s Homer Wins Game For Truckers
Veteran’s Blow, With Three Aboard, Responsible For 11-8
Victory
By ABE GOLDBLATT
A veteran of many baseball wars—Buddy Crump—threw a shadow
of his heroic past upon Trucker Stadium yesterday as he blasted a home run in
the right field bleachers with the sacks loaded to bring Portsmouth a 11-8
victory over the Tars.
His four-bagger was the major part of a seventh-inning
debacle that netted seven runs off seven hits.
It was a game of thrills, but the performance of Crump stood
above them all.
A little story is connected with it, too.
Fandom had given up hope for the game little outfielder, who
played with the Truckers in the old Virginia League, because he “just couldn’t
hit any more.”
Even Owner Frank Lawrence started looking into the future.
He sent to Atlanta for a new outfielder, securing Dave Barbee. The Atlanta
slugger was to replace Crump in center field starting in yesterday’s game. But
he missed a train and failed to show up.
And Crump was put back into the game, much to the Tars’
regret. Besides accounting for the Trucker victory with a single homer in five
trips to the plate, Buddy played a sensational game in the outfield.
Today, Owner Lawrence can’t make out just what he is going
to do with Crump, who yesterday earned himself a place in the Truckers’ Hall of
Fame.
Buddy continued to play center for the Truckers. He had
three hits on August 15, four on August 17, and two homers on August 18. He hit
.260/.326/.415 in 123 at-bats in 34 games.
Buddy re-signed with Portsmouth, now known as the Cubs, for
1936.
He started the season in the outfield, but, as the Norfolk
Virginian-Pilot reported on April 22:
Cubs Drop Crump From Player List
Veteran Among Four Players Released By Portsmouth Cubs
Stankey Also Goes
By Burke Hewitt
Buddy Crump, veteran of many a major league battle [one
major league battle] and star of the Truckers in their last half play last
season, was given an unconditional release yesterday along with three other
aspirants for the 1936 Portsmouth Cubs…
Thus far this season Crump appeared at the bat 18 times and
has secured seven hits, two triples and a double. His fielding has been better
than average and there is little doubt but that his legs are as good as ever.
Should [player-manager] Koehler decide to play in the
infield it is highly probable that Crump will return for he will be sorely
needed to steady the outfield combination. As things look now, Koehler, Larry
Merville and George Rimmer will roam the outer garden.
But then, on June 14, same newspaper:
Buddy Crump, veteran of the Virginia League and short-termer
in the majors, was hustled into right field yesterday when the Cubs showed up
shy of an outer-gardener. In the first game he played in right field and besides
smashing out a double that drove in the initial Cub tally he made a peg from
deep center to third base that caught a speeding runner who had singled and was
trying for a triple.
Crump played awhile with the Cubs last season and engaged in
a few games this season but for the last month or so has been on the retired
list. We understand that he has been pushing a paint brush at the Portsmouth
Ferries and this bit of work must have put some throwing power in his left arm
for his heave that caught the runner at third was the longest and most accurate
that has been witnessed here this season.
Not content with his first-game double Buddy came back in
the second and drove out another two-bagger. Both were clean, long blows that
would have gone for two bases in any park.
Manager Koehler sent Crump to first base as the second game
opened. He replaced Fred “Snake” Henry who has been suffering with a hand
injury for the past two weeks. Buddy played a great game in this berth, handling
nine chances without an error.
The next day Buddy played first base again and went zero-for-four; that seems to have been his final appearance. He didn’t play enough
to be listed in the final league stats, but if what appeared in the Virginian-Pilot
was accurate he went 9-for-29 (.310) with three doubles and two triples (.552
slugging).
By 1939 Buddy and Betty had moved to Raleigh, North
Carolina; he appeared in the Raleigh city directory that year as a painter for
John Askew, living at 402 Glenwood Avenue. On April 25, 1940, they were counted
in the census, living at 306 E Summit Avenue, renting for $15 a month. There
was one other household at that address, 55-year-old Emma Johnson, paying $5; perhaps
the Crumps were subletting a room to Emma. Buddy is listed as a painter who
made $576 on 36 weeks of work in 1939, and as having a seventh grade education.
Betty is listed as “Mammie,” but seems to be Betty, and has two years of high
school. In the 1940 Raleigh directory their address is given as 2800 Ashland.
On February 16, 1942, 40-year-old Buddy filled out his draft
registration card. The address is now 2804 Ashland, employer John Askew
Interior Decorators on Glenwood Avenue, and his description is 6-0, 155, hazel
eyes, brown hair, light complexion. Mysteriously, the “person who will always
know your address” is given as Mrs. Arthur Elliott Fisher, also of 2804
Ashland. Betty was calling herself Mrs. Fisher?
The 1942 Raleigh directory lists Buddy and Betty at 2802
Ashland, with Buddy’s employer as “USA.” This is because on June 1 he entered
the Army as a private (now 5-10, 145). He served until August 2, 1945.
Buddy next appears in the Raleigh directory in 1948, as a
painter for Benjamin L. Rhue, living at 1801 Oberlin Road. Betty is not listed.
In the 1950 census, taken March 30, he is living in a duplex at 301 S Person
Street—with a new wife, 33-year-old Mary M. Buddy worked 40 hours the previous
week as a painter for a paint contracting company, while Mary worked 48 hours
as a practical nurse. They rent a room to Walter Jacobs, a 55-year-old divorced
tinner for a sheet metal and roofing company.
The 1952 Raleigh directory shows Buddy, a painter for
Capital Paint & Wall Paper, and Mary (now Mary E.—the directory variously
lists her as Mary E., Mary P., and Mary J.) at 1416 Jackson. In 1954 they’re at
206 E Morgan, and in 1957, with Buddy listed as a carpenter just this one year,
they’re at 111 N Bloodworth. In 1959 Buddy is a painter for Byrd Paper &
Painting Contractors and they live at 109 N Bloodworth. In 1960 he’s a painter
for Benjamin L. Rhue again, and they’re at 314 E Edenton.
That’s the last I found of Buddy, until he died in Raleigh
on September 26, 1976, two months shy of his 75th birthday.
https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/C/Pcrumb101.htm
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/crumpbu01.shtml
