John Fallings
Professional baseball player
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John Frank "Junior" Fallings (November 3, 1926 – September 22, 1983) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played for the New York Black Yankees of the Negro National League in 1947 and 1948.[1]
| John Fallings | |
|---|---|
| Pitcher | |
| Born: November 3, 1926 Lamar County, Georgia, U.S. | |
| Died: September 22, 1983 (aged 56) Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. | |
Batted: Unknown Threw: Right | |
| Negro league baseball debut | |
| 1947, for the New York Black Yankees | |
| Last appearance | |
| 1948, for the New York Black Yankees | |
| Teams | |
|
Career
A native of Lamar County, Georgia, Fallings began his baseball career with the Atlantic Black Crackers at age 16 in the early 1940s.[2]
During World War II, he served in the United States Army and was discharged on March 6, 1946.[3][4]
By 1947, he had joined the New York Black Yankees.[5] He appeared in one documented Negro National League game, pitching 2.0 innings in relief on May 16, 1947 in a game against the Baltimore Elite Giants.[6] In June 1947, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle speculated that Fallings could be the first Black pitcher to enter the major leagues,[2] one month before Dan Bankhead would accomplish the feat with the Brooklyn Dodgers.[7] He later appeared in a game against the Negro American League's Chicago American Giants on August 7.[8] Fallings was one of eight players to return to the team for the 1948 season.[9]
Though primarily a pitcher, he also played left field.[10] Fallings died in Atlanta, Georgia in 1983 at age 56.
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