Tom Umphlett

The son of Daisy Mullen Umphlett and Willie L. Umphlett, he was a three-sport athlete (baseball, basketball, football) at Ahoskie High School, from which he graduated in 1950. At 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m), 180 pounds, Umphlett – a right-hander – was originally signed by the Red Sox that year, choosing a professional baseball career over football scholarship offers to several universities. In 1950 with the Marion Red Sox, he hit .319 in 94 games. He made his big league debut on April 16, 1953 at the age of 22 and wearing the number 38. He hit .283 in his rookie season, displaying a great eye at the plate-he averaged one strikeout every 16.5 at-bats. He was #2 in Rookie of the Year voting in \'53.\n', '

Umphlett hit .246 with six home runs in 360 career games (1,160 at bats). He averaged one strikeout every 10.8 at bats in his career. Never much of a threat on the basepaths, he stole only seven…