Jim Small (baseball)
Encyclopedia
James Arthur Patrick Small (born March 8, 1937, in Portland, Oregon
) is a former professional baseball
player who played Major League Baseball
from 1955 to 1958 for the Detroit Tigers
and Kansas City Athletics
.
Small was signed as a free agent bonus baby by the Detroit Tigers in 1955. As a bonus baby, the Tigers were required to keep Small on their major league roster for both 1955 and 1956.
In the major leagues Small was used entirely as an outfielder
. While playing in the minor leagues, it was decided in 1960 to convert Small into a pitcher
. After getting shelled in a few appearances, he was sent back to the outfield. Small did however make one pitching appearance in 1962, his last year as a professional baseball player.
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
) is a former professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
player who played Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
from 1955 to 1958 for the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
and Kansas City Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....
.
Small was signed as a free agent bonus baby by the Detroit Tigers in 1955. As a bonus baby, the Tigers were required to keep Small on their major league roster for both 1955 and 1956.
In the major leagues Small was used entirely as an outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
. While playing in the minor leagues, it was decided in 1960 to convert Small into a pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
. After getting shelled in a few appearances, he was sent back to the outfield. Small did however make one pitching appearance in 1962, his last year as a professional baseball player.