Neil Berry
Encyclopedia
Cornelius John "Neil" Berry (born January 11, 1922 in Kalamazoo, Michigan
) is a former Major League Baseball
infielder who played seven seasons in the American League
with the Detroit Tigers
(1948–1952), St. Louis Browns
(1953), Chicago White Sox
(1953), and Baltimore Orioles
(1954).
Born in Kalamazoo, Michigan
, Berry attended Western Michigan University
and signed with the Detroit Tigers
in 1942 at age 20. He made it to the major leagues in 1948 as a utility infielder for Detroit, playing 41 games at shortstop and at 26 games at second base. With the retirement of Eddie Mayo
, Berry became the Tigers' starting second baseman
in 1949, hitting only .237 with 18 RBIs in 329 at bats. In 1950, Berry lost the starting second baseman job to Jerry Priddy
and had only 40 at bats.
Berry continued as a utility infielder for Detroit in 1951 and 1952, playing mostly as a shortstop. At the end of the 1952 season, the Tigers traded Berry to the St. Louis Browns
. Berry played in 57 games for the Browns in 1953, but was released in late August and claimed off waivers by the Chicago White Sox
on September 1, 1953. He played in only five games for the White Sox and finished his playing career playing five games with the Baltimore Orioles
in 1954. In his major league career, Berry played in 442 games with a .244 batting average
, 835 assists, 612 putouts, 177 double plays, 265 hits, 148 runs scored, 74 RBIs, 28 doubles and no home runs.
Berry caught an infield popup by pinch-hitter Joe DiMaggio
in August, 1951. DiMaggio would later share a laughing moment with a fan that remembered the game as a child.
Kalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
) is a former 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...
infielder who played seven seasons in the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
with 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...
(1948–1952), St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
(1953), Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
(1953), and Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
(1954).
Born in Kalamazoo, Michigan
Kalamazoo, Michigan
The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...
, Berry attended Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
and signed with 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...
in 1942 at age 20. He made it to the major leagues in 1948 as a utility infielder for Detroit, playing 41 games at shortstop and at 26 games at second base. With the retirement of Eddie Mayo
Eddie Mayo
Edward Joseph Mayo , nicknamed "Hotshot" and "Steady Eddie," was a professional baseball infielder...
, Berry became the Tigers' starting second baseman
Second baseman
Second base, or 2B, is the second of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a base runner in order to score a run for that player's team. A second baseman is the baseball player guarding second base...
in 1949, hitting only .237 with 18 RBIs in 329 at bats. In 1950, Berry lost the starting second baseman job to Jerry Priddy
Jerry Priddy
Gerald Edward "Jerry" Priddy , was a second baseman in Major League Baseball for 11 years. He played for the New York Yankees , Washington Senators , St. Louis Browns , and Detroit Tigers .-Career overview:Priddy appeared in 1,296 major league baseball games...
and had only 40 at bats.
Berry continued as a utility infielder for Detroit in 1951 and 1952, playing mostly as a shortstop. At the end of the 1952 season, the Tigers traded Berry to the St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
. Berry played in 57 games for the Browns in 1953, but was released in late August and claimed off waivers by the Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
on September 1, 1953. He played in only five games for the White Sox and finished his playing career playing five games with the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
in 1954. In his major league career, Berry played in 442 games with a .244 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
, 835 assists, 612 putouts, 177 double plays, 265 hits, 148 runs scored, 74 RBIs, 28 doubles and no home runs.
Berry caught an infield popup by pinch-hitter Joe DiMaggio
Joe DiMaggio
Joseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio , nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak , a record that still stands...
in August, 1951. DiMaggio would later share a laughing moment with a fan that remembered the game as a child.