Vada Pinson

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Vada Pinson (1950s)

Vada Edward Pinson, Jr. (August 11, 1938, Memphis, Tennessee - October 21, 1995, Oakland, California) was an outfielder and coach in American Major League Baseball. Pinson played in the major leagues for 18 years, from 1958 through 1975, and his greatest seasons were with the Cincinnati Redlegs and Reds, for whom he played from 1958-68.

Pinson combined power, speed and defensive ability. As a Red, Pinson twice led the National League in hits (1961, 1963), doubles (1959, 1960), and triples (1963, 1967). He batted .343 in 1961, when the Reds won the NL pennant, but mustered only a .091 (2 for 22) average in the 1961 World Series, which Cincinnati lost to the New York Yankees in five games.

Pinson—who batted and threw lefthanded—was primarily a center fielder. He appeared in 2,469 games for the Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, Cleveland Indians, California Angels, and Kansas City Royals, notching 2,757 hits and finishing with a career batting average of .286, with 256 home runs and 305 stolen bases. Highly respected throughout the game, he was a coach for the Seattle Mariners, Detroit Tigers and Florida Marlins after his playing days ended.

Pinson died of a stroke at the age of 57 in 1995. He was a graduate of Oakland's famed McClymonds High School, attended by Baseball Hall of Fame outfielder Frank Robinson (a Pinson teammate in the major leagues for nine years) and Basketball Hall of Fame center Bill Russell.