Ernie Koy

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Ernest Anyz Koy (September 17, 1909 - January 1, 2007), nicknamed "Chief," was an American left fielder in Major League Baseball who played for four National League teams from 1938 to 1942. He was born in Sealy, Texas and was of American Indian ancestry. He attended the University of Texas at Austin and played with the Longhorns.

After signing with the New York Yankees, his contract was sold to the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1938. He hit a home run in his first at bat with the Dodgers on April 19, and played 142 games that season as an outfielder and one game as a third baseman. He finished the year ranking second in the NL with 15 stolen bases, and ninth with a .468 slugging average. However, his play never advanced beyond that level. He appeared in 125 games during the 1939 season, and 24 during the 1940 season as an outfielder. In 1940 he batted .301 for the Dodgers. He was traded on June 12, 1940 to the St. Louis Cardinals with Bert Haas, Sam Nahem and Carl Doyle and $125,000. He played 91 games as an outfielder with the Cardinals in 1940, and 12 games of the 1941 season with the Cardinals. He was traded from the Cardinals to the Cincinnati Reds on May 14, 1941. He played 49 games of the remaining 1941 season in a Reds uniform. He was sold by the Reds to the Philadelphia Phillies on May 2, 1942. He appeared in 78 games with the Phillies, and was eventually released from his contract May 27, 1946 after serving in the Navy during World War II. He ended his career with a .279 batting average, 36 home runs, 260 runs batted in, 238 runs, 515 hits and 40 stolen bases in 558 games.

In 1960 he was inducted into the University of Texas Longhorn Hall of Fame. While at the University of Texas he was a fullback on the football team from 1930-1932. He played as an outfielder on the baseball team from 1931-1933, and served as captain in 1933.

His son Ernie Koy, Jr. played professional football for the New York Giants from 1965-1970. His youngest son, Ted Koy, played for the college national champion Texas Longhorns in 1969 and went on to play with the Oakland Raiders and Buffalo Bills.

Koy died at age 97 at his home in Bellville, Texas, one month after breaking his hip.

Ernie Koy, Jr. starred on the 1963 National Champion Texas Longhorn football team.

His daughter Margaret Koy was one of the first woman sports writer in Texas.