Jim Pendleton

Who was Jim Pendleton?

James Edward Pendleton was an American professional baseball player, an outfielder in the Major Leagues between 1953 and 1962. The native of St. Charles, Missouri, played for the Milwaukee Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds, and Houston Colt .45s. He was a right-handed batter and thrower, measured 6 feet tall and weighed 185 pounds.

At the age of 29, on April 17, 1953, Pendleton made his Major League debut with the Milwaukee Braves. He had been a top shortstop in the Negro National League in the late 1940s. Upon signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers, he took two years off his age. But Hall of Famer Pee Wee Reese was entrenched as the shortstop for Brooklyn, and Pendleton found himself stuck at the Triple-A level of the minor leagues for four years, even though he was an excellent hitter.

In 1953, he was traded to the Braves as part of a four-team transaction. He played more than 100 games in the outfield for Milwaukee, and batted .299 in a part time role, which increased his popularity. In 1957, he hit .305 in 46 games for the Pirates, but after three at bats in 1958, he was sent back to the minors for the rest of 1958 campaign.