Sammy Byrd

Outfielder, Golfer

1906 – 1981

37

Who was Sammy Byrd?

Samuel Dewey Byrd was an American professional baseball player and professional golfer.

Known as "Sammy" or "Sam", Byrd was born in Bremen, Georgia but grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. He played Major League Baseball from 1929 to 1936 for the New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds. He was called "Babe Ruth's Legs", a reference to the fact that he often would appear as a pinch runner at the end of games toward the latter part of Ruth's career. In 1936, Byrd quit baseball to pursue a career in professional golf. He won six events on the PGA Tour between 1942 and 1946. He lost the final of the 1945 PGA Championship to Byron Nelson, 4 & 3, in match play. He is the only person to have played in a World Series and competed in golf's Masters Tournament. He made one appearance in the 1932 World Series while playing for the New York Yankees - as a defensive replacement for Babe Ruth - in the bottom of the 9th inning. He finished twice in the top 10 at the Masters: third in 1941 and fourth in 1942. During his last appearance in 1948 he tallied the highest score ever at the second hole recording a 10. He finished the round with a 12-over-par 84.

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Born
Oct 15, 1906
Bremen
Parents
Nationality
  • United States of America
Profession
Lived in
  • Bremen
Died
May 11, 1981
Mesa

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

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