Dick Gifford

Richard "Dick" Gifford, born in 1905 in Arkansas1 , was a professional baseball player with the 1928 Fort Smith Twins. Gifford was a highly touted pitching prospect, but he died following his only year in professional baseball.

Biography

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Dick Gifford was the son of William and Elmer Gifford2 . The family lived on a farm near Crossett, AR3 , and Gifford grew up to be a tall, broad-shouldered young man4 . While attending college at Ouachita Baptist University, Gifford earned a spot pitching for the school baseball team5 . He went on to pitch semi-professionally with a team in Broken Bow, OK in 1927.

That fall, he pitched in an exhibition game against the Fort Smith Twins of the Western Association, striking out 14 batters6 . His strong performance impressed Fort Smith manager Runt Marr, who became determined to sign him. Marr later remarked that Gifford was "the best player I ever signed in my life,"7 which was no small compliment considering Marr also scouted Hall of Famer Bob Gibson. In fact, Marr was in such a hurry to secured Gifford, he supposedly signed the young pitcher to a contract on toilet paper, though this story is questionable8 .

Gifford pitched for Fort Smith during the 1928 and performed excellently. In fact, Gifford led the league with a 2.75 ERA, finished second in strikeouts, and tied for best with 19 wins. The Sporting News called him the "outstanding hurler"9 of the Western Association, and he was reportedly going to play Detroit Tigers the next season. However, Gifford's career was sadly cut short when he became ill after the season and died at his him in Crossett in early December10 . Gifford was buried in Lakewood Cemetery in Crossett11 .

Following Gifford's death, baseball realized its loss. Gifford was said to have been "one of the best prospects to be developed in the league for years"12 , and a "bright future was predicted for him." Unfortunately, Gifford's full potential was never seen.

Excerpts

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"When Manager Runt Marr took his Fort Smith Twins of the Western Association to Broken Bow, Okla., last fall for a practice game with an independent baseball team there, he was impressed by the pitching of a youngster who struck out fourteen of the Twins. This youngster, Dick Gifford, of Crossett, [Ark.] has been signed by Marr and will join the pitching staff of the Twins the coming season. Gifford is 19 years old, more than six feet tall and weighs 190 pounds. Marr has been trying to sign him since last fall. The St. Louis Cardinals are said to have tried to get him, but Marr finally won."13

"Dick Gifford, a Crossett, Ark., semi-pro, is the outstanding rookie hurler in the camp. Gifford is over six feet tall, weighs around 180 pounds, and has shoulders broad as a door."14

"Fort Smith, Ark., Dec. 7 -News received here late today of the death of Dick Gifford, one of the leading pitchers on the Fort Smith Western Association baseball club last season and one of the best prospects to be developed in the league for years. Gifford died following an illness at his home in Crossett, Ark. He was 22 years old and had played only one year in organized baseball. He came direct to the Twins from Ouachita college after a year of semi-pro baseball."{FOOTNOTE()}Joplin Globe, 12/8/1928{FOOTNOTE}

"Richard C. (Dick) Gifford, star right-handed pitcher of the Fort Smith team of the Western Association, died on December 7 at his home in Crossett, Ark. He had been in the city a few days. Gifford was a youngster picked up by Runt Marr when pitching for the semi-pro team at Broken Bow, [OK]. Prior to that he pitched for Ouachita College in Arkansas. the past season was his first in Organized Ball and a bright future was predicted for him."15

" . . . Many consider Dick Gifford of Fort Smith the outstanding hurler of the [1928 Western Association]. He won 19 and lost 15 and had an earned run average of 2.75 per game. This promising youngster, who was headed to for the Detroit Tigers, has his career short by death, which occurred at his home in Crossett, Ark, a few weeks ago."16

Stats

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The Sporting News reported these official Western Association statistics on January 3rd, 1929:



Statistics at Baseball-Reference.com.