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Jim Spencer

James Edward Spencer, born August 14th, 19331 in Batesville, AR,2 was a professional baseball player from 1954-1956.

Biography

Spencer died on October 28th, 2013.3

Excerpts

"JAMES EDWARD "JIM" SPENCER, 80, of Little Rock died Monday night, Oct. 28, 2013. Born in Batesville during the Depression to James O. Spencer and Elizabeth Snapp, Jim sold newspapers in the Heights before school and attended Forest Park Grammar School, attaining the office of president of the sixth-grade class. Throwing all those newspapers helped Jim develop a strong left arm – an arm that would propel him into prominence on the pitcher's mound. After starring for the Newport football and baseball teams, Jim went to Oklahoma A&M on a baseball scholarship. After his freshman year, he signed a contract with the Braves organization and earned a reputation as a blazing reliever in Corpus Christie, Quebec, Jacksonville and Atlanta. He also earned the nickname "Sweetroll Spencer" after a sportswriter caught him with a big bag of bakery goods in the bullpen. Career highlight: striking out Hank Aaron, Eddie Mathews and Del Crandall one inning in an exhibition game against the Milwaukee Braves. In the off-season, Jim attended the University of Arkansas and pledged Kappa Sigma. After graduation, he retired from baseball , married Kay Terry, started a family and began selling life insurance. He helped pioneer the concept of "association insurance" and soon became a much in-demand consultant to insurance companies all across the U.S. Spencer served on the Newport School Board and the board of Merchants and Planters Bank. Jim helped Bill Alexander in his first race for Congress and was one of Dale Bumpers' first county chairmen. He rose to the highest ranks of amateur golfers in Arkansas, enjoying the social aspects of the game as much as the sport of it. After he wore out his original hips, he switched to gin rummy, becoming a fixture at Pleasant Valley Country Club. He is survived by Kay; his sons, Steve and Jimmy; and daughter, Elizabeth; his daughter-in-law, Angie; and grandson and granddaughter, Sam and Addie. A memorial service will be held at Pleasant Valley Country Club, 1 Pleasant Valley Drive in Little Rock on Friday, Nov. 1 at 11 a.m. The Rev. J. Russell Snapp will be presiding. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to: Junior Deputy Baseball , P.O. Box 250709, Little Rock, Ark."4

Stats

Statistics at Baseball-Reference.com.
2 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 10/31/2013
3 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 10/31/2013
4 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, 10/31/2013