John Albert Billingsley, born August 13th, 1925 in Lagrange, AR,1
was a Negro baseball player. He was the cousin of Sam Billingsley.2
Biography
Billingsley was the son of Maceo Billingsley and Willie Mae Mack.3 He grew up in Lexa, AR.4 He may have played with the House of David and the Indianapolis Clowns.5
Billingsley was given a tryout with the Memphis Red Sox in 1950 after attending the Negro Delta Baseball School operated by Memphis manager Homer Curry in Greenville, Miss.6 It's not apparent that he made the team.
Billingsley died on May 17th, 2015. He was buried in Southern Wisconsin Veterans Cemetery in Union Grove, WI.7
Excerpts
"Seven other players, who have been attending the Delta Baseball School, conducted by manager [Homer] Curry at Greenville, Miss., during the past month are in camp [with the Memphis Red Sox]. They included, . . . John Billingsley, catcher."8
"John Albert Billingsley was born on August 13, 1925 to the union of Mea so Billingsley and Willie Mae Mack in Lexar, Arkansas. He received his formal education at Rosenwal Grammer School and graduated from Southland High School in Lexar, Arkansas. He accepted Christ as his Savior at an early age and was united with Zion Baptist Church in Lexar, Arkansas. John Albert Billingsley was united with Mae Bell Harringotn [sic] on March 29, 1952 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. John enlisted into the United States Army on October 27, 1943. He was honorably discharged on February 23, 1946. . . . He was employed by A.O. Smith Corporation as a Mechanist Assiatant [sic] for over thirty years and retired in 1983. In his leisure he enjoyed playing cards, traveling, watching westerns, talk shows, basketball, football, but baseball was his passion. He could listen to it on the radio or watch it on the TV. In the 1940's he played in the Negro Baseball League and often received fan mail. He played for Southland Sluggers, House Of David, Indianapolis Clowns and The Memphis Red Sox. John Albert Billingsley departed this life on May 17, 2015. He was preceded in death by his lovely wife, Mae Bell Billingsley; parents, Measo Billingsley and Will Mae Mack (Harris); and grandparents, Will and Eva Mack."9
Biography
Billingsley was the son of Maceo Billingsley and Willie Mae Mack.3 He grew up in Lexa, AR.4 He may have played with the House of David and the Indianapolis Clowns.5
Billingsley was given a tryout with the Memphis Red Sox in 1950 after attending the Negro Delta Baseball School operated by Memphis manager Homer Curry in Greenville, Miss.6 It's not apparent that he made the team.
Billingsley died on May 17th, 2015. He was buried in Southern Wisconsin Veterans Cemetery in Union Grove, WI.7
Excerpts
"Seven other players, who have been attending the Delta Baseball School, conducted by manager [Homer] Curry at Greenville, Miss., during the past month are in camp [with the Memphis Red Sox]. They included, . . . John Billingsley, catcher."8
"John Albert Billingsley was born on August 13, 1925 to the union of Mea so Billingsley and Willie Mae Mack in Lexar, Arkansas. He received his formal education at Rosenwal Grammer School and graduated from Southland High School in Lexar, Arkansas. He accepted Christ as his Savior at an early age and was united with Zion Baptist Church in Lexar, Arkansas. John Albert Billingsley was united with Mae Bell Harringotn [sic] on March 29, 1952 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. John enlisted into the United States Army on October 27, 1943. He was honorably discharged on February 23, 1946. . . . He was employed by A.O. Smith Corporation as a Mechanist Assiatant [sic] for over thirty years and retired in 1983. In his leisure he enjoyed playing cards, traveling, watching westerns, talk shows, basketball, football, but baseball was his passion. He could listen to it on the radio or watch it on the TV. In the 1940's he played in the Negro Baseball League and often received fan mail. He played for Southland Sluggers, House Of David, Indianapolis Clowns and The Memphis Red Sox. John Albert Billingsley departed this life on May 17, 2015. He was preceded in death by his lovely wife, Mae Bell Billingsley; parents, Measo Billingsley and Will Mae Mack (Harris); and grandparents, Will and Eva Mack."9
2
John Billingsley's father Maceo was the brother of Sam Billingsley's father, Sam Billingsley Sr.
5
Player register at Center for Negro Baseball Research.