Mule suttles washington pilots negro

George “Mule” Suttles emerged from Alabama coal mines to become one of the greatest power hitters in Negro League history. Against the Chicago American Giants on June 23, Suttles made a running catch to take a home run from Floyd “Jelly” Gardner.5 At home on September 6, the final day of the Black Barons’ 1924 season, the Birmingham players humorously swapped positions throughout a 9-4 victory over the Atlanta Black Crackers.

Suttles wielded a bat like a sledgehammer, and it was this prodigious power that earned him the nickname “Mule,” a testament to his sheer force and presence on the field. At the age of 65, he died of cancer in Newark in July 1966 and was buried at the Glendale Cemetery in Bloomfield, New Jersey. Off the field he was a gentle person, but jovial and frequently joking and kidding around.

He was also picked for the 1938 All Star game but was withheld from the contest by the Eagles, and when the East lost, second-guessers were furious. His contributions to the Negro Leagues and baseball as a whole are irrefutable, marked by extraordinary performances and an enduring spirit. Among his teammates were future Hall of Famers Willie Wells, Ray Dandridge, Monte Irvin, and Leon Day.

In 1937, the Pittsburgh Courier praised the Eagles’ “Dream Infield” of Suttles at first base, Dick Seay at second base, Wells at shortstop, and Dandridge at third base.30 Suttles and Wells were teammates in 14 consecutive seasons, from 1926 to 1939, until Wells left the Eagles in 1940 to play in Mexico. Two years later, Suttles resorted to trickery to set the stage for an even more dramatic home run.

His batting average soared, and he became known for his long home runs, some of which were said to travel over 500 feet. His robust frame and athleticism made him a reliable defensive player, contributing to his teams’ defensive strategies. He clubbed four home runs in the 1930 championship series against the Detroit Stars,18 which was won by St.

Louis, four games to three. When he hits one, it goes long and far,” said AL pitcher Earl Whitehill.28 Suttles hits “towering smashes” like Babe Ruth, said Wally Berger of the Boston Braves.29

In the Negro National League from 1936 to 1940, Suttles played for the Newark Eagles, a club owned by Abe and Effa Manley. He knew he was in the twilight of his career, and he devoted a lot of time to younger fellows.”33 Among the players Suttles mentored were teenagers Larry Doby and Don Newcombe, who would go on to have successful careers in the major leagues after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947.

According to one report, he swung an unusually heavy bat, measuring 37 inches and 56 ounces,8 but this may have been an exaggeration; according to Hillerich & Bradsby, Suttles “frequently ordered 36-inch, 36-ounce” Louisville Sluggers.9 With his little finger off the end of the bat,10 he swung so hard “you could feel the earth quake,” said teammate Dick Seay.11

Though a fierce hitter, Suttles was a gentle giant—“the most gentle person I ever saw,” said teammate Lennie Pearson.12 Easygoing and unpretentious, Suttles was “ever-smiling” and “good-natured.”13

In 1926 Suttles joined the St.

Louis Stars and teamed with future Hall of Famers Willie Wells and Cool Papa Bell. Moreover, his leadership and mentoring during and after his playing days underscored his broader impact on the sport and society. His legacy as a mentor and a role model was deeply felt, particularly among the underserved and marginalized populations he often worked with.

In 2006, Mule Suttles was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, a long-overdue recognition of his contributions to the sport.