Albie Pearson

rdf:langString Albie Pearson

rdf:langString Albie Pearson

rdf:langString Albie Pearson

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rdf:langString Pearson in 1959

rdf:langString * Washington Senators * Baltimore Orioles * Los Angeles / California Angels

rdf:langString Albert Gregory ("Albie") Pearson (born September 12, 1934) is an American former professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a centerfielder for the Washington Senators (1958–59), Baltimore Orioles (1959–60), and Los Angeles/California Angels (1961–66). Pearson stood 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m) tall, weighed 140 pounds (64 kg), and batted and threw left-handed. Named for star college football player Albie Booth, Pearson grew up desiring to play baseball. Though he initially attended Mt. San Antonio College, he dropped out to sign with the Boston Red Sox after a psychology professor suggested he was more interested in baseball than his lectures. Pearson spent five years playing Minor League Baseball in Boston's organization but had not yet reached the major leagues upon his trade to the Senators in 1958. Pearson made Washington's roster out of spring training that season and batted .275, winning the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year and the Sporting News Rookie of the Year Awards. He struggled to start off the 1959 season, though, and was traded to Baltimore during the year; Pearson would bounce back and forth between the minor leagues and the majors in 1959 and 1960. Hearing that his native California was about to be awarded the expansion Los Angeles Angels, Pearson wrote Fred Haney, the Angels' general manager, asking the Angels to pick him in the expansion draft. Haney did draft Pearson–as the 30th and last pick. With the Angels, Pearson turned his career around. He batted .288 his first year with the ballclub and became a starting outfielder once again. The Angels named him their starting right fielder in 1962, but he was moved to centerfield on May 4 after Lee Thomas batted only .149 in his first 17 games. Pearson led the AL with 115 runs scored that season. In 1963, he was selected to the All-Star Game, earning the start in the game over Mickey Mantle, who had slumped to begin the season. Pearson would be one of four AL players to hit over .300 in 1963, a season in which he set career highs in many categories. After Pearson batted .214 in the first two months of 1964, he was replaced in centerfield by Bob Perry, serving as a reserve player the rest of the year and only batting .223 on the season. He earned a platoon role with Lou Clinton in 1965 and batted .278 while playing 122 games. However, a back injury suffered in spring training of 1966 limited Pearson to two games, and he retired after that season. Since his retirement, Pearson has been involved in Christian ministries. He became an ordained minister in 1972, and in 1997, he and his wife sold their home in order to found Father's Heart Ranch in Desert Hot Springs, California, an 11-acre (45,000 m2) home for abused, neglected and abandoned 6- to 12-year-old boys. Golf is one of Pearson's hobbies, and he has also acted in TV shows and released a record under the Capitol label.

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rdf:langString * All-Star * AL Rookie of the Year