Jim "Big Jim" Fridley 1954 (died 2003)Before I write about Jim's life & career, I have to address the dot's above where he signed Jim. First, there are two to the left of the "J" that I have no idea what they are there for. And then it looks like he put a smiley face above the "im". Does anyone know what else that could be? Let me know if you have any ideas...
Big Jim was quite the interesting character. He joined the FBI after high school, served in the Army for 4 years during WWII, and then attended West Virginia University before he ever played for a professional baseball team.
When he finally did get around to playing baseball, he only played 152 games in the Majors over the course of three seasons; but not three consecutive seasons. He played for the Indians in 1952, the O's in '54 and the Cincinnati Redlegs in '58.
He got the majority of his career playing time in left field with the Inaugural '54 Orioles and appeared in 85 total games that season. None of his stats really jumped out at me and it looks like he was mostly used as a 4th outfielder.
Jim died on February 28, 2003 in Port Charlotte, FL.
When he finally did get around to playing baseball, he only played 152 games in the Majors over the course of three seasons; but not three consecutive seasons. He played for the Indians in 1952, the O's in '54 and the Cincinnati Redlegs in '58.
He got the majority of his career playing time in left field with the Inaugural '54 Orioles and appeared in 85 total games that season. None of his stats really jumped out at me and it looks like he was mostly used as a 4th outfielder.
Jim died on February 28, 2003 in Port Charlotte, FL.
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4 comments:
>My goal is to eventually have a signed Orioles baseball card of every modern era player to have played in a game for my favorite team
Wow. That's quite a goal.
Thanks, it's definitely going to be a challenge but I'm excited by it.
I think it reads "Jim" (the smiley face is the dot above the i + "). I'm guessing his given name is James?
Good point Sharon, I think that's what it is. A fellow O's collector said that this is much more obvious when Jim signed in pen as opposed to sharpie.
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