Dusty Rhodes

James Lamar "Dusty" Rhodes (May 13, 1927 – June 17, 2009) was an American professional baseball player, an outfielder and pinch hitter whose otherwise unremarkable seven-year Major League Baseball career was dramatically highlighted by his starring role for the champion New York Giants during the 1954 season and that year's World Series. Early career Born in Mathews, Alabama, Rhodes served in the United States Navy during World War II and began his professional career in 1946. A left-handed hitter, he threw right-handed and was listed as tall and . He signed with the Double-A Nashville Vols, a Chicago Cubs' farm club at the time, and languished in the lower levels of the Cub organization for five seasons until the Giants affiliated with the Vols in 1952 and took over Rhodes' major league rights. Although considered a poor defensive outfielder and, off the field, a lover of nightlife, Rhodes was a strong batsman. He led the Class B Tri-State League in hits and batted .344 in 1951, and was hitting .347 for Nashville in when the Giants purchased his contract in July. Rhodes batted a combined .242 with 21 homers in 143 games played during the remainder of 1952 and all of , setting the stage for his remarkable and unlikely campaign.