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Yankees Birthday of the Day: Sammy Vick
TL;DR
Sammy Vick, born on April 12, 1895, played for the Yankees from 1917 to 1920. His playing time was significantly reduced after the Yankees acquired Babe Ruth in 1919, but he contributed to the team's early success.
BRONX, NY - APRIL 18: A general view of Opening Day at Yankee Stadium, on April 18, 1923 in Bronx, New York (Photo by MLB via Getty Images) | MLB via Getty Images
When the Yankees famously purchased Babe Ruth from the Red Sox in 1919, there was always going to be someone whoâs playing time was massively cut, if not erased at all. As it happens, that fate mostly fell on Sammy Vick.
Vickâs career prior to Ruthâs acquisition wasnât especially notable, and it wasnât anything especially great after then. However, in making way for Ruth and then another move involving him later, he helped shape the first Yankees dynasty.
Samuel Bruce âSammyâ Vick
Born: April 12, 1895 (Batesville, MS)
Died: August 17, 1986 (Memphis, TN)
Yankees Tenure: 1917-20
Vick was one of four children born to farmers Hugh and Lillie. He was born and raised in Mississippi, and attended Millsaps College. Unlike a lot of the people we write about in this birthday pieces, he apparently didnât play much baseball as a youth, as he was said to have learned the game while attending Millsaps. However, he was apparently quite athletic, as he played several sports in college in addition to picking up baseball.
Despite getting to baseball late, Vick apparently picked it up quickly. By 1917, he had signed a deal with the minor league Memphis Chickasaws, and would soon rise even faster. He absolutely hit the ground running in Memphis, hitting .322 in 126 games. By the end of the season, he was already getting looks from MLB scouts, and the Yankees acquired him in July. On Baseball Reference, heâs listed as having been traded from Memphis to New York. One player that went the other way is future Hall of Fame pitcher Dazzy Vance, which the team would probably later wish they could undo.
After Vickâs season in Memphis concluded, the Yankees brought Vick up to the big leagues for a September cup of coffee. He walked in his first MLB plate appearance and singled in the next in a pretty nice debut. He ended up appearing in 10 MLB games in 1917, putting up right at league average numbers. In 1918, Vick appeared in two games before joining the military to serve in World War I.
Vick returned for the 1919 season and ended up as the teamâs regular right fielder. He ended up appearing in 106 games in â19, although a 83 OPS+ wasnât much to write home about. However after the season, the Yankees purchased Ruth from the Red Sox in probably the most well known baseball trade of all time. It also left Vick in a fourth outfielder role. Adding to that was that another young outfielder named Bob Meusel also debuted during the 1920 season. He still ended up playing over 50 games for the 1920 Yankees, but was quickly falling down the pecking order.
One thing of note that happened for Vick in 1920 was getting into a fight with manager Miller Huggins after a game in Cleveland. While you might expect that played a role in Vickâs diminished playing time and eventual departure, Huggins thought the incident was a good thing, as the manager had thought Vick was too shy and timid and not capable of that type of emotion.
Despite that, Vick was headed for a departure after the season, as the team thought had he never lived up to his potential and now had a couple better players. The following December, the team made another deal with the Red Sox, sending Vick to Boston as part of a nine-player deal. This one would also go in the Yankeesâ favor as the most notable mover in the trade was pitcher Waite Hoyt, who became an ace for the team as they finally got over the World Series championship hump.
An injury delayed Vickâs Boston debut until June, and he never really got going in 1921, posting a .594 OPS in 44 games. He was eventually sold to the minor league Toronto Maple Leafs (a baseball team, they didnât make him learn hockey), and he never returned to the majors. Vick continued playing in the minor leagues through 1930, mostly playing for teams in the south near his Mississippi birthplace.
In the years following his baseball career, Vick did some work as a teacher and also bought a farm. He eventually passed away in Memphis in 1986 at age 91.
In a way, Sammy Vick helped set the stage for the first dynasty in Yankeesâ history. It just wasnât in a way he himself might have hoped.
See more of the âYankees Birthday of the Dayâ series here.
Q&A
What impact did Babe Ruth's acquisition have on Sammy Vick's career?
Babe Ruth's acquisition in 1919 significantly reduced Sammy Vick's playing time, effectively ending his notable contributions to the Yankees.
When was Sammy Vick born and when did he pass away?
Sammy Vick was born on April 12, 1895, and he passed away on August 17, 1986.
What years did Sammy Vick play for the New York Yankees?
Sammy Vick played for the New York Yankees from 1917 to 1920.
How did Sammy Vick contribute to the Yankees' early dynasty?
Although not a standout player, Sammy Vick's presence on the team during its formative years helped shape the Yankees' early dynasty following Babe Ruth's arrival.
