Frank Evans

From the Negro League Baseball Museum website:

Career: 1937-1965
Positions: c, 1b, of, p
Teams: Memphis Red Sox, Kansas City Monarchs, Detroit Stars, Cleveland Buckeyes (1949-1950), Birmingham Black Barons, Philadelphia Stars, minor leagues (1950)
Born: December 1, 1921, Linden, Alabama

He was an outfielder with the 1949 Cleveland Buckeyes and, after beginning the 1950 season with the same ballclub, left to play in the Mandak League with Brandon and the Winnipeg Buffaloes. Beginning in 1951, after the decline of the Negro Leagues, he played and managed for several black teams for another decade. For a quarter century he was affiliated with ballclubs in organized baseball as an instructor, scout, and coach.

Baseball Career Highlights:
Reminiscing about the Negro Leagues, Evans commented, "We took a lot of abuse, stuff that people wouldn't know about these days, but we were one family. We were the nice guys who finished last except on the field."

Professional/Personal Accomplishments:
Honored by the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1990, in a Salute to the Negro Leagues, Evans has been rated by many major league organizations as the best hitting instructor in organized baseball. Presently, Evans spends his spare time speaking to youth about the Negro Leagues and the importance of family values.