2006 Heritage Jerry Hairston Jr. 1999 Bowman Chrome Scott Hairston

 

Today I'm posting 2 "Cards That Never Were".  A third generation of Major Leaguers. All three generations have ties to my hometown teams. 

Scott Hairston was originally drafted by the Chicago White Sox in 1999 while at Central Arizona College but did not sign with the Sox. He would later be drafted and signed by the Diamondbacks in 2001.  His older brother, Jerry Hairston Jr. spent 2005 and part of 2006 playing on the north side for the Cubs. Both of them are the sons of Jerry Hairston who played on the south side of town. Jerry played for the White Sox off and on from 1973-1989.

On the north side was his older brother, Johnny Hairston who played for what must be one of most popular 2nd place teams of all time. The 1969 Chicago Cubs. Johnny Hairston was the first second-generation African-American ball player in the Majors.

The patriarch of this baseball family is Sam Hairston. Sam spent most of his 50+ year career in baseball with the White Sox organization. He played briefly for the Major League club in 1952 but was a player, coach and scout for the White Sox minor league affiliates including the Colorado Springs Sky Sox and the Birmingham Barons. Sam Hairston was inducted into the Birmingham Baron's Hall of Fame in 2009, and the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.

1952 Topps Sam Hairston

Sam Hairston was the second black player on the Chicago White Sox following Minnie Minoso. He had played for the Birmingham Black Barons and the Indianapolis Clowns where he won the American Negro League triple crown hitting .424 with 17 homers and 71 RBIs in 70 games. Hairston was one of 6 catchers on the 1951 White Sox. He would continue to play in the minors until 1960. In all he would spend more than 50 years in professional baseball as a player, coach and scout. 

He is the father of former big leaguers Jerry and John  Hairston and the grand father of New York Met outfielder Scott Hairston and L.A. Dodger utility player Jerry Hairston Jr.