March 31, 1900

Negro League baseball player George “Mule” Suttles was born in Blocton, a now-defunct mining town in Bibb County. Best known for his power hitting, Suttles played outfield and first base for 19 seasons in the Negro League, including five seasons with the Birmingham Black Barons. Using a 50-ounce bat, possibly the heaviest ever used by a regular player in organized baseball, Suttles finished his career with 237 documented home runs and is probably the league’s all-time home run leader. He played in five All-Star games, was named the 1926 Negro National League’s Most Valuable Player, and won three Negro National League championships. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006.

Read more at Encyclopedia of Alabama.

For more on Alabama’s Bicentennial, visit Alabama 200.