Born:(1934-09-12)September 12, 1934 Alhambra, California, U.S.
Died: February 21, 2023(2023-02-21) (aged 88) La Quinta, California, U.S.
Batted: Left
Threw: Left
MLB debut
April 14, 1958, for the Washington Senators
Last MLB appearance
July 16, 1966, for the California Angels
MLB statistics
Batting average
.270
Home runs
28
Runs batted in
214
Teams
Washington Senators (1958–1959)
Baltimore Orioles (1959–1960)
Los Angeles / California Angels (1961–1966)
Career highlights and awards
All-Star (1963)
AL Rookie of the Year (1958)
Albert Gregory Pearson (September 12, 1934 – February 21, 2023) was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a centerfielder for the Washington Senators (1958–59), Baltimore Orioles (1959–60), and Los Angeles/California Angels (1961–66). Pearson stood 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m) tall, weighed 140 pounds (64 kg), and batted and threw left-handed.
Named for star college football player Albie Booth, Pearson grew up desiring to play baseball. Though he initially attended Mt. San Antonio College, he dropped out to sign with the Boston Red Sox after a psychology professor suggested he was more interested in baseball than his lectures. Pearson spent five years playing Minor League Baseball in Boston's organization but had not yet reached the major leagues upon his trade to the Senators in 1958. Pearson made Washington's roster out of spring training that season and batted .275, winning the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year and the Sporting News Rookie of the Year Awards. He struggled to start off the 1959 season, though, and was traded to Baltimore during the year; Pearson went back and forth between the minor leagues and the majors in 1959 and 1960. Hearing that his native California was about to be awarded the expansion Los Angeles Angels, Pearson wrote Fred Haney, the Angels' general manager, asking the Angels to pick him in the expansion draft. Haney did draft Pearson–as the 30th and last pick.
With the Angels, Pearson turned his career around. He batted .288 in his first year with the ballclub and became a starting outfielder again. The Angels named him their starting right fielder in 1962, but he was moved to centerfield on May 4 after Lee Thomas batted only .149 in his first 17 games. Pearson led the AL with 115 runs scored that season. In 1963, he was selected to the All-Star Game, earning the start in the game over Mickey Mantle, who had broken his leg a month earlier. Pearson was one of four AL players to hit over .300 in 1963, a season in which he set career highs in many categories. After Pearson batted .214 in the first two months of 1964, he was replaced in centerfield by Bob Perry, serving as a reserve player the rest of the year and only batting .223 on the season. He earned a platoon role with Lou Clinton in 1965 and batted .278 while playing 122 games. However, a back injury suffered in spring training of 1966 limited Pearson to two games, and he retired after that season.
After retiring, Pearson was involved in Christian ministries. He became an ordained minister in 1972, and in 1997, he and his wife sold their home to found Father's Heart Ranch in Desert Hot Springs, California, an 11-acre (4.5 ha) home for abused, neglected and abandoned 6- to 12-year-old boys. Golf was one of Pearson's hobbies, and he also acted in television shows and released a record under the Capitol label.
batted and threw left-handed. Named for star college football player Albie Booth, Pearson grew up desiring to play baseball. Though he initially attended Mt...
(1892–1975), English footballer Albert H. Pearson (1920–1963), American farmer and politician AlbiePearson (1934–2023), American baseballer. This disambiguation...
Past) and dancer. Ramiz Novruz, 67, Azerbaijani actor, stomach cancer. AlbiePearson, 88, American baseball player (Los Angeles/California Angels, Washington...
victory over Washington. Before the 1958 season, Zauchin was traded with AlbiePearson to the Senators for Pete Runnels. Zauchin retired in 1960 after spending...
Archived from the original on June 8, 2009. Retrieved September 11, 2009. "AlbiePearson Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Archived from the original...
Athletics, Trout drew a walk in his 14th consecutive contest to pass AlbiePearson for the franchise record of 13 set in 1961. He hit his 200th career...
Cronin and Lefty Gomez, as well as Dominic DiMaggio, Vince DiMaggio, AlbiePearson and Ferris Fain.[citation needed] Seals Stadium hosted other events...
acquired by the Boston Red Sox from the Orioles off waivers. May 26, 1959: AlbiePearson was acquired by the Orioles from the Washington Senators in exchange...
diminutive (5 ft 5+3⁄8 in, 1,661 mm) center fielder, El Monte native AlbiePearson. The Angels played that inaugural season at Wrigley Field in South Los...
News quoted him. "I’ve always been able to hit him." On April 11, with AlbiePearson on first base, Kluszewski stepped to the plate against Pappas in the...
at bat (moving his batting average to .300). Richardson flew out to AlbiePearson in his first at bat but got hits in his next two at bats to move his...
Cy Young Award: Bob Turley, New York Yankees Rookie of the Year: AL: AlbiePearson, Washington Senators NL: Orlando Cepeda, San Francisco Giants Gold Glove...
(25), Lee Thomas (24), Earl Averill, Jr. (21), and Steve Bilko (20). AlbiePearson, who led the team in batting average, had an on-base percentage of ...
Olympic swimming 3-time gold medalist William W. Norton, screenwriter AlbiePearson, Major League Baseball player Felipe Rodriguez, retired soccer player...
27 José Cardenal 24 Gino Cimoli 15 Lou Clinton 8 Ed Kirkpatrick 28 AlbiePearson 4 Jimmy Piersall 20 Rick Reichardt 10 Dick Simpson 24 Bobby Gene Smith...
Keough (1952-1953) Bob Lee (1957) MLB All-Star Marv Owen (1947-1951) AlbiePearson (1953) MLB All-Star; 1958 AL Rookie of the Year Frank Sullivan (1948-1949)...
Kemp Lerrin LaGrow Jim Leyland Mike Marshall Jack Morris Lance Parrish AlbiePearson Dan Petry Rich Reese Jim Rooker Vern Ruhle Jason Thompson Alan Trammell...
winning Ford C. Frick Award and multiple Emmy Awards. February 21 – AlbiePearson, 88, All-Star center fielder for three AL teams who was American League...
Ken McBride Dale Mitchell Hal Naragon Bill Nicholson Johnny Niggeling AlbiePearson Al Rosen Thurman Tucker Bill Voiselle Emil Yde Jerry Zimmerman Rice...
hole. That same year, he partnered with Major League Baseball player AlbiePearson to win the Bing Crosby Pro-Am. He finished the season 44th on the money...
Jack Sanford (Philadelphia NL, P) 1958 Ryne Duren (New York AL, P) AlbiePearson (Washington AL, OF) Orlando Cepeda (San Francisco NL, 1B) Carlton Willey...
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