Matt Batts

Matthew Daniel Batts (1921-2013) was an American catcher who played in Major League Baseball from 1947 through 1956. Over his career he appeared for the Boston Red Sox, St. Louis Browns, Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, and Cincinnati Reds. He debuted with the Red Sox in September 1947 and spent his first seasons as a backup catcher behind Birdie Tebbetts, batting .314 in 46 games in 1948. His most active season came in 1953, when he appeared in 116 games and batted .278 with 6 home runs and 42 runs batted in. Batts was among the catchers who worked with Satchel Paige, the American League's first Black pitcher, during Paige's time with the St. Louis Browns. A right-handed batter, he served primarily as a reserve and platoon catcher throughout his ten-season major league career. After retiring from baseball he settled in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he ran a printing business, coached youth baseball clinics, and worked on juvenile crime programs with local law enforcement.