Mickey Vernon

James Barton "Mickey" Vernon (April 22, 1918 – September 24, 2008) was an American Major League Baseball first baseman whose career spanned from 1939 to 1960. Born in Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania, in Delaware County, Vernon was the grandson of Samuel Vernon, a Civil War veteran who became the town's first mayor in 1893; his father, Clarence, worked for the Sun Oil Company.

Vernon spent the bulk of his playing career with the Washington Senators, appearing for the club from 1939 to 1948 and again from 1950 to 1955. He also played for the Cleveland Indians (1949–1950, 1958), Boston Red Sox (1956–1957), Milwaukee Braves (1959), and Pittsburgh Pirates (1960). The lanky Vernon stood 6 feet 2 inches and 170 pounds and batted and threw left-handed.

He retired as a player in 1960 with 2,495 hits and holds the major-league record for career double plays at first base, with 2,044. He also holds American League records for first basemen in career games (2,227), putouts (19,754), assists (1,444), and total chances (21,408).

Vernon became the first manager of the expansion Washington Senators—now the Texas Rangers—serving from 1961 through May 21, 1963, and worked as a coach for four major-league teams between 1960 and 1982.