Vada Pinson

Vada Edward Pinson Jr. (August 11, 1938 – October 21, 1995) was an American professional baseball player and coach who played center field in Major League Baseball for 18 years, from 1958 to 1975. Born in Memphis, Tennessee, he moved to California with his family as a child and attended Oakland's McClymonds High School, the same school that produced outfielders Frank Robinson and Curt Flood and basketball center Bill Russell. Pinson initially had an interest in the trumpet and considered pursuing it as a career, but his baseball coach, George Powles, cultivated his athletic ability and steered him toward the game.

Standing 5 ft 11 in and listed at 170 lb, Pinson batted and threw left-handed and combined power, speed, and strong defensive ability. He spent the bulk of his career with the Cincinnati Reds, for whom he played from 1958 to 1968 and earned four National League All-Star selections. Frank Robinson, his high school predecessor, was his major league teammate for nine years.

Pinson was inducted into the Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame in 1977.