Gus Brooks
| Gus Brooks | |
|---|---|
| Outfielder | |
| Born: 1872 Alton, Illinois | |
| Died: June 15, 1895 Hastings, Michigan | |
| Negro league baseball debut | |
| 1894, for the Chicago Unions | |
| Last appearance | |
| 1895, for the Page Fence Giants | |
| Teams | |
|
Gustavus Brooks (1872 – June 15, 1895) was an American Negro league outfielder in the 1890s.
Playing career
A native of Alton, Illinois, Brooks lived in St. Louis, Missouri where he had a living grandmother. He first played with the Black Stockings in 1888 and the West Ends for four years from 1888 to 1892.[1]
Brooks played for the Chicago Unions in 1894, and for the Page Fence Giants the following season. He collapsed in the outfield during a Page Fence Giants game against a local white team in Hastings, Michigan in 1895 and died two hours later at age 23.[2][3][4] A newspaper article stated that Brooks "“joined the team in April and was one of their best players." His death was credited to a heart ailment and he was likely buried in an unmarked grave.[1][4]
References
- ^ a b "Gus Brooks: Turning macabre into memory". The Negro Leagues Up Close. 2017-06-04. Retrieved 2026-03-12.
- ^ "Gus Brooks". seamheads.com. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
- ^ "Gus Brooks". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
- ^ a b Taylor, Shakeia (2017-02-20). "Speak Their Names". The Hardball Times. Retrieved 2026-03-12.
External links
- Baseball statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference Black Baseball Stats and Seamheads