Jimmy Stewart

James Franklin Stewart (June 11, 1939 – November 24, 2012) was an American Major League Baseball utility man and scout. During his active career, he appeared in 777 MLB games for the Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds and Houston Astros over ten seasons between and . He was a switch hitter who threw right handed, and was listed as tall and . He was born in Opelika, Alabama, to John and Nelle Stewart, graduating in 1957 from Lafayette High School (Alabama), where he starred in baseball, basketball and track. Stewart then went to Austin Peay State University on Clarksville, Tennessee, where he lettered in those same three sports. Playing career Stewart signed with the Chicago Cubs' organization prior to the 1961 baseball season. After three years in the minor leagues, he came to the majors as a middle infielder, making his Cubs' debut at age 24 on September 3, 1963, in a 16–3 loss to the San Francisco Giants in Candlestick Park. His first career at-bat was a pinch-hit flyout against Baseball Hall of Famer Juan Marichal. His first hit came a week later on September 10 in an 8–0 road loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. Again, he was pinch-hitting against a Hall of Famer, Bob Gibson, but this time he hit a double and later singled against Gibson. His most productive season came in for the Cubs, when he played 132 games and batted .253 with 105 hits, three home runs, 33 runs batted in, 17 doubles and 49 walks.