Richard Osborne
Ballplayers Wounded in Combat
| Date and Place of Birth: | August 1, 1921 Chattahoochee, GA |
| Date and Place of Death: | August 22, 1984 Fulton County, GA |
| Baseball Experience: | Minor League |
| Position: | Pitcher |
| Rank: | Private First-Class |
| Military Unit: | US Army |
| Area Served: | European Theater of Operations |
William R. "Richard" Osborne was born at Chattahoochee, Georgia, on August
1, 1921. The son of Earnest "Tiny" Osborne, a 6-foot-4, 215-pound
pitcher who was with the Atlanta Crackers when William was born, the
senior Osborne went on to play major league baseball with the Chicago
Cubs and Brooklyn Dodgers from 1922 to 1925, before taking a job as a
Paymaster at a cotton mill.
Richard - who was often known as "Bottle" because of the type of bat he
used - was 18 years old when he was signed by the Columbus Red Birds
and optioned to Union City of the Class D Kitty League, where he was 3-7
in 21 games. He joined the Gastonia Cardinals of the Class D Tar Heel
League in 1940, and was 9-8 with a 3.53 ERA in 29 appearances. Osborne
moved up to the Springfield Cardinals of the Class C Middle-Atlantic
League in 1941, and was 11-12 with a 3.21 ERA, and 13-15 with a 3.34 ERA
in 1942.
At the end of the season, the 21-year-old entered military service with
the army at Fort McPherson in Atlanta, Georgia. He served in Europe and
was wounded in action during the fighting at St. Lo, France. His unit
had dug in at a canal and was awaiting the order to attack.
"We started to push on, and pretty soon we were throwing everything we
had at the enemy. I was in firing position behind a hedge when they got
me," Osborne explained. "Shrapnel from an exploding shell hit my legs."
He was carried back to an aid station by litter bearers and removed to a
field hospital, where his wounds were treated before evacuation to
England.
Osbone returned to baseball in 1946, and pitched for the Rochester Red
Wings of the Class AAA International League, where he was 6-4 with a
3.86 ERA in 29 games. His final year in baseball was 1947, playing for
the Birmingham Barons of the CLass AA Southern League and the Decatur
Commodores of the Class B Three-I League.
Richard Osborne's brother Clarence, who was two years older, played for
the New Bern Bears of the Class D Coastal Plain League in 1939. His
younger brother, Larry "Bo" Osborne, was a first baseman with the
Detroit Tigers and Washington Senators between 1957 and 1963, and later
a scout with the San Francisco Giants.
Richard Osborne passed away in Fulton County, Georgia, on August
22, 1984. He was 63 years old.
Thanks to Richard Osborne's nephew, Steve Osborne, for clarifying Richard Osborne's correct name and nickname.
Date Added December 29, 2017. Updated March 3, 2021
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