Solly Drake

Solly Drake
Outfielder
Born: (1930-10-23) October 23, 1930 Little Rock, Arkansas
Batted: Switch Threw: Right
MLB debut
April 17, 1956, for the Chicago Cubs
Last MLB appearance
September 27, 1959, for the Philadelphia Phillies
MLB statistics
Batting average	.232
Home runs	2
Runs scored	41
Teams
Chicago Cubs (1956) Los Angeles Dodgers (1959) Philadelphia Phillies (1959)

Solomon Louis Drake (born October 23, 1930) was an outfielder in Major League Baseball. He played in 141 games for the Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies during the 1956 & 1959 baseball seasons. Solly and his brother, Sammy Drake, were the first African-American brothers to play in the majors.

He is the oldest of three children. In 1948, he graduated from Dunbar High School. After high school, Drake began his baseball career when he joined the Elmwood Giants of the Mandak League as a 17-year-old outfielder that same year and returned for two more seasons in Manitoba. A .300 hitter with Elmwood in 1950, Drake began his pro career in 1951 as an all-star with Topeka. After he served two years in the military, Drake put in two more seasons in the minors before his debut, at age 25 with the Cubs in April, 1956.

He officially retired from baseball in 1960. Solomon Drake then went on to graduate from Philander Smith College with a double major in Psychology and Physical Education. He is married to Isabelle Dunlap and is the father of three children.Drake is currently the Pastor of the Greater Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles, California.

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference, or Baseball Reference (Minors)