Jim Rivera
| Jim Rivera | |
|---|---|
| Outfielder | |
| Born: July 22, 1921 New York City, New York, U.S. | |
| Died: November 13, 2017 (aged 96) Fort Wayne, Indiana, U.S. | |
Batted: Left Threw: Left | |
| MLB debut | |
| April 15, 1952, for the St. Louis Browns | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| September 30, 1961, for the Kansas City Athletics | |
| MLB statistics | |
| Batting average | .256 |
| Home runs | 83 |
| Runs batted in | 422 |
| Stolen bases | 160 |
| Stats at Baseball Reference | |
| Teams | |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Manuel Joseph "Jungle Jim" Rivera (July 22, 1921 – November 13, 2017) was an American professional baseball outfielder. In 1944, he was found guilty of attempted rape and sentenced to life in prison. He played baseball on the prison baseball team, and caught the attention of the Atlanta Crackers owner who worked to secure a parole for him. Rivera's sentence was later reduced, and after five years in the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary he was paroled in 1949, and upon his release he was signed by the Crackers. He played for three Major League Baseball (MLB) teams over ten seasons: the St. Louis Browns (1952), Chicago White Sox (1952–1961), and Kansas City Athletics (1961).