George Earl "Cowboy" Milstead spent 29 years in professional baseball. Three of them were spent pitching in the major leagues for the Chicago Cubs. From 1921 to 1950, "Cowboy" crossed the country hurling a baseball during a career that started in Bonham, TX and ended in Lake Charles, LA.
"Cowboy", as he was called, was the grandfather of Thomas Reprographics manager Johnny Milstead. Johnny remembers walking with him as a child through the cornfields on his grandfathers land in Cleburne, TX. Walk into Johnny's office in Dallas' Uptown and you will see memorabilia of his grandfather's playing days. Most notably is a team picture of him with the Cubs, newspaper clippings, and a baseball card.
George Earl Milstead was born June 26, 1903 in Cleburne. In 1921 he began his baseball career with the Bonham Favorites of the Texas-Oklahoma League. One June 27, 1924, one day after his 21st birthday, he made his major league debut for the Cubs. He would appear in 36 games wearing a Cub's uniform, pitching 106 innings over three years.
After his stint in the majors with the Cubs, "Cowboy" spent time with many teams all across the country. On December 7, 1928, The Nashville Volunteers purchased him from the Toledo Mud Hens. Then in 1931, "Cowboy" was the winning pitcher for the Vols in a game against the Mobile Marines. The signifigance of the victory: It was the first night win for the Vols in their historic home field, Sulphur Del. That season would see him go on to pitch a career high 246 innings.
In 1935, he would start 25 games and appear in another 10 for the famed Fort Worth Cats. That season he would throw 213 innings. The next four would find him pitching for the Tulsa Oilers of the Texas League.
In 1941, at the age of 38, "Cowboy" would have perhaps his best season in the minors. He posted a 19-5 win-loss record for the Cheyenne Indians of the Nebraska Western League. On a roster and in a league filled with players in their early 20's, "Cowboy" was named to the league's all-star team. Three of his teammates would join him. His 19 wins also led the league that year among all pitchers.
The following season woul see him make his managerial debut with the Wichita Falls Spudders. He would serve double-duty as a player/manager. In 1949 and 50, he would manage again, first with the Henderson Oilers, then with the Lake Charles Lakers.
1950 was his final season in professional baseball. After appearing in 36 innings in the majors and pitching over 4,000 innings in the minors, "Cowboy" retired to return home to Cleburne where he was born and raised. Here he would raise a family and farm until his death in 1977.
For more information on him you can visit the following:
- Major League Stats: http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/milstge01.shtml
- Minor League Stats: http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=milste001geo
- Nebraska Minor League Baseball
http://marian.creighton.edu/~besser/baseball/nsl1941.html
The above article first appeared in the January - March 2010 edition of TRTalk, a publication of Thomas Reprographics (www.thomasrepro.com).
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