Published: October 21, 2009 10:42 pm      

New monument for 'Suitcase' to be unveiled Saturday at West Hill Cemetery

Emery Center will host reception after ceremony

Harry Leon “Suitcase” Simpson (1925-1979) will be remembered at 11 a.m. Saturday as the community unveils and dedicates a new monument marking his final resting place in Dalton’s historic West Hill Cemetery.

Simpson, a Daltonian, was one of the earliest African-Americans to play in the major leagues. He joined the Negro Leagues in 1946 as a member of the Philadelphia Stars and his American League debut was with the Cleveland Indians in 1951. He played in the World Series with the New York Yankees in 1957 and was an outfielder and first baseman with teams including the Kansas City Athletics, Pittsburgh Pirates and Chicago White Sox.

Baseball manager Casey Stengel once called Simpson the best defensive right fielder in the American League. Simpson achieved additional notoriety on April 26, 1952 when he broke up Detroit Tigers pitcher Art Houtteman’s no-hitter with a two-out single in the ninth inning. When he retired in 1959 his career stats were: games played, 888; batting average, .266; hits, 752; RBIs, 381.

Simpson first began playing baseball in Dalton, where he played with the once well-known African-American team, the Dalton Tigers. Locals still reminisce about the huge, good-natured crowds who turned out to see the local black team play the local white team at a field located on the site that now houses the National Guard Armory.

Simpson has even made his mark on popular culture. In the Jesse Stone detective novels by Robert B. Parker and subsequent movies starring Tom Selleck, the Luther Simpson character is given the nickname “Suitcase” based on Stone’s knowledge of Simpson as a baseball player.

Remaining members of the Dalton Tigers team are expected to be at the memorial dedication, as are friends and Simpson family members from around the country. The new granite monument will feature career highlights and a poem that relates life’s journey to the game of baseball. The grave site is also featured in the new West Hill Cemetery tour brochure available at the new Visitor Center inside the freight depot in downtown Dalton.

The monument itself will be located in West Hill Cemetery on Suitcase Simpson Drive, off Emery Street. Transportation to the ceremony will be provided from the Emery Center, 110 E. Emery Street, to those who arrive at the Emery Center prior to 10:30 a.m. Saturday. Limited parking is available at the monument site.

Refreshments will be served at the Emery Center following the unveiling. Memorabilia from Mr. Simpson’s baseball career will be on display at the Emery Center and photographs are available.