played more games at catcher than any other player in Twins history (831). He was named to the Twins' 40th anniversary team in 2000. Battey was one of the first Major League players to wear an earflap on his batting helmet in 1961 after twice suffering broken cheekbones when hit by pitches. Post-retirement After his playing career, he lived in Co-op City in the Bronx and next spent 12 years working in New York City as a recreation specialist with young disturbed boys. Fulfilling a promise he had made to his mother, Battey enrolled at Bethune-Cookman University in 1980. Taking 34 credits a semester, he finished his undergraduate degree in Education in 2½ years, while coaching the men's basketball team, and was accorded the distinction of Summa Cum Laude honors. After graduating from Bethune-Cookman, he became a high school teacher and baseball coach in Ocala, Florida. Battey was also part of a charity program sponsored by Consolidated Edison whereby children were given free bleacher tickets to New York Yankee games. He talked baseball and was a "big brother" to all the kids who were lucky enough to benefit from the program. Battey died of cancer at the age of 68 in Ocala, Florida. In , Battey was posthumously elected to the Twins Hall of Fame. In , the Twins celebrated their 50th season in Minnesota and Battey was voted as one of the 50 Greatest Twins Players. Earl's grandson Evan Battey currently plays basketball for the University of Colorado. See also References External links Earl Battey at SABR (Baseball BioProject) Earl Battey Biography The African American Registry TheDeadBallEra.com – Battey's obituary Venezuelan Professional Baseball League statistics 1935 births 2003 deaths African-American baseball players American League All-Stars Baseball players from Los Angeles Burials at Inglewood Park Cemetery Charleston Senators players Chicago White Sox players Colorado Springs Sky Sox (WL) players Deaths from cancer in Florida Gold Glove Award winners Industriales de Valencia players Leones del Caracas players American expatriate baseball players in Venezuela Los Angeles Angels (minor league) players Major League Baseball catchers Minnesota Twins players People from Co-op City, Bronx Toronto Maple Leafs (International League) players Washington Senators (1901–1960) players 20th-century African-American sportspeople 21st-century African-American people