James Umbricht (September 17, 1930 – April 8, 1964) was an American professional baseball player. A right-handed relief pitcher, he played Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1959 and 1963 for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Colt .45s. Umbricht was born in Chicago but grew up in Georgia. He started his professional career in 1953, making the majors in 1959. Over the next seasons, he alternated between teams, playing for the Pirates and that team's farm system. Umbricht was drafted by the Colt .45s in 1962, and became one of the National League's top relief pitchers. Diagnosed with malignant melanoma in his right leg in March 1963, his comeback to baseball following surgery made national headlines and encouraged research on the disease. He spent the 1963 season as a relief pitcher, sometimes in excruciating pain. Umbricht's health deteriorated soon afterwards and he died within six months, from complications from melanoma in a Houston-area hospital at age 33. His ashes were spread over the construction site of the Astrodome, the future home of the Colt .45s. The team retired Umbricht's jersey number, 32, and wore black armbands for the 1964 season in his honor. Early career Umbricht was born in Chicago, and moved with his family to Atlanta in 1946. Aspiring to be a professional baseball player, Umbricht practiced every day on a field by his house and became a multi-sport star at Decatur High School in Decatur, Georgia. He attended the University of Georgia on a scholarship and played on the school's baseball and basketball teams, becoming the captain of both for his senior year. He was named to the All-Southeastern Conference first-team as a shortstop in 1951. After graduating from Georgia, Umbricht participated in a local tryout camp for the Waycross Bears in the Class D Georgia–Florida League, a low-level minor league affiliate in the Milwaukee Braves organization. He made the team, starting his professional baseball career as a pitcher and infielder. In 1953, Umbricht pitched for the Bears in 10 games, starting in eight of them. Umbricht finished with a 4–3 win–loss record and a 2.87 earned run average. Umbricht missed the 1954 and 1955 seasons while serving in the United States Army, but pitched for a military team at Fort Carson in Colorado. After his discharge in 1956, Umbricht played for the Baton Rouge Rebels of the Evangeline League; he had a 15–15 Win–loss record in 32 games