for the White Sox and went on to become a Hall of Famer, and as a result the trade is considered one of the most lopsided in baseball history. During spring training for the Athletics, Tipton battled Mike Guerra and Joe Astroth for the starting job at catcher. All three ended up splitting time over the course of the season. Tipton finished the year hitting .266 with six home runs and 20 RBIs in 64 games. Jimmy Dykes took over as Athletics' manager in 1951, and had high hopes for Tipton heading into the season, saying that he "is a lot better catcher than most people think." In May, Tipton was hit in the head by a stray baseball bat during a game, and spent some time in the hospital as a result. He split time with Astroth and Ray Murray during the season, but appeared in a career-best 72 games, hitting .239 with 51 walks. After the season ended, Tipton was part of Lefty O'Doul's American baseball team that toured Japan. To start the 1952 season, Tipton was rumored to be the subject of a trade involving the Boston Red Sox and two of their players, but the deal never materialized. Tipton missed part of May with a kidney infection, and struggled upon returning, hitting .191 in 23 games. In late June, he was waived by the Athletics and picked up by the Indians. He spent the rest of the year with them, and finished with nine home runs, 30 RBIs, and a .225 average in 66 games. Tipton remained the backup catcher to Hegan during the 1953 season. He battled a myriad of injuries throughout the season, including a bruised hand, a broken thumb, a split finger, and losing a fingernail. He finished the year with a .229 batting average in 47 games. On January 20, 1954, Tipton was traded to the Washington Senators for Mickey Grasso in an exchange of catchers. Manager Bucky Harris traded for Tipton in hopes that he would compete for the starting job due to his defense. Tipton served as the backup catcher to Ed Fitz Gerald in 1954. He made his last MLB appearance on September 26, and in 54 games he had a .223 average. Later life The New York Giants purchased the contracts of Tipton and Wayne Terwilliger on January 14, 1955, who sent them to the minor league Minneapolis