Clarence Maddern
BISBEE’S OWN BIG-LEAGUER
Clarence Maddern, born in Lowell in 1921, is the only Bisbee native to reach the major leagues. He did so despite playing in only one baseball game in high school! (He was a star softball player on the Horace Mann field.)
The Bees, the Army, and the Cubs
Maddern played for the Bees in 1940 and 1941, hitting .356 in 1941 before being promoted to the Los Angeles Angels of the PCL. After his World War II service in the 76th Infantry Division, Maddern returned to baseball and in 1946, joined the Chicago Cubs.
Up and Down in the 40’s
Maddern played briefly for the Cubs in 1946 and in 1947 was sent back to the Angels, where he hit .322. In 1948 he played 80 games as an outfielder with Chicago, hitting .252. For most of 1949 he was back in Los Angeles
From the Indians to the PCL
In 1951 Maddern made it back to the majors for a brief time, playing 11 games with the Cleveland Indians. During the remaining years of his baseball career he played on minor league teams, mostly in the Pacific Coast League. Maddern left baseball in 1957, returned to Bisbee and became an insurance agent.
