Clay Hopper

Robert Clay Hopper (October 3, 1902 — April 17, 1976) was an American professional baseball player and manager in minor league baseball. Hopper played from 1926 through 1941, and continued managing through 1956.

Managing the Montreal Royals of the International League in 1946, Hopper served as Jackie Robinson's first manager in integrated baseball. Hopper was named manager of the year with the Royals in 1946 and with the Portland Beavers of the Pacific Coast League in 1953. He was inducted into the International League Hall of Fame in 2009.

Career

College

Hopper played collegiately at Mississippi State University, known as Mississippi A&M College at the time, and was a three-year letterman. A search of MSU athletic records from the period show that Hopper's first collegiate year was as a member of legendary MSU head coach C.R. "Dudy" Noble's 1924 team that won the last of A&M's six baseball championships in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

Minor leagues

Hopper played in minor league baseball from 1926 through 1941. On July 17, 1927, Hopper hit four home runs in a game for the Danville Veterans of the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League. Joining the Rochester Red Wings of the International League for the final three weeks of the 1928 season as a substitute, Hopper helped lead the team to the league's pennant.