Position: first base, outfield Bats: left Throws: left

Sidney Bunch was born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1931. He grew up with a love for sports running through his veins. His athletic ability seemed to come to him naturally. His grandfather had enjoyed playing baseball, while his father preferred football. The Bunch family knew hard work well. Sidney remembers, and lovingly shares the old family story about his grandfather's youth. He told him of days past, when he washed the boiler cars in the railroad yard. Sidney began working at the age of nine. He was drawn to the game of golf and became a caddie at the country club golf course.

Bunch began high school in 1947. He played on both football and basketball team, graduating in 1949. It was not long after that Sid discovered that his athletic prowess and natural talents would present opportunity for him on the baseball diamond. He stepped up to the plate for the Nashville Stars, and the Nashville Cardinals, a few of the local baseball teams in those days. Later that same year, he worked as a batboy with the Baltimore Elite Giants of the Negro Leagues before working his way up to playing first base for them. Being so young, Sidney had very limited experience with travel. Barnstorming tours would take them far from home. Bus trips from one city to the next, and eating on the run became routine. If the team would have to stay overnight, players would be housed in community homes as segregation kept blacks from entering let alone checking into hotels. Sidney played through the 1950 season with the Elite Giants. In the spring of 1951, opportunity would arise once again. The Dodgers Organization in Billings, Montana called on Sidney. Alone and afraid of flying he packed his clothes in a paper bag, bringing just two pair of pants and boarded the plane. Scouts met him at the airport and took him to a carte-blanche restaurant. He felt he was being treated like a king, something that he was not accustomed to. By the end of the evening, the Billings Mustangs signed him for $350.00 every two weeks. That turned out to be more money than any he had ever made before in the Negro Leagues. It was a matter of time before Bunch was haunted by mixed emotions. On one hand, he was one step closer to his dream of playing in the majors, and on the other, he was experiencing the depressingly familiar racism that seemed to never go away. Bunch and the team's other black player, couldn't stay in the hotels with their white teammates. They were placed in homes of black families willing to put them up. White players brought food to them on the bus from restaurants that would not serve blacks. In places like Boise and Pocatello, Idaho, Bunch remembers "fans would turn loose black cats when we would come to town." The Billings Mustangs continued to win games and later that fall, captured the league championship. The next year Bunch was to be prepared to join the Dodger's AAA club - one step from the big leagues. He was not to make it. His Marine reserve unit was mobilized for the Korean War. Bunch reported to Fort Chaffee, Arkansas. He was drawn from reserve status and placed into the 508 Rangers during the Korean Conflict. He returned to Fort Chaffee, was sent on to Paris Island and was later stationed in Washington State to serve in a readiness outfit.

By the time Sid was discharged from the military, his major league opportunity had all but dried up. He worked his way into the Negro American League Birmingham Black Barons line-up in 1954. He played alongside Charlie Pride, Willie "Curly" Williams, Frank "Hoss" Thompson, Jessie Mitchell, Jim Zapp, Peewee Jenkins, and Otha Bailey - many of whom are presented in the NLB Living Legend Program. Bunch remained with the Black Barons team through the 1956 season and then joined the line-up of the Kansas City Monarchs for the 1957-58 seasons.

Sidney Bunch just could not put down the glove. He continued to play in the Industrial Leagues well into the mid 70's. Sidney has since been an avid baseball fan. He has admired many professional baseball players, but it was Pete Rose that he favored. He enjoyed watching him play and considered him to be one of the best baseball players to ever play the game.