Was there a real Bump Bailey baseball player?

There have been different accounts of the story of Bump Bailey. However, most people attribute it to the novel by Bernard Malamud dubbed The Natural. It is believed that there was a real Bump Bailey player who was the Knights’ star outfielder who died when he crashed through the outfield wall, making the way for Roy Hobbs to get into the lineup.

It is also believed that Bump was a thug, womanizer, and crooked who was being bribed by the Knights’ owner to throw games so the team did not win the pennant.

What happens to Bump Bailey?

Bump Bailey in the book, The Natural, ends up in a freaky accident, bangs into the outfield wall while going after a pitch, and ends up severely injured which resulted in his death a few days later.

Is The Natural a true story?

The Natural, which is mostly recognized by many due to Bump Bailey is one of the best baseball-inspired novels ever. Some people believe that it is based on a real baseball player who played Major League Baseball in the 1940s and 50s.