Born in Greeneville, Tenn., in 1903, Alexander began his college baseball career at Milligan College in Elizabethton, Tenn., before playing baseball at Tusculum College (where the Greeneville Flyboys currently play their home games). In 1923, Alexander played for the Greeneville Burley Cubs in the Appalachian League.
Alexander won the International League triple crown in 1928 with a .380 average, 31 home runs and 144 RBI. He ultimately played five MLB seasons with Detroit (1929-32) and Boston (1932-33), finishing with a career average of .331. He won the American League batting title with the Red Sox in 1932, hitting .367 in 101 games.
After his Major League tenure, Alexander returned to the Appalachian League as a player-manager for Greeneville in 1942, the team’s final season. His leadership extended to coaching roles with the Knoxville Smokies in 1946 and the Appy League’s Bristol Twins in 1948. Alexander continued to contribute to the sport as a scout for the Giants’ organization for 13 years.