by Rowan Kavner

Glenn Mickens, a former Brooklyn Dodger who played with Jackie Robinson and later coached baseball with UCLA, passed away Tuesday at 88 years old.

Mickens pitched in four games for the 1953 Dodgers, debuting at 22 years old on July 19, before spending the rest of the season in the Minor Leagues. In 1953 Spring Training, on leave from the Army, he threw 15 scoreless innings against Major League opposition.

In his first career Major League start, he went four innings in a game the Dodgers won 15–4 against the Cubs on July 21, 1953. The win included home runs from Duke Snider, Gil Hodges, Pee Wee Reese and Bobby Morgan. Robinson stole three bases and Snider added another in the victory.

1954 Dodger Yearbook

Mickens played in the Dodger system from 1950–58 before playing overseas in Japan. At Triple-A Montreal in 1955, Mickens went 12–3 with a 2.18 ERA primarily as a reliever. When he pitched in Japan for the Kintetsu Buffaloes primarily as a starter, he posted an ERA under 3.50 in each of his five seasons from 1959–63.

After coaching, the Los Angeles native resided with his family in Hawaii.