Born in North Carolina, Appling briefly attended Oglethorpe College. He was signed by the minor league Atlanta Crackers in 1930 and debuted with the Chicago White Sox later that year. He interrupted his career to serve in World War II in 1944 and 1945. He played for Chicago until 1950, then was a minor league manager and major league coach for many years. Appling was a 7-time All-Star and 2-time AL batting champion. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964.
This Rawlings official American League baseball was signed in blue by Appling and includes a Great Moments COA.