Hawkins was the Monarchs' everyday first baseman from 1921 to 1927 and played for the Monarchs team which won the 1924 Colored World Series.[9][10] According to George Sweatt,Hawkins and teammate Bill "Plunk" Drake were good friends. "[They] were the craziest guys," Sweatt recalled. "When we'd go to a different town,they'd just walk through the halls all night,fooling around. That's all they did!"[11] Between the 1923 and 1924 baseball seasons,it was reported that Hawkins spent the winter driving a taxicab.[12]
In July 1931,Hawkins was with three other men in a car when they were searched by police in connection with a holdup. One of the other men pulled a gun and was shot to death by the officers,and Hawkins was held on an automobile theft charge.[13][14]
In August 1934,Hawkins and a partner attempted to hold up a beer truck. A scuffle took place,and Hawkins was accidentally shot to death by his partner.[8]
Hawkins is one of four Negro league baseball players who were honored with plaques at Luther Williams Field in Macon in 2016.[15]
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