During World War II, he served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve from April 1942 to June 1946 and achieved the rank of sergeant.

Bankhead had a strong career in Negro league baseball, playing for the Birmingham Black Barons, Cincinnati Clowns, and Memphis Red Sox.

[4] Bankhead was signed not long after the Negro Leagues' All-Star game, by Branch Rickey to play in the Brooklyn Dodgers' farm system.

Bankhead, who was 24 years old at the time, was also an excellent hitter who was leading the Negro leagues with a .385 batting average when purchased by the Dodgers, hit a home run in his first major league at-bat on August 26, 1947, in Ebbets Field off Fritz Ostermueller of the Pittsburgh Pirates; he also gave up ten hits in 3+1⁄3 innings pitching in relief that day.

[6] He returned to the Dodgers for the 1950 season, appearing in 41 games, with twelve starts, and finished with nine wins, four losses, and a 5.50 ERA.