He pitched parts of three seasons in the majors between 1935 and 1938 for the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees.

[1][2][3] While he didn't have much success as a pitcher, Vance was known for being fast - and likely the fastest person in baseball at one point.

[4] Speaking in 1943, pitcher Max Macon of the baseball Dodgers, against whom Vance had competed in both the American Association and International League,[5][6] called his former mound opponent the fastest man he'd ever seen.

[4] Vance also played 11 games for the football Brooklyn Dodgers in 1931 as a running back.

[15][16] In 1938, Vance's season was cut short when he came down with appendicitis, which led the Yankees to trade Myril Hoag to the Nationals for Wes Ferrell.