Integration-related baseball

[Topnotchsy]

Everyone knows the basic story of Jackie Robinson breaking into the Majors in 1947 as the first Africa-American player to play in the big leagues since the very early days of baseball. When it came to the integration there were many firsts and many amazing stories.

An interesting way to think about the impact of black players on baseball is to consider the Rookie of Year Award. 1947 was the first season that it was awarded and of course Jackie Robinson was the winner. In 1947 and 1948 there was only 1 ROY award (in '48 Alvin Dark won it) before they awarded one for the AL and one for the NL.

Looking at the NL the Rookie of the Year over the next 5 seasons were (in order) - Don Newcombe, Sam Jethroe, Willie Mays, Joe Black and Jim Gilliam. All of them were African American players. Over the next few seasons, Frank Robinson, Willie McCovey and Billie Williams were other winners. Obviously, many of these players eventually made the Hall of Fame.F

Another way to look at impact can be seen by teams that made the World Series. It is a little hard to tell because the Yankees were so dominant (and did not have a black player until Elston Howard in 1955) but if you take the Yankees out of the equation I feel like it is pretty telling:

1947 WS - Yanks beat Dodgers - Dodgers of course had Jackie Robinson
1948 WS - Indians beat Braves - Indians were the first team to sign African American players and had Larry Doby and Satchel Paige
1949 WS - Yanks beat Dodgers - Dodgers had Jackie along with Campanella and Newcombe who had won the ROY that season
1950 WS - Yanks beat Philly - No ***** League players on either roster
1951 WS - Yanks beat Giants - Willie Mays Rookie (of the Year) season. Giants also had Hank Thompson
1952 WS - Yanks beat Dodgers - Jackie, Campy, Newcombe
1953 WS - Yanks beat Dodgers - Jackie, Campy, Newcombe
1954 WS - Giants beat Indians...

The pattern is very clear. Unless you were the Yankees, if you did not have Black players, there was very little chance you were playing in the World Series.

A team that stands out on this list is the 1948 Indians as the first team to sport ***** Leaguers to win a World Series. Larry Doby was the first black player and future HOF. Satchel Paige was possibly the most legendary and colorful ***** League player of all time. He made his MLB debut after 20 years in the ***** Leagues at the age of 41 and went 6-1 with a 2.48 ERA.

Below is a (partial) team signed baseball from this team. Doby is unfortunately not on the ball, but there is a sharp Paige autograph. One interesting thing about Paige is that he changed the spelling of his first name from Satchell (2 L's) to Satchel (1 L), providing a pretty good timetable for when things were signed. Items signed after (roughly) 1949 are signed with 1 L and those before 1949 are signed with 2. This baseball of has 2 L's indicating when it must have been signed.

The Gordon is unfortunately a "clubhouse" signature, and it's annoying that it is on the same panel as the Paige, and the fact Doby is not here is a shame, but those factors definitely helped keep the price of this ball down, and given its place in the integration story, I felt it fits in with the Jackie and Dodger stuff I have from the era.

 

[phillyfan0417]

Such an awesome piece!

I cant imagine how awesome your collection would look displayed!

 

[RStadlerASU22]

Another nice piece, I like the history on the Paige spelling.

Ryan
Will Clark / Mike Brown Collector

 

[sierra79]

Great thread. What is also interesting is the history behind the segregation of baseball in the first place with the first (credited) African American player Moses Fleetwood Walker being forced out of playing by Cap Anson himself. Anson, from what I understand made such a fuss about a '*****' playing that he ended up getting baseball to segregate the game itself which had not been officially segregated at that time. I've often thought about the injustice that was done to players of color, but I also can't help to think about the injustice that white players faced - never fully realizing where they really stood in terms of greatness. How would Babe Ruth or Ty Cobb performed or shined with more competitive talent coming from African American and Hispanic players. Unfortunately, we'll never know what could have been during those years' of segregation. I think more attention should be given to those who were denied their opportunity to play and to those who broke barriers.

 

[smapdi]

Years ago I read a book called "Only The Ball Was White," which was a fairly dry and exhaustive but hugely informative book about the ***** Leagues. It was really surprising that it was a whole other mirror culture of black players and fans. At their peak they would hold their World Series in Yankee Stadium and other major league parks and fill them with almost entirely black people. And Major Leaguers would barnstorm against ***** League teams. IIRC, guys like Ruth and Cobb did play against ***** Leaguers and had high respect for their play, but in the 40s, I think, there were games with Satchel's All-Stars versus Feller's All-Stars, which would have been something.

I wonder if stars of the day had pressed the issue, could they have broken the color barrier sooner? It's far-fetched but what if Ruth decided to sit out until the Yankees signed Oscar Charleston and Cool Papa Bell? And would Charleston or Bell accept? By the time of Robinson, there was the question of what integration would do to the ***** Leagues, which had a fairly obvious and inevitable answer.

 

[JEBJJA]

I wish Satchel Paige played earlier than he did. He would have been something special.

 

[mouschi]

I love the story, the breakdown and the ball! I didn't realize the Dodgers were consistently whipped by the Yankees over the years back then. I used to collect 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers stuff (or at least wanted to).

 

[cgilmo]

I wish Satchel Paige played earlier than he did. He would have been something special.

He was something special.

I get what you are saying though, his stats would be eye popping if he had of been given access to major league baseball fairly.

 

[Mighty Bombjack]

Team-signed balls are the ****! Great pickup.

 

[Topnotchsy]

Such an awesome piece!

I cant imagine how awesome your collection would look displayed!

Thank you! I do hope to make a website at some point, and I just quit my job without anything lined up, so I may have some time soon lol.

Another nice piece, I like the history on the Paige spelling.

Ryan
Will Clark / Mike Brown Collector

The ***** Leagues had some incredibly fascinating people and storylines, and Paige was definitely near the top. The change in spelling seems to almost line up with his move to the Majors (one year off) which was very interesting.

Great thread. What is also interesting is the history behind the segregation of baseball in the first place with the first (credited) African American player Moses Fleetwood Walker being forced out of playing by Cap Anson himself. Anson, from what I understand made such a fuss about a '*****' playing that he ended up getting baseball to segregate the game itself which had not been officially segregated at that time. I've often thought about the injustice that was done to players of color, but I also can't help to think about the injustice that white players faced - never fully realizing where they really stood in terms of greatness. How would Babe Ruth or Ty Cobb performed or shined with more competitive talent coming from African American and Hispanic players. Unfortunately, we'll never know what could have been during those years' of segregation. I think more attention should be given to those who were denied their opportunity to play and to those who broke barriers.

Many people don't realize that in its infancy there were black players in the Majors. I haven't read a ton about it, but Anson definitely seems to have been one of the reasons why black players were not unofficially barred.

Years ago I read a book called "Only The Ball Was White," which was a fairly dry and exhaustive but hugely informative book about the ***** Leagues. It was really surprising that it was a whole other mirror culture of black players and fans. At their peak they would hold their World Series in Yankee Stadium and other major league parks and fill them with almost entirely black people. And Major Leaguers would barnstorm against ***** League teams. IIRC, guys like Ruth and Cobb did play against ***** Leaguers and had high respect for their play, but in the 40s, I think, there were games with Satchel's All-Stars versus Feller's All-Stars, which would have been something.

I wonder if stars of the day had pressed the issue, could they have broken the color barrier sooner? It's far-fetched but what if Ruth decided to sit out until the Yankees signed Oscar Charleston and Cool Papa Bell? And would Charleston or Bell accept? By the time of Robinson, there was the question of what integration would do to the ***** Leagues, which had a fairly obvious and inevitable answer.

There are some amazing books about the ***** League and it was a remarkable story. Regarding the role of the players, I think we have to be careful to look at the eras for what they were at the time. Players today are incredibly powerful, but back then they were employees who often were not paid much and had to work in the off-season. I don't know how much impact they could have had, although I think it's a question worthy of research.

I wish Satchel Paige played earlier than he did. He would have been something special.

It would have been great if he could have played in the Majors, but I agree with what CGilmo said. He was a legend in the ***** Leagues for decades and played against white teams in Barnstorming tours. He himself did not seem to have regrets.

I love the story, the breakdown and the ball! I didn't realize the Dodgers were consistently whipped by the Yankees over the years back then. I used to collect 1955 Brooklyn Dodgers stuff (or at least wanted to).

Yup. There are words that describe this lol.

He was something special.

I get what you are saying though, his stats would be eye popping if he had of been given access to major league baseball fairly.

Yup

Team-signed balls are the ****! Great pickup.

Agreed. And they shine light on some of the more obscure/lesser players on the teams.

 

[mrmopar]

In 1947 and 1948 there was only 1 ROY award (in '48 Alvin Black won it)

Freudian slip?

 

[johnryno]

Enjoyed your post.

The fact that players of color are still dehumanized by fans hurling racial slurs, 70 years after Robinson's triumph, angers me to no end. MLB ignores the issue and uses Jackie Robinson Day to turn a buck on player-worn jersey auctions. Every cent of revenue generated from games on Robinson day should go straight to the United ***** College Fund. My man Adam Jones laid it down unequivocally last year when he asserted that baseball is still a white man's game.

 

[Topnotchsy]

Freudian slip?

Clearly haha. Fixed


Sent from my iPhone using Freedom Card Board

 

[Topnotchsy]

Enjoyed your post.

The fact that players of color are still dehumanized by fans hurling racial slurs, 70 years after Robinson's triumph, angers me to no end. MLB ignores the issue and uses Jackie Robinson Day to turn a buck on player-worn jersey auctions. Every cent of revenue generated from games on Robinson day should go straight to the United ***** College Fund. My man Adam Jones laid it down unequivocally last year when he asserted that baseball is still a white man's game.

Unfortunately racism and bigotry continues to exist against many populations, and it appears that in baseball this hasn't died yet. It's a sad statement about where we are at.