Negro League Greats

 

Cool Papa Bell

1903-1991

Center Fielder

"Once he hit a line drive right past my ear. I turned around and saw the ball hit his ass sliding into second." - Satchel Paige, about Cool Papa Bell.

"They used to say, 'If we find a good black player, we'll sign him.' They was lying." Cool Papa Bell, about baseball.

Bell impressed most who met him as a gentle, dignified, and soft-spoken man, and he left behind a legacy of unparalleled achievement on the baseball diamond. Although the lack of statistics makes it likely that the degree of Bell’s greatness will always be debated, he is clearly one of the most important figures to emerge from baseball’s Negro Leagues. The anecdotal stories that contributed so much to Bell’s legend are an essential part of African-American oral tradition, but they are also a grim reminder that segregation caused a talent so great to be appreciated by so few. “So many people say I was born too early,” Bell said shortly before his death. “But that’s not true. They opened the doors too late.” 

Satchel Paige 

1906-1982 

Pitcher

Shown with the Kansas City Monarchs, 1942

It is estimated that Leroy "Satchel" Paige was born on July 7, 1906. The mere idea that his birthday is an estimate provides perfect evidence to the mystery that was Satchel Paige. In 1965, 60 years after Paige's supposed birthday, he took the mound for the last time, throwing three shutout innings for the Kansas City Athletics.

Joe DiMaggio called Satchel Paige "the best and fastest pitcher I've ever faced". His pitching was amazing and his showboating was legendary. His career highlights span five decades. Pronounced the greatest pitcher in the history of the Negro Leagues, Paige compiled such feats as 64 consecutive scoreless innings, a stretch of 21 straight wins, and a 31-4 record in 1933. For 22 years, Paige mauled the competition in front of sellout crowds. Sure, he liked the attention, but to him, there was only one goal. That goal would be to pitch in the Major Leagues.

Buck Leonard

1907-1997

First Baseman

A power-hitting left-handed batter and a smooth fielder, Leonard teamed with Josh Gibson, the Negro leagues' most fearsome slugger, to bring pennant after pennant to the Pittsburgh-based Homestead Grays. Starring for the Grays from 1934 to 1950, Leonard played in 12 East-West All-Star Games, and while accurate statistics for the Negro leagues are elusive, by all accounts he batted well over .300 throughout his career.

Josh Gibson

1911-1947

Catcher

Belting home runs of more than 500 feet was not unusual for Gibson. One homer in Monessen, Pa., reportedly was measured at 575 feet. The Sporting News of June 3, 1967 credits Gibson with a home run in a Negro League game at Yankee Stadium that struck two feet from the top of the wall circling the center field bleachers, about 580 feet from home plate. Although it has never been conclusively proven, Chicago American Giants infielder Jack Marshall said Gibson slugged one over the third deck next to the left field bullpen in 1934 for the only fair ball hit out of the House That Ruth Built.

 James "Biz" Mackey
1897-1965
Catcher and Manager

James Raleigh "Biz" Mackey was an American catcher and manager in Negro league baseball. He came to be regarded as black baseball's premier catcher in the late 1920s and early 1930s. His superior defense and outstanding throwing arm were complemented by batting skill which placed him among the Negro Leagues' all-time leaders in total bases, RBIs and slugging percentage, while hitting .322 for his career. He played for the Indianapolis ABC's (1920-22), New York Lincoln Giants (1920), Hilldale Daisies (1923-31), Philadelphia Royal Giants (1925), Philadelphia Stars (1933-35), Washington and Baltimore Elite Giants (1936-39), and Newark Dodgers/Eagles (1935, 1939-41, 1945-47, 1950). Mackey was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2006. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biz_Mackey

Hotel Workers

and Black Baseball 

Throughout the history of black baseball, teams sometimes struggled to find places to stay when they were traveling. In the early days, teams were often organized to work at resort hotels as staff, and play baseball games to entertain the guests, even though the hotels were segregated.

The Argyle Hotel in Babylon (Brooklyn), NY and the Royal Ponciana Hotel in Florida were two such resorts. Hotels in Florida were especially popular for black teams in the north, who could get spring training in the warm weather and play against some of the Major League white teams who also traveled to Florida. http://coe.ksu.edu/nlbemuseum/history/dcuts/dcuts3.html.