Black History Month highlights Satchel Paige in baseball
Back in the day, when African Americans were not accepted in the Major Leagues, the Negro League existed. Some of the top ball players arose from that franchise and Satchel Paige is one player, who has been hailed as an icon of the Negro baseball community
from the 1930s to the 1960s.
The ace pitcher was a formidable opponent any hitter could come across. Starting his career in 1927 and ending it in 1966, Satchel played baseball in the main circuit for 40 years.
Satchel Paige is an icon of Black History Month when it comes to baseball. The pitcher was known for his ability to pitch some of the best fastballs. His fastballs were delivered with pinpoint accuracy.
Paige was a five time All Star player in the Negro League. He was the 1948 World Series Champion with the Cleveland Indians.
Satchel had made his first appearance for the Indians in 1948 and that marked the year he was given the record for being the oldest player to become rookie of the year. When he started off his campaign in the World Series that year, he became the first African
American to take the mound in the World Series.
He would eventually go on to claim the 1971 Baseball Hall of Fame title. The player was also part of the Negro League World Series champion squad in 1942. He played for the Kansas City Monarchs at that time.
Buck O’Neil, who was Paige’s teammate, recalls the showdown between Satchel and Josh Gibson, who was referred to as the “Black Babe Ruth”. Gibson and Paige were former teammates in the Pittsburgh Crawfords. During the game Satchel called Buck to the mound.
"You know what I'm fixin' to do?" Paige told O'Neil. "I'm gonna walk Howard Easterling; I'm gonna walk Buck Leonard; I'm gonna pitch to Josh Gibson".
When Gibson came to the plate, he shouted out to Paige, "Come on, Satchel, throw the ball".
Paige responded by saying, "I'm gonna throw you some fastballs".
The result was a strikeout and a victory for the Monarchs. Larry Lester, a profound writer on some of the biggest figures in African American baseball, made a comment about Paige that holds true.
"You get that Muhammad Ali combination in Satchel Paige: 'I'm gonna do what I say I'm gonna do", said Larry Lester. "That puts you a little bit out there. It makes you a little unique that you can do what you brag about".
Paige will always be an icon in baseball as well as Black History. He not only gave a forum for his generation to excel but paved the way for the future generations to aspire to.
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