The Negro League baseball history fact for day

In 1937, Satchel Paige hurt his arm while pitching in Mexico.  He was 32 years old and it was rumored he had lost the speed on his pitches due to the injury.  No team wanted to sign him for the 1938 season.  However, J. L. Wilkinson of the Kansas City Monarchs signed Paige for a touring team that travelled through the northwest United States and Canada playing small town semi-professional and local teams.    Named “The Satchel Paige All-Stars”, the team’s appearances were big events for those small towns even though Paige pitched only one or two innings each game.  In 1939, Paige’s arm healed and he regained his all-star form.  He joined the Monarchs and helped pitch them to three straight Negro American League pennants (1939 – 1941).