Said to have had a romantic relationship with Eagles’ co-owner Effa Manley, Pearson stayed with the team until she sold it after the 1948 season. He then became player/manager for the Baltimore Elite Giants. After playing in the minor leagues (1950 – 1951) and the Canadian League (1953), Pearson retired and lived in Newark until he died in 1984.
Friday, May 23, 2014
The Negro League baseball history fact for today
Born on May 23, 1918 in Akron, Ohio; Leonard
“Lennie” Pearson played first base for the Newark Eagles for 12 years (1937 –
1948). 6’2” and 200 pounds, Pearson
attended the same high school in East Orange, New Jersey as Eagle teammate
Monte Irvin. A good fielder, he had “soft hands” that allowed him to dig out the
low throws in the dirt. He also had some
seasons where he hit over .300. Fans
elected him to play in the East-West All Star Game five times. In the 1943 Negro League World Series,
Pearson hit .393 to help the Eagles defeat the Kansas City Monarchs.
Said to have had a romantic relationship with Eagles’ co-owner Effa Manley, Pearson stayed with the team until she sold it after the 1948 season. He then became player/manager for the Baltimore Elite Giants. After playing in the minor leagues (1950 – 1951) and the Canadian League (1953), Pearson retired and lived in Newark until he died in 1984.
Said to have had a romantic relationship with Eagles’ co-owner Effa Manley, Pearson stayed with the team until she sold it after the 1948 season. He then became player/manager for the Baltimore Elite Giants. After playing in the minor leagues (1950 – 1951) and the Canadian League (1953), Pearson retired and lived in Newark until he died in 1984.
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