A BELATED
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Before
getting further into 2019, I need to briefly mention the Negro League players
who took the field for the last inning of life’s game in 2018. Of the five listed, one briefly played Major
League baseball and another in the minor leagues after Jackie Robinson erased
the “invisible color line” in 1947. The
others played during the rapid decline of the Negro Leagues in the 1950's or on
teams in the Negro minor leagues. Neither
of the ex-players in the post is considered a “famous name”, but the lives of
each are a chapter in the Negro League baseball story.
I
may not have been aware of the death in 2018 of others from the Negro League
baseball era, so the list could be incomplete.
Roosevelt
Jackson - May 5, 2018
Born
12/20/17 in Gay, Georgia; Jackson became known at events honoring Negro League
baseball during the last years of his life as the “oldest player from the Negro
League era”. He played both infield (2B)
and outfield during the 1930's and 1940's with Negro minor leagues teams in
Florida; Miami Globetrotters, Hollywood
(Fla.) Redbirds, Miami Red Sox, Belle Glade Redwings. These were teams on the Florida spring
barnstorming circuit of the major Negro League clubs. After integration, Jackson did scouting for
the Philadelphia Phillies.
William
“Youngblood” McCrary - July 21, 2018
While
attending high school in Beloit, Wisconsin; McCrary drew interest from the St.
Louis Cardinals. However, with African
Americans still barred from organized white baseball, the team referred him to
the Kansas City Monarchs. Beginning as a 17 years old reserve shortstop, McCrary played for the
Monarchs from 1946 – 1948. Because of
his young age, “Satchel” Paige called him “Youngblood”. McCrary signed with the New York Yankees in
1949 and spent two years in its minor league system.
Jose Santiago - October 9, 2018
Born
September 4, 1928 in Coamo, Puerto Rico, Santiago pitched for the 1947 Negro
League World Series champion New York Cubans.
Before the next season, Cubans’ owner Alex Pompez sold a number of his
players to Major League franchises for money to keep his team operating. Santiago went to the Cleveland Indians. He stayed in the team’s minor league system
for six years before making his Major League debut on April 17, 1954. He became the second player from Puerto Rico
to be in the American League. After he
had a 2 – 0 record in 1955, the Indians traded Santiago to the Kansas City A’s who
released him halfway through the 1956 season.
He never again pitched for another Major League team.
Edward
Burton - October 18, 2018
The
Harrisburg Giants were a strong team in the Eastern Colored League (ECL) from
1925 – 1927. Famous Negro League players
such as Oscar Charleston, Rap Dixon, Clarence “Fat” Jenkins, and John Beckwith
played with the team at one time during the period. The ECL disbanded in 1928 and by the time Edward
Burton joined the Giants in 1947 it had become a low level, Negro minor league
team. A second baseman, Burton played
against Negro American League teams barnstorming though Harrisburg until
1955. For the last few years he had
participated in activities honoring Negro League baseball in Charlotte, NC;
where he died.
Frank
“Bubba” King - December 8, 2018
Born
6/23/23 in East Point, GA., King played professional/semi-professional baseball
from 1936 – 1958 with local black teams in the Atlanta area; East Point Bears,
Atlanta Cards, College Park Indians.
These teams kept black baseball alive in Atlanta down through the
years. In the 1940's King, an outfielder,
played with the Atlanta Black Crackers of the Negro Southern League (NSL); a
Negro minor league team
I
need to mention five former players not from the Negro League baseball era who
died in 2018. For each I have my own
personal reflection which will be in my next post. Stay tuned!
All photos for this post the courtesy of internet sites via Google Images
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