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Thursday, January 31, 2019

Remembering Those Who Played Their Last Inning in 2018 - Part One


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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