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03-27-2007 08:29 PM |
Interesting Info Regarding Jimmy Claxton
Posted By: <b>Dan Bretta</b><p>I know that Claxton is a favorite of many in this chatroom so I thought I would share this info I came across while doing some research. He played for the Nebraska Indians at one time in 1932....this came as a shock to me.<br /><br /><br />from the following link: <a href="http://tinyurl.com/yowke9" target="_new" rel="nofollow">http://tinyurl.com/yowke9</a><br /><br />"Claxton is credited with breaking the color barrier in the Pacific Coast League in 1916, even if for a very short time. Claxton, born of European, African American and Native American ancestry, was introduced to the owner of the Oakland Oaks as a member of an Oklahoma Indian tribe. Because of his success on the semi-pro lots, including a game in which he struck out 23 batters, he was signed to the Oaks under the assumption that he was Native American and could be signed without violating organized baseball’s ban on signing of African Americans. He appeared in two games for the Oaks on May 28, 1915 before being released, presumably due to his African American ancestry violating organized baseball’s ban. His appearances with the Oaks are memorialized on one baseball card produced by under the Zeenuts Candy name by the Collins-McCarthy Candy Co. He continued to appear in Negro, outlaw and semi-pro leagues. In 1932, he signed on with the Cuban Stars and apparently wound up coming full circle, being advertised as a full blooded Indian with the Nebraska Indians, apparently using the name Chief Two Horse."
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