Oscar Charleston
I have long been enamored with Charleston who earned contemporary comparisons to Tris Speaker, Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth and was also said to be the athletic equal of Jim Thorpe.
The following poem was written to eulogize Oscar Charleston by his former teammate Gentleman Dave Malarcher:
OSCAR CHARLESTON by David J. Malarcher, third baseman, Indianapolis ABCs
Sleep, Charlie! Thou, the great, the strong!
Within the depths of mud and mire!
While high above the diamond throng
The sterling statue in retire
Proclaims the splendor of thy game,
Thy paramount, unequaled fame!
Thou were the best who roamed the field!
Thy stalwart fingers never failed
The batters’ erring fate to seal,
The pitcher’s powers wrought too frail!
Oh! Would thy skill could live always
To stir the sportsman happy praise!
Sleep, Charlie! I, who knew thee well,
Do here declare to Earth and time
In Heaven’s language, thus to tell,
In poignant poetry divine,
The glory of thy destiny
Thus this undying rhyme to thee!
Sleep, Charlie! Now in holy dust!
(As mighty Cobb and Petway rest)
Bearing the praise of all of us,
The diamond’s greatest and the less
Here honor we on thee bestow,
That ages will thy greatness know.
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