Carlos Paula -- First Black Washington Senator

[GeoPoto]

We have previously highlighted some of the lives and baseball cards of the players who became the first black men to play for one of the 16 MLB franchises. Several of these men have been inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame. Several others also had MLB careers long enough for them to appear on a substantial number of baseball cards, photographs, and other memorabilia. Today we focus on another player whose time in MLB was brief, resulting in a limited number of collectable items. Today's focus is on: Carlos Paula Conill. Right fielder for Washington Nationals in 1954-1956. 124 hits and 9 home runs in 3 MLB seasons. First black player in Washington Senators history. His best season was 1955 for the Washington Senators as he posted a .332 OBP with 6 home runs in 351 plate appearances.

Over the next several days, I will borrow excerpts from Paula's SABR biography and show the few items I have, which are interrelated. If anyone has Paula items in their collection, I would love to see them. For anyone interested in more on Carlos's life and MLB career, I recommend the excellent SABR biography written by Darren Gibson.

Cuban outfielder Carlos Paula parlayed an all-star tour in the United States into a full-time minor-league role in the early 1950s. With his chiseled frame and stylish flair, he became the man who integrated the Washington Senators on September 6, 1954, making the Senators the 12th of the original 16 major-league teams to do so. However — dogged by perceptions of suspect fielding — Paula never fulfilled his promise. Eventually he was jailed by revolutionary forces back in his homeland but returned to live a largely anonymous life in the States. . .

. . . At the turn of 1954, Paula, the “cocky Cuban-Negro,” was sold to the Washington Senators, netting Paris (Texas Indians of the Class B Big State League) owner Gonzalez, who still retained his rights, $1,500. Paula was signed by the team’s longtime super scout in Cuba “Papa” Joe Cambria, who provided the Senators a rich pipeline of talent from the island. Cambria touted Paula as “a player who can do everything well enough to be in the majors.” This raised the total “to four Negroes who will be in the Orlando (Florida) training camp,” following outfielder Angel Scull, first baseman Julio Becquer, and shortstop Juan Delis. Cuban pitchers Connie Marrero, age 43, and rookie Camilo Pascual were also with the Senators. Washington had been importing Latino players for decades, some who possessed “skin as dark as many Negro League players.”

During the Senators’ spring training, Paula and Scull were being thought of as the best bets to be “the first Negro players to crack the roster,” with Scull having the inside track. Scull stood just 5-foot-6, in contrast to Paula, who at 6-foot-3 and 195 pounds, was “built like a blacksmith” and “a railroad section hand.” Sportswriter Shirley Povich, contributing to The Sporting News, wrote that Paula “has the build and face of an old heavyweight of the trail-horse type,” but also that “he speaks better English than most of the Cubans.” Paula became “the first Negro ever to crash a Washington lineup on March 8 when he pinch-hit, fouling out to opposing catcher Earl Battey with the bases loaded.” Carlos was soon labeled potentially as the “Senators’ best rookie in years.” Paula’s third exhibition game was also the spring debut of Elston Howard, the “first Negro ever to play with the (New York) Yankees.” Paula was labeled as “uncertain” in the field, but, as coach Heinie Manush noted, “That’s the least of our worries. If he keeps hitting, we can teach him to field.”

Senators' manager Bucky Harris commented regarding Paula, “He can whack that ball. He has size and power. Even more impressive, he’s not only fast for a big man — he’s fast for a man of any size.” Harris also intoned that Paula “runs like a deer, hits like hell, (and has) great power.” But Harris also lamented that he thought Paula “had a hitch in his swing.” The Spanish Miami-based newspaper Diario las Américas was taking notice of Senators prospects Paula, Scull, and Becquer in camp. Paula was further identified as the “flashiest dresser” in camp, with a hat “wide enough to provide shade for Griffith Stadium’s bleachers.”

However, Brooklyn scout Al Campanis, who managed the Cienfuegos club in the Cuban Winter League, was bullish on Scull, but hesitant about Paula’s future. “Paula can hit a ball a mile, but I don’t know where Bucky Harris can play him. I’ve seen him at first base and in the outfield and he’s not too hot at either spot. His power is to right-center and he’s liable to hit one over the rightfield wall at Griffith Stadium, but, like I say, he’s no fielder.”

By mid-March, the Senators were hitting less than .200 as a team in camp, although Paula was posting a .267 average. Still, with a week left in camp, it seemed as if Scull would be the player kept by the Senators, mainly as a defensive replacement. Even baseball card company Topps thought so, and included Scull, but not Paula, in their upcoming 1954 card set. Harris was ambivalent, saying, “We don’t know yet whether Angel Scull or big Carlos Paula can hit big league pitching, but I suspect they can and we will probably carry them.”

Within two weeks, neither player would be with the Senators.