Breaking the Color Barrier

[herbc]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Great thread, Herb! It would be interesting to see this idea spread across the major sports that were segregated, like Kenny Washington and Woody Strode*, Earl Lloyd and Nat Clifton, etc. Any plans for that? Any signed stuff?

One interesting aspect of boxing collecting for me has been the way that racist attitudes were dealt with in comparison to baseball. There was definitely some bad stuff at the heavyweight division level (Peter Jackson's freeze-out, the reaction to Jack Johnson, Harry Wills' freeze-out) but nothing like the 'Gentlemen's Agreement' in baseball. One reason I collect Joe Louis is that his story is so inspiring and so out of character with the rest of American sports history of the prewar period. Plus, he kicked some symbolic Nazi ass...

Isn't Green's debut with the Sox in 1960 not 1950? I thought they were the last to integrate?

*I met him once at a Hollywood memorabilia convention. Interesting guy. His bio (Goal Dust) is a good read.

Thanks for the heads up Adam. I've corrected Green's date. I am working on the other sports.... a difficult task.