Tom "Circus" Mooney & the Yakima Giants (1922-26)

[btcarfagno]

Don't forget the Bismarck North Dakota teams of the early to mid 1930's. Possibly the greatest pre-Robinson integrated team in history.

Tom C

Great point Tom, I am not familiar with the Bismarck team. Nevada, Montana, and Wyoming also had some integrated teams. I probably should have said "west of the Mississippi" to include the Great Plains/Rockies states.

[btcarfagno]

Originally Posted by pariah1107

Great point Tom, I am not familiar with the Bismarck team. Nevada, Montana, and Wyoming also had some integrated teams. I probably should have said "west of the Mississippi" to include the Great Plains/Rockies states.

Quincy Trouppe
Double Duty Radcliffe
Hilton Smith (for a little while)

And a pitcher who went by the name of Satchel.

Tom C

Originally Posted by btcarfagno

Quincy Trouppe
Double Duty Radcliffe
Hilton Smith (for a little while)

And a pitcher who went by the name of Satchel.

Tom C

WOW! Nice lineup! I love this site, that helped me out on a couple fronts. I had previously assumed the only catcher to be a battery mate of Satchel Paige and Jimmy Claxton was Smiley Clayton, but I'll add Double Duty Radcliffe to the list as well (Claxton/Radcliffe were teammates on the 1931 Chicago Union Giants). Thank you Tom.

While not nearly as impressive as the Bismarck nine, another example in the Western United States was the 1938 Reno Brewery Sudsmakers of the Western Nevada League; seven black ballplayers on the 18 man roster; Jimmy Claxton, Smiley Clayton, Foy Scott, Douglas Thompson, John Dewberry, Eddie Claxton, and Jack Tanner. More examples?

Jackie Robinson has been put on a pedestal. It's too simplistic to say he integrated baseball alone. There are tens of examples of players who integrated the game, even professional baseball, well before his time on both coasts. Unfortunately they are ignored, and one man has monopolized the accolades. To say Jackie Robinson was the first to integrate professional baseball is moronic, might as well say Christopher Columbus "discovered" America.

[obcbobd]

Originally Posted by pariah1107

Jackie Robinson has been put on a pedestal. It's too simplistic to say he integrated baseball alone. There are tens of examples of players who integrated the game, even professional baseball, well before his time on both coasts. Unfortunately they are ignored, and one man has monopolized the accolades. To say Jackie Robinson was the first to integrate professional baseball is moronic, might as well say Christopher Columbus "discovered" America.

Not to take away from anything else, any one else did, but:

What Jackie did on the NATIONAL stage

The crap he had to put up with

He deserves every accolade he ever received

[Wite3]

Originally Posted by obcbobd

Not to take away from anything else, any one else did, but:

What Jackie did on the NATIONAL stage

The crap he had to put up with

He deserves every accolade he ever received

And more!! His life was an amazing one.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by obcbobd

Not to take away from anything else, any one else did, but:

What Jackie did on the NATIONAL stage

The crap he had to put up with

He deserves every accolade he ever received

I feel the point being made above was more about those that came before Jackie, who didn't get recognition for their contributions too. Jackie deserves his accolades...