Andrew "Rube" Foster organized the National Association of Professional Baseball Clubs (Negro League), the first Black baseball league, on this date in 1920.
I have a story... In Westwood, integration existed, but most of the blacks lived in an area known as Sand Road ...literally 3 blocks from our house. Having a sportzy father and brothers, I often went along to pro and area games and such. One time we went to watch a game at Sand Road, and Satchel Page himself was pitching. He was like 100 years old, but he blew everybody away in a local contest. Both Tonys knew all about him (of course) and how important it was that we got to see him, as well as how tragic it was that he wasn't in the bigs. I didn't comprehend the whole Jackie Robinson thing yet, but at that moment, I understood racism and the experience became seared into my memory. He was a big fuckin' deal, and still is.
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In Westwood, integration existed, but most of the blacks lived in an area known as Sand Road ...literally 3 blocks from our house.
Having a sportzy father and brothers, I often went along to pro and area games and such. One time we went to watch a game at Sand Road, and Satchel Page himself was pitching. He was like 100 years old, but he blew everybody away in a local contest. Both Tonys knew all about him (of course) and how important it was that we got to see him, as well as how tragic it was that he wasn't in the bigs. I didn't comprehend the whole Jackie Robinson thing yet, but at that moment, I understood racism and the experience became seared into my memory.
He was a big fuckin' deal, and still is.