As Black History Month comes to a close, I thought it would be timely to discuss the best players of the Negro leagues, most of whom were never given the chance to play in the majors.
One of my favorite players of all time is Josh Gibson, catcher for the Homestead Grays and the Pittsburgh Crawfords. Gibson, as legend has it, hit over 800 home runs in his career. Those who saw both Gibson and Babe Ruth play would call Ruth “the white Josh Gibson.” His legend speaks for itself, and he's remembered as one of the greatest power hitters of all time. Satchel Paige, speaking about Gibson said, “you look for his weakness and while you’re lookin’ for it, he’s liable to hit 45 home runs.” Gibson never had a chance to take on Major League pitchers, dying just months before Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier.
Next is Satchel Paige, one of the best pitchers, period. Though known for his time with the Kansas City Monarchs, Paige also pitched for the Birmingham Black Barons and Pittsburgh Crawfords in the Negro leagues. He debuted in the majors at the age of 42 for the Cleveland Indians, pitched for them for two seasons, then signed with the St. Louis Browns for three seasons before retiring. Paige made his return to Major League Baseball in 1965, at the age of 59, to pitch one game for the Kansas City Athletics. He hurled three shutout innings against the last team in baseball to integrate, the Boston Red Sox. Despite pitching in the majors, Paige was disappointed that he didn't break the color barrier. He wrote in his autobiography, “...signing Jackie like they did still hurt me deep down. I’d been the one who’d opened up the Major League parks to the colored teams. I’d been the one who the white boys wanted to barnstorm against.” Satchel Paige went down as a Negro League legend who found success at the Major League level, even at his advanced age. If he had been allowed to pitch in the majors during his prime, he would have shined.
Finally, we come to Pop Lloyd who spent most of his 27-year career with the New York Lincoln Giants. As a shortstop, he batted .343 and slugged .450. Only nine MLB players have career averages and slugging percentages greater than Lloyd. His defensive play was most similar to Honus Wagner. Wagner, on Lloyd being called the “black Wagner” said, “It is a privilege to have been compared to him.” Babe Ruth, when responding to a question asking if Lloyd was the best black baseball player, stated that Lloyd was his choice as the “greatest baseball player of all time.”
The Negro leagues had a proud history born out of America’s racism. It is a shame to see all of these white players revering their black contemporaries while not pushing harder for integration. This season will mark 70 years since Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier. Baseball has come a long way since 1947, but there is much more to be done.
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