|
 |
Everybody knows that Jackie Robinson was the first black major league baseball player, right? Wrong--by 63 years! Moses Fleetwood (Fleet) Walker, a barehanded catcher, played 42 games for the Toledo Blue Stockings of the American Association way back in 1884 when the AA was a major league. Walker's presence on the team created considerable controversy. Walker was subjected to death threats and snubbed by his own teammates. His brother Welday joined the team for a while too, appearing in five games as an outfielder. However, with owners, players and fans all showing open hostility toward blacks, the major league moguls made a 'gentleman's agreement' not to sign any more black players after 1884. This tacit pact stood until Jackie Robinson took the field for the Brooklyn Dodgers on opening day 1947.
Tags:
Moses
Fleetwood
Walker
Added: 6th February 2008
Views: 196
Rating: 
Posted By: Lava1964 |
 
|
 |
Recent investigations by Peter Morris of the Society for American Baseball Research may have found another black player who predates Moses Walker. William Edward White, a student at Brown University, who played one game for the National League's Providence Grays on June 21, 1879, may have been the son of a white Georgia plantation owner and a black slave woman.
|
|
|
Moses Walker was so disillusioned by racism in the United States that he wrote a pamphlet titled 'Our American Colony' in which he advised black Americans to emigrate to Liberia.
|
 |
Posted by: tommy7 on 2008-02-06
Heard of him ,that's it? He looks like he could be Eddie Murphy's ancestor.
|
|
|
You're right, Tommy. I hadn't noticed that before.
|
Add A Comment
Sorry, guests can't post comments!
|
|
Browse Media