Satchel paige biography video of barack

American baseball player and coach (1906–1982)

Baseball player

Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige (July 7, 1906 – June 8, 1982) was an American practised baseballpitcher who played in Negro alliance baseball and Major League Baseball (MLB). His career spanned five decades splendid culminated with his induction into nobleness National Baseball Hall of Fame.

A right-handed pitcher, Paige first played footing the semi-professional Mobile Tigers from 1924 to 1926. He began his office baseball career in 1926 with say publicly Chattanooga Black Lookouts of the Frowning Southern League and became one endlessly the most famous and successful panel from the Negro leagues. On region tours across the United States, Ballplayer would sometimes have his infielders dynasty down behind him and then in general strike out the side.^[1]

At age 42 in 1948, Paige made his premiere for the Cleveland Indians; to that day, this makes him the senior debutant in National League or Land League history. Additionally, Paige was 59 years old when he played king last major league game, which in your right mind also a record that stands give permission this day. Paige was the premier black pitcher to play in picture American League and was the one-seventh black player to play in Chief League Baseball. Also in 1948, Ballplayer became the first player who challenging played in the Negro leagues look up to pitch in the World Series; interpretation Indians won the Series that vintage. He played with the St. Prizefighter Browns from 1951 to 1953, as regards the team in the All-Star Attempt in 1952 and 1953. He bogus his last professional game on June 21, 1966, for the Peninsula Grays of the Carolina League, two weeks shy of 60.^[2] In 1971, Ballplayer became the first electee of glory Negro League Committee to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.^[3]

Date of birth

While Satchel Paige was appearance baseball, many ages and birthdates were reported, ranging from 1900 to 1908. Paige himself was the source close the eyes to many of these dates. His legitimate birthdate, July 7, 1906, was intractable in 1948 when Cleveland Indians proprietor Bill Veeck traveled to Mobile, River, and accompanied Paige's family to character County Health Department to obtain crown birth certificate.^[4] Paige's birth certificate practical displayed in his autobiography.^[5]

In 1959, Paige's mother told a reporter that significant was 55 rather than 53, maxim she knew this because she wrote it down in her Bible. Ballplayer wrote in his autobiography, "Seems adore Mom's Bible would know, but she ain't ever shown me the Guide. Anyway, she was in her 1990s when she told the reporter range, and sometimes she tended to indelicate things."^[6]

Early life

Paige was born Leroy Parliamentarian Page to John Page, a plantsman, and Lula Page (née Coleman), neat domestic worker, in a section outline Mobile, Alabama, known as Down glory Bay.^[7] Lula and her children transformed the spelling of their name circumvent Page to Paige in the add up to 1920s, just before the start support Satchel's baseball career. Lula said, "Page looked too much like a letdown in a book," whereas Paige explained, "My folks started out by orthography their name 'Page' and later cemented in the 'i' to make bodily sound more high-tone." The introduction counterfeit the new spelling coincided with rendering death of Paige's father, and possibly will have suggested a desire for regular new start.^[8]

According to Paige, his moniker originated from childhood work toting equipment at the train station. He aforesaid he was not making enough process at a dime a bag, consequently he used a pole and make fast to build a contraption that lawful him to cart up to yoke bags at once. Another kid hypothetically yelled, "You look like a rambler satchel tree."^[9] A different story was told by boyhood friend and edge Wilber Hines, who said he gave Paige the nickname after he was caught trying to steal a bag.^[10] At the age of 10, Ballplayer was playing "top ball", which was what got him into baseball. "Top ball" was a kids' game dump used sticks and bottle caps a substitute alternatively of baseballs and bats to diversion a variation of the diamond sport.^[11] Satchel's mother, Lula, would even letter on how Paige would rather "play baseball than eat. It was in every instance baseball, baseball."^[11]

On July 24, 1918, acceptable seventeen days after his 12th epicurean treat, Paige was sentenced to six years—or until his 18th birthday, whichever came first—at the Alabama Reform School hire Juvenile Negro Law-Breakers in Mount Meigs, Alabama, owing to his truancy be bounded by school along with his tendency authorization steal.^[12]

The person who taught Paige adjacent to pitch while in reform school was the Reverend Moses Davis. It was Davis, who was also a custodian of the school, who devoted leadership long hours coaching the boys corner baseball, and it was he who struck the deal with the sporting-goods store in Montgomery to secure honourableness team's first uniforms. Davis was Continent American, as was the entire education staff at Mount Meigs, including rectitude school's founder, Cornelia Bowen, a high of Tuskegee Institute.^[13] Paige was out from the institution in December 1923, seven months short of his Ordinal birthday. He summed up his seniority of incarceration: "I traded five lifetime of freedom to learn how in close proximity to pitch. At least I started sweaty real learning on the Mount. They were not wasted years at come to blows. It made a real man preposterous of me."^[14]

After his release, Paige stirred for several Mobile semi-pro teams. Smartness joined the semi-pro Mobile Tigers, expend which his brother Wilson was as of now pitching.^[15] He also pitched for fine semi-pro team named the "Down leadership Bay Boys", and he recalled apartment building incident in the ninth inning assess a 1–0 ballgame when his teammates made three consecutive errors, loading distinction bases for the other team revamp two outs. Angry, Paige said sharptasting stomped around the mound, kicking features dirt. The fans started booing him, so he decided that "somebody was going to have to be showed up for that." He called jagged his outfielders and had them stock down in the infield. With rank fans and his own teammates copacetic, Paige struck out the final beat, winning the game.^[16]

Negro leagues

Chattanooga and Birmingham: 1926–1929

A former friend from Mobile, Alex Herman, was the player/manager for description Chattanooga White Sox of the insignificant Negro Southern League. In 1926 good taste discovered Paige and offered to benefit him $250 per month, of which Paige would collect $50 with leadership rest going to his mother. Recognized also agreed to pay Lula Ballplayer a $200 advance, and she arranged to the contract.^[17]

The local newspapers—the Chattanooga News and Chattanooga Times—recognized from probity beginning that Paige was special. Revere April 1926, shortly after his entrance, he recorded nine strikeouts over scandalize innings against the Atlanta Black Crackers.^[18] Partway through the 1927 season, Paige's contract was sold to the Metropolis Black Barons of the major Black National League (NNL). According to Paige's first memoir, his contract was help out $450 per month, but in her majesty second he said it was receive $275.^[19]

Pitching for the Black Barons, Ballplayer threw hard but was wild fairy story awkward. In his first big endeavour in late June 1927, against glory St. Louis Stars, Paige incited unmixed brawl when his fastball hit nobility hand of St. Louis catcher Flier Murray. Murray then charged the clamp and Paige raced for the diggings, but Murray flung his bat nearby struck Paige above the hip. Prestige police were summoned, and the visage of the Birmingham Reporter proclaimed unmixed "Near Riot."^[20] Paige improved and grown as a pitcher with help steer clear of his teammates, Sam Streeter and Ruin Salmon, and his manager, Bill Gatewood.^[21] He finished the 1927 season 7–1 with 69 strikeouts and 26 walks in 891⁄3 innings.^[22]

Over the next brace seasons, Paige went 12–5 and 10–9 while recording 176 strikeouts in 1929.^[22] (Several sources credit his 1929 strikeout total as the all-time single-season wave for the Negro leagues, though everywhere is variation among the sources dig up the exact number of strikeouts.^[23]) Go off in a huff April 29 of that season be active recorded 17 strikeouts in a amusement against the Cuban Stars, which exceeded what was then the major confederation record of 16 held by Noodles Hahn and Rube Waddell. Six stage later he struck out 18 Nashville Elite Giants, a number that was tied in the white majors alongside Bob Feller in 1938.^[24] Due collect his increased earning potential, Barons hotelier R. T. Jackson would "rent" Ballplayer out to other ball clubs hold a game or two to coax a decent crowd, with both Politician and Paige taking a cut.^[25]

Cuba, Port, and Cleveland: 1929–1931

Abel Linares offered Ballplayer $100 per game to play frost ball for the Santa Clara band in the Cuban League. Gambling energy baseball games in Cuba was much a huge pastime that players were not allowed to drink alcohol, deadpan they could stay ready to sport. Paige—homesick for carousing, hating the feed, despising the constant inspections and establish thoroughly baffled by the language—went 6–5 in Cuba.^[26] He left Cuba suddenly before the end of the period, with several stories told about ethics circumstances. Paige told one version importance which the mayor of a petite hamlet asked him, in Spanish, in case he had intentionally lost a quite game. Paige, not understanding a discussion the man said, nodded and smiled, thinking the man was fawning catastrophe him, and then had to decamp from the furious mayor.^[27] Another exchange, also told by Paige, says lose one\'s train of thought when he called on an majestic local girl at her home, she and her family interpreted his attentions as an official engagement and alter the police to enforce it, surpass Paige to flee the island clip police in pursuit.^[28] A third anecdote, told by the general manager ticking off the Santa Clara Leopards, says renounce he left Cuba in haste provision legal charges were brought against him regarding an amorous incident with "a young lady from the provincial mulatto bourgeoisie."^[29]

When Paige returned to the Affiliated States, he and Jackson revived their practice of renting him out theorist various teams. In the spring admire 1930, Jackson leased him to depiction Baltimore Black Sox, who had won the 1929 American Negro League benefaction led by their bowlegged third baseman Jud "Boojum" Wilson. Paige, as excellent Southerner, found that he was inspiration outsider on the Black Sox, tolerate his teammates considered him a packed in. Moreover, he was the team's digit two pitcher behind Laymon Yokely, ahead Paige did not like being overshadowed.^[30]

In midsummer Paige returned to Birmingham, circle he pitched well the rest accomplish the summer, going 7–4.^[22] In Sept he was leased to the Metropolis American Giants of the NNL hope against hope a home-and-home series with the Pol Black Buffaloes of the Texas–Oklahoma Association. Paige won one and lost pooled in the series and then common to Birmingham.^[31]

By the spring of 1931, the Depression was taking its gossip on the Negro leagues, and prestige Black Barons had temporarily disbanded. Intermittent teams could afford Paige, but Turkey Wilson, who was moving the Nashville Elite Giants to Cleveland as nobleness Cleveland Cubs, thought he could.^[32] Fulfilment in the same city as smart white major league team, Paige subside, "I'd look over at the President Indians' stadium, called League Park... Rivet season long it burned me, doing there in the shadow of go off at a tangent stadium. "It didn't hurt my catalogue, but it sure didn't do be inclined to any good."^[33]

Pittsburgh, California, and North Dakota: 1931–1936

In June 1931, the Crawford Streaked Giants, an independent club owned moisten Pittsburgh underworld figure Gus Greenlee, troublefree Paige an offer of $250 clever month.^[34] On August 6, Paige bound his Crawford debut against their hometown rivals, the Homestead Grays. Entering position game in the fourth inning, Ballplayer held the Grays scoreless and confidential six strikeouts and no walks dust five innings of relief work see to get the win.^[35]

In September, Paige united a Negro all-star team organized disrespect Tom Wilson, called the Philadelphia Giants, to play in the California Chill League. This was the first fortify nine winters that he played complicated a league that provided ongoing contest between elite black and white ballgame players, including major and minor combination players. On October 24 Paige won his first California game 8–1, even if five hits and striking out 11, including Babe Herman four times. Powder finished the winter with a 6–0 record and 70 strikeouts in 58 innings.^[36]

In 1932, Greenlee signed Josh Player, Oscar Charleston and Ted "Double Duty" Radcliffe away from Cumberland Posey's Habitation Grays to assemble one of greatness finest baseball clubs in history. Ballplayer took the mound when the Crawfords opened the season on April 30 in their newly built stadium, Greenlee Field, the first completely black-owned sphere in the country. Paige lost grandeur opener to the New York Hazy Yankees in a pitching duel become apparent to Jesse "Mountain" Hubbard, but he got even with them by beating them twice that season, including Paige's rule Negro league no-hitter in July.^[37] Ballplayer went 10–4, allowing 3.19 runs arm game and striking out 92 case 1322⁄3 innings.^[22]

In the midst of probity Depression, Cum Posey's new East–West Combination had collapsed by mid-season, and Greenlee was able to obtain many position the best players in black ballgame. By the end of the interval, Greenlee had signed to contracts Chilled Papa Bell, John Henry Russell, Leroy Matlock, Jake Stephens, "Boojum" Wilson, Jimmie Crutchfield, Ted Page, Judy Johnson, bid Rap Dixon.^[38] With the Crawfords dispatch five future Hall of Famers, profuse Negro league historians regard the Decennary Crawfords as the greatest team divert Negro league history.^[39]

The next season, Greenlee organized a new Negro National Matching part, which survived for 16 years. In spite of Greenlee's efforts to control his water star, Paige followed his own customary and was often late to merriment that he was scheduled to flop. In August, he jumped the Crawfords, accepting an offer from Neil Churchill's North Dakota semi-pro team, the Bismarcks (sometimes known as the "Bismarck Churchills" today), of $400 and a wag model car for just one month's work. It was Paige's first overlook playing with an integrated team farm animals the United States. He helped Solon beat their local rivals in Village, who were also featuring a Negroid league ace pitcher, Barney Brown. Ballplayer was unapologetic when he returned disturb Pittsburgh in September to help leadership Crawfords win the second-half championship. Ballplayer was snubbed by other Negro friend players and fans when he was not selected for the first bright East–West All-Star Game.^[40]

The 1934 season was perhaps the best of Paige's vocation, as he went 14–2 in combination games while allowing 2.16 runs keep a record game, recording 144 strikeouts, and conferral up only 26 walks.^[22][41] On July 4, Paige threw his second no-hitter, this time against the Homestead Grays. He struck out 17, and inimitable a first-inning walk to future Foyer of Famer Buck Leonard and forceful error in the fourth inning prevented it from being a perfect amusement. Leonard, unnerved by the rising descend of the ball, repeatedly asked nobility umpire to check the ball concerning scuffing. When the umpire removed companionship ball from play, Paige hollered, "You may as well thrown 'em drain out 'cause they're all gonna clear like that."^[42]

The Denver Post conducted brush up annual baseball tournament (sometimes known monkey the "Little World Series") that excited semi-pro and independent professional teams strip across the country. In 1934 organize was open, for the first purpose, to black players. Greenlee leased Ballplayer to the Colored House of King, a prominent barnstorming team of chalkwhite men who represented a religious deliberate and wore beards. Their manager was Hall of Fame pitcher Grover Metropolis Alexander. Paige pitched shutouts in fillet first two starts, striking out 14 and 18. The final, championship affair was his third start in quintuplet days and he faced the River City Monarchs—at the time an divided, barnstorming team—who were participating in authority tournament with a lineup augmented brush aside Negro league stars Turkey Stearnes pole Sam Bankhead. Paige faced Chet Shaper before a crowd of 11,120. Ballplayer won the pitchers' duel 2–1, famous out 12 Monarchs for a match total of 44 strikeouts in 28 innings. The 1934 tournament was Paige's first major exposure in front see the white press.^[43]

Paige received his cap East–West All Star Game selection interpose 1934. Playing for the East, Ballplayer came in during the sixth play with a man on second abide the score tied 0–0, and proceeded to strike out Alec Radcliffe unthinkable retire Turkey Stearnes and Mule Suttles on soft fly balls. The Acclimatize scored one run in the take a breather of the eighth and Paige engaged the West scoreless the rest wink the way, giving him his crowning All-Star Game victory.^[44] 27 years aft winning the second-ever East-West All-Star Sport, Paige was also the winning thrower of the 1961 East-West Game, greatness next to last in the broadcast.

Despite an outstanding season, Paige esoteric a strong competitor for best Dastardly league pitcher of 1934, the 21-year-old Slim Jones of the Philadelphia Stars, who went 22–3 in league frivolity. In September, a four-team charity sake doubleheader was played at Yankee Ground, with the second game featuring skilful faceoff between Paige and Jones. Ballplayer recalled driving all night from Metropolis and parking near the stadium, mistreatment falling asleep in the car. Uncut batboy found and woke him, with he got into uniform just detect time for his scheduled start. Thud a game that was sometimes affirmed as the greatest game in Lowering league history, Paige and Jones battled to a 1–1 tie that was called because of darkness.^[45] A do again was scheduled, and this time Ballplayer and the Crawfords beat Jones obtain the Stars 3–1.^[46]

That fall, Paige famous off against major league star Dazed Dean, who that season had won 30 regular season games plus glimmer more in the World Series, oppress several exhibition games. In Cleveland, Ballplayer struck out 13 while beating Elder 4–1, although for that game Sermonizer was playing with a minor confederation team. Later, while playing in influence California Winter League, Paige faced Guru in front of 18,000 fans bind Los Angeles, with Dean's team counting major league stars like Wally Berger. The two teams battled for 13 innings, with Paige's team finally alluring 1–0.^[47] Bill Veeck, future owner provide the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Browns, and Chicago White Sox, was compliance the game and many years subsequent described it as "the greatest pitchers' battle I have ever seen."^[48] Ballplayer and Dean would continue to barnstorm against each other until 1945.^[49] Late, when Dean was a sports novelist for the Chicago Tribune, he denominated Paige "the pitcher with the top stuff I ever saw."^[50]

In the thrive of 1935, Greenlee refused Paige's seek to raise his $250 per four weeks salary, so Paige decided to reimburse to Bismarck for the same $400 per month and late model deskbound car that he got before. General added other Negro league players disturb the team—pitchers Barney Morris, and Hilton Smith, catcher Quincy Trouppe, and pitcher/catcher Double Duty Radcliffe. Paige dominated rendering competition, with a 29–2 record, 321 strikeouts, and only 16 walks. Make a purchase of Wichita, Ray "Hap" Dumont was organization a new national baseball tournament, primacy National Baseball Congress. Dumont invited 32 semi-pro teams, paying $1,000 for Ballplayer and his Bismarck teammates to serve. The tournament was held at Lawrence–Dumont Stadium in Wichita, Kansas and offered a $7,000 purse. Churchill added much another Negro league star to her highness team—Chet Brewer, the Kansas City Monarchs' ace pitcher. Bismarck swept the head-to-head in seven straight games. Paige won the four games he started, arranged in relief in a fifth diversion, and struck out 60 batters—a not to be disclosed that still held 74 years later.^[51][52][53]

In September, Paige could not return in the NNL because he was actionable from the league for the 1935 season for jumping to the Statesman team. J. L. Wilkinson, owner end the independent Kansas City Monarchs, symbol Paige on a game-by-game basis navigate the end of the season.^[54]

That coldness, a northern California promoter, Johnny Ale, hired Paige to front a group called the "Satchel Paige All-Stars", crush a game to be held assertion February 7, 1936, in Oakland contradict a white all-star squad. The injurious team included a number of chief league players out of the Roar Area, including Ernie Lombardi, Augie Galan, , and Gus Suhr, as okay as Pacific Coast League star Joe DiMaggio, who was making his latest stop as a minor leaguer formerly joining the New York Yankees. Fear than Negro league catcher, Ebel Brooks, Paige's team was composed of shut up shop semi-pro players. Despite the imbalance execute talent, Paige kept the game however a 1–1 tie through nine encounter, striking out 12 and giving perfect example one run on three hits. Fashionable the bottom of the tenth frame, he struck out two more, grow gave up a single to Tec Bartell, bringing up DiMaggio. Bartell headland second on the first pitch, therefore went to third on a undomesticated pitch. DiMaggio then hit a take action hopper to the mound that Ballplayer deflected; DiMaggio beat the second baseman's throw to drive in the heavenly run. A Yankee scout watching illustriousness game wired the club that allot a report that read, "DiMaggio the entirety we'd hoped he'd be: Hit Satch one for four."^[55]

In 1936, Paige common to Pittsburgh where Greenlee acquiesced squalid Paige's salary demands and gave him a $600-per-month contract, by far nobleness highest in the Negro leagues.^[56] Bother games for which complete box sea are available, Paige went 5–0, legalized 3.21 runs per game, and swayed out 47 in 472⁄3 innings.^[22] Mistrust the end of the season, Blackamoor Wilson arranged with the other NNL owners to assemble an all-star line-up that would enter the lucrative Denver Post tournament. The team included Ballplayer, Josh Gibson, Cool Papa Bell, Leroy Matlock, Buck Leonard, Felton Snow, Invoice Wright and Sammy Hughes. They brush the tournament in seven games activate win the $5,000 prize, with Ballplayer winning three of them. In goodness title game against an overmatched semi-pro team from Borger, Texas, Paige accusatory a 7–0 shutout, striking out 18. The Negro league all-stars then barnstormed, playing a series against a prepare of major leaguers led by Humourist Hornsby. One match-up featured Paige tackle the 17-year-old Bob Feller, who abstruse just finished a half-season with goodness Cleveland Indians. Each pitched three opportunity and gave up one hit, information flow Feller striking out eight and Ballplayer seven. Later in the game, glory Negro league team pulled out orderly win.^[57]

Dominican Republic: 1937

In the spring replica 1937 the Crawfords were training consign New Orleans, and Paige was approached by Dr. José Enrique Aybar, missionary of the University of Santo Tenor, deputy of the Dominican Republic's secure congress and director of the Dragones, a baseball team operated by Rafael Trujillo, dictator of the Dominican Nation. Aybar hired Paige to act although an agent for Trujillo in recruiting other Negro league players to caper for "Los Dragones." Aybar gave Ballplayer $30,000 to hire as many tinge as he could. Paige recruited cardinal of his Crawfords teammates—Cool Papa Noise, Leroy Matlock, Sam Bankhead, Harry Colonist and Herman Andrews—as well as Banter Gibson, who had recently been traded to the Homestead Grays. Other Land teams were also recruiting Negro combine players. Greenlee and his fellow owners banned Paige and the other jumpers from the organized Negro leagues, however failed to dissuade the players.^[58]

In justness Dominican Republic, the American players were shadowed by armed guards. Although honesty purpose of the guards was get as far as protect the players, the players were fearful that Trujillo would unleash them in anger if his team vanished the championship. The season ended get the gist an eight-game series between the flash top teams, Paige's Dragones of "Ciudad Trujillo" (as Trujillo had renamed righteousness capital city of Santo Domingo) very last the Águilas Cibaeñas of Santiago. Excellence Dragones won the first four, challenge Paige contributing two of them. Birth Águilas came back to win dignity next two and still had a-one chance to win the championship on the assumption that they won the final two games.^[59] In Paige's memoirs, he recalled culmination the game with two shutout encounter to hold onto a 6–5 amplify while soldiers looked on "like spick firing squad."^[60] In reality, however, Ballplayer did not enter the game \'til there was one out in ethics ninth inning, with his team hero 8–3. He proceeded to give perimeter three runs on three hits previously he got the third out contend a great throw by Bankhead.^[61] Ballplayer had an excellent season overall, quieten, leading the league with an 8–2 record.^[62]

Paige and the other players continual from the Dominican Republic faced a- Negro league ban for jumping their teams. In response, they formed efficient barnstorming team called "Trujillo's All-Stars", which was later known as the "Satchel Paige All-Stars." Wilkinson evaded the forbid by having promoter Ray Dean calendar games between the All-Stars and honesty House of David. In August, glory All-Stars won the Denver Post trial affray. In late September, Paige faced trig team of Negro league all-stars change the Polo Grounds. Despite striking ludicrous eight and allowing only two runs, he lost when the opposing container, Johnny "Schoolboy" Taylor, tossed a no-hitter. A week later a rematch was held at Yankee Stadium, and that time Paige beat Taylor handily.^[63]

Mexico: 1938

In 1938, Greenlee, who still held Paige's NNL contract, again made an vain attempt to sign Paige. Greenlee fuel sold his contract to the City Eagles for $5,000, but they could not sign him either. Paige on the other hand went to play in the Mexican League.^[64]

Jorge Pasquel, a Mexican baseball white-collar and businessman, and his four brothers wanted the Mexican League to attempt with the major leagues. Their method to do that was to sign on the best Negro league players who were ignored by the big leagues, then raid big league teams gift field integrated clubs in the fame of international baseball. With this aim, they hired Paige for $2,000 solid month to play for the near death Club Agrario of Mexico City, protect create a rivalry for Club Azules of Veracruz, a powerhouse bunch put a damper on by Martín Dihigo. Back in depiction states, Greenlee, out $5,000, declared Ballplayer "banned forever from baseball."^[65]

Pitching in Venezuela, Paige felt pain in his understandable shoulder. After he arrived in Mexico, the pain developed into the eminent major injury of his career. Recognized tried to pitch through the thump, and managed to beat Dihigo entertain their first match-up in early Sep, allowing one run in eight engagement. Two weeks later they faced pose again, and this time Paige could barely lift his arm. He managed to go six-plus innings in top-notch game that Paige's team ultimately strayed 10–3. One sportswriter wrote that Ballplayer looked like a "squeezed lemon."^[66]

Paige exchanged to his hotel room. He turn start that the next morning, "My paunch got sick with the pain turn shot up my right arm. Hurdle popped out all over me. Justness pain wouldn't quit. I tried imitation my arm. I couldn't. I impartial sat there, sweating, hurting enough concord want to cry, getting sicker unveil the stomach and getting scared—real petrified. My arm. I couldn't lift it."^[67] He was examined by physicians tag on Mexico and in the United States; one expert told him that perform would never pitch again.^[68]

Kansas City Travelers: 1939

With his arm injured, Paige a split second found himself unemployable. He looked send for work as a manager or motor coach, but was unsuccessful. One ballclub lessor was willing to give him swell chance to play ball again—J.L. Chemist of the Monarchs. Wilkinson offered him the modest opportunity to play, categorize for the Negro American League Monarchs, but for a second-string barnstorming band called the Travelers, which was notify renamed the Satchel Paige All-Stars. Ballplayer would pitch when he could promote play first base when he could not.^[69]

Managed by Newt Joseph,^[70] the place also included Byron "Mex" Johnson, nevertheless otherwise it mostly functioned as boss minor-league team staffed by marginal, judicious, or young players. Playing throughout River, Missouri, the Dakotas, Illinois, and securely Utah,^[70] large crowds turned out around see Paige throw an inning conquest two, relying on junkballs.^[71] Paige perform, "Everybody'd heard I was a fastballer and here I was throwing Make the grade Oops and bloopers and underhand skull sidearm and any way I could to get the ball up focus on the plate and get it exemplify, maybe even for a strike. On the contrary even that made my arm yearn like a tooth was busting every so often time I threw. And the animation I was throwing never would ass anybody in the Negro leagues, sob without a fast ball to healthier with them."^[72]

Sometime that summer Paige's stable ball returned. Paige's catcher, Frazier "Slow" Robinson, recalled that one afternoon Ballplayer told him, "You better be orchestrate because I'm ready today." Paige ergo surprised him when, with Robinson with child a lob, Paige "threw that ball so hard that he knocked righteousness mitt off my hand."^[73] Modern balls medicine specialists suggest that Paige invited from a partially torn rotator drop out in his shoulder caused by episodic stress. Paige's recovery was assisted induce the Monarch's long-time trainer, Frank "Jewbaby" Floyd, who was sent by Chemist to work with Paige. Floyd pretended with massage, hot and cold drinking-water, ointments, and chiropractic. He had Ballplayer rest his arm by pitching less innings and playing other positions.^[74]

By swindle fall his team was playing plight against major Negro league teams. Slackness September 22, 1939, in the superfluous game of a double-header against birth powerful American Giants, Paige won dinky 1–0 game, striking out 10 troops body in the seven innings before nobleness game was called on account introduce darkness.^[75]Buck O'Neil, who had batted break the rules Paige in 1935 and 1936 stall faced him again in a affair against the parent Monarchs, recalled splendid dropoff in speed but an recuperation in deception. "He could still hurl hard. Not as hard as forbidden had thrown, but you're talkin' reach somebody thrown' ninety-eight, a hundred miles an hour. But now he's throwin' maybe ninety—which is still more ahead of the average guy ... He was the best and, actually, he was so deceptive! You'd look at saunter big ol' slow arm movin' and—chooo—that ball's just right by you. Gift then he'd come up and seize you a change of pace with the addition of, oh, man."^[76]

Puerto Rico: 1939–40

In just pick your way season, Paige left his mark in relation to Puerto Rican baseball. He arrived choose by ballot Puerto Rico in late October, yoke weeks after the start of rectitude 1939–40 winter season, and joined justness Brujos de Guayama (the Guayama Make the first move Doctors).^[77][78] The town of Guayama evaluation widely known for its Santería, Palo, and other spiritualist religious practices. Check a legendary game in Guayama, Ballplayer walked off the mound because sand saw a ghost standing next revert to him.^[78][79]

A team that featured shortstop Perucho Cepeda and outfielder Tetelo Vargas, dignity Guayama Witch Doctors were the 1938–39 champions. In September 1939, they locked away won the semi-pro baseball "World Series" in Puerto Rico against the Dancer Cementeers. On November 5, Paige angry a shutout against rival Santurce, which featured player-manager Josh Gibson, by systematic lopsided score of 23–0.^[80]

In a Dec game against Mayagüez, Paige set exceptional league record by striking out 17. He ended the season with trim 19–3 record, a 1.93 ERA, near 208 strikeouts in 205 innings. Nobleness 19 wins and 208 strikeouts stressed league single-season records that have at no time been broken. Paige helped his crew win the league championship playoff focus, winning two games against the San Juan Senadores.^[77][78][81]

Puerto Rican pitcher Ramón Bayron recalled, "It took special eyes obstacle see his pitches."^[79]Luis Olmo, who ulterior played with the Brooklyn Dodgers, alleged Paige that winter as "the properly I've ever seen."^[79]

Kansas City Monarchs: 1940–1947

Paige returned to the Travelers for nobility 1940 season. Abe and Effa Manley, owners of the Newark Eagles, get done claimed that they still held nobility rights to Paige's Negro league arrangement, and retaliated against Wilkinson by symptom players from Wilkinson's Negro American Foil. In late June, the NNL mount NAL leaders met to discuss prestige situation and reached an agreement range allowed Paige to advance to integrity Kansas City Monarchs and let high-mindedness Manleys keep the players they difficult to understand recruited in violation of the inter-league rules.^[82] Late in the 1940 stint, Paige was promoted to the Monarchs. On September 12, Paige made culminate debut with the Monarchs against rectitude American Giants and pitched a five-inning darkness-shortened complete game. The Monarchs won 9–3 and Paige struck out ten.^[83]

Because of Paige's strong gate appeal, relating to was considerable demand by outside teams to lease Paige's services to toss for a single game. With few league games, Wilkinson booked Paige know pitch for small-town teams or perturb Negro league teams at rates broad from a third of the aggregate receipts to a fixed fee $250 to $2,000 per game, plus disbursement. Wilkinson purchased a Douglas DC-3 aeroplane just to ferry Paige around plan these outside appearances. Because of grandeur larger gate when Paige pitched, ethics Monarchs' owners could also insist viewpoint a larger share of the profits from their road games. Wilkinson present-day Paige each kept a share bring into play the fees. By the early Decennary, Paige's estimated annual earnings were $40,000, which was four times the allotment of the average player on rectitude major league New York Yankees stake nearly matched the pay of their top star, Joe DiMaggio.^[84]

Hoping for unkind publicity for Paige, who had customary relatively little coverage while pitching behave the hinterlands with the Travelers, Chemist arranged for Paige to pitch violent opening day of 1941 for justness New York Black Yankees. Appearing thorough front of a crowd of 20,000 fans at Yankee Stadium, Paige planned a complete game, 5–3 victory, wondrous out eight. As intended, the battle brought considerable coverage from both authority black and white media, including top-hole pictorial by Life magazine.^[85][86]

Paige took hegemony the role of ace pitcher divulge the Monarchs, while Hilton Smith, their former ace, dropped to number flash pitcher and sometimes was relegated join relieving Paige. Because of Paige's velvetiness to draw a crowd, he would often be scheduled to start efficient game and pitch for three struggle, with Smith or another teammate chosen to pitch the last six.^[87] Suppose addition to Smith, Paige's teammates facade first baseman Buck O'Neil, shortstop person in charge manager Newt Allen, and center cricketer Willard Brown.^[88] In 1941, the Monarchs won their third consecutive Negro Inhabitant League championship. Though no standings were published, according to historian John Holway, they had a 24–6 team slope for a winning percentage of .800, placing them five games ahead unravel the second-place New Orleans/St. Louis Stars.^[89]

On August 1, 1941, Paige made circlet first appearance in the East–West Go to the bottom Star Game in five years, mass 305,311 votes, 40,000 more than nobleness next highest player, Buck Leonard. Ballplayer entered the game at the commence of the eighth inning with righteousness East leading 8–1 and pitched excellence last two innings. The only gibe he gave up was a inactive roller to the NNL's new case catcher, the Baltimore Elite Giants' Roy Campanella.^[90]

With America's entrance into World Clash II, Dizzy Dean came out nigh on retirement, forming an all-star team consisting of recently drafted white major confederation and minor league players. On Hawthorn 24, Dean faced Paige and influence Monarchs in an exhibition game varnish Wrigley Field, the first time natty black team ever played at Wrigley. The Monarchs defeated Dean's All-Stars 3–1 in front of a crowd cut into 29,775. On May 31, Paige teamed up with the Homestead Grays revere face Dean's All-Stars again before 22,000 fans at Griffith Stadium. The Grays won 8–1, with Paige striking give rise to seven (including Washington Senators star Cecil Travis) in five innings of work.^[91]

In the 1942 East-West All-Star Game, Ballplayer entered in the top of integrity seventh with the score tied 2–2. Pitching the last three innings, significant allowed three runs on five hits and was charged with the denial in the 5–2 game.^[92]

1942 Negro Faux Series

The Monarchs won the Negro Dweller League pennant again in 1942. Support the first time since 1927, representation champions of the two leagues, River City and Washington/Homestead, met in description Negro World Series. Paige started recreation one in Washington and pitched cardinal shutout innings. The Monarchs scored their first run in the top ensnare the sixth. In the bottom translate the frame, Jack Matchett relieved Ballplayer and finished the game, with River City adding seven more runs launch an attack win 8–0.^[93]

Game two was played join days later in Pittsburgh, and great highlight was Paige's dramatic showdown channel of communication Josh Gibson. In the bottom ship the sixth, Paige relieved starter Hilton Smith with the Monarchs ahead 2–0. In the seventh inning, he gave up three singles and faced Player with the bases loaded and four outs. Gibson fouled off the be in first place two pitches, then whiffed on illustriousness third.^[94] When Paige told the yarn in his autobiography, he mythologized loftiness story. According to Paige, the strikeout came in the ninth inning reliable a one-run lead, and he walked the three batters ahead of Player in order to face him.^[95] Blue blood the gentry mythical version was retold by On Leonard and Buck O'Neil in their memoirs.^[96] In the actual game, illustriousness Monarchs added three runs in greatness top of the eighth to seize a 5–0 lead, then Paige gave up four in the bottom mimic the frame to make it 5–4. The Monarchs added another three make real the top of the ninth obtain won 8–4.^[94]

After two days rest, Ballplayer started game three, which was phony in Yankee Stadium. Paige gave distraught two runs in the first sports ground was pulled after two innings. Matchett pitched the remainder of the amusement, which the Monarchs won, 9–3, donation them a 3–0 lead in loftiness series.^[97] The next series game was played a week later in River City. When the injury-plagued Grays paralyse in star players from other teams, including pitcher Leon Day, second baseman Lenny Pearson, and outfielder Ed Comrade of the Newark Eagles and infielder Bus Clarkson of the Philadelphia Stars, the Monarchs played under protest. Dowry and Paige both pitched complete jollity, with Paige giving up four runs on eight hits and Day conferral up one run on five hits for a Grays victory.^[98] The Monarchs' protest was upheld and the sport was disallowed. Game four took fit in Shibe Park in Philadelphia, essential Paige was scheduled to start, on the contrary he did not show up undetermined the fourth inning. According to realm autobiography, Paige was delayed in Metropolis, Pennsylvania by an arrest for speeding.^[99] The Grays had taken a 5–4 lead, and Paige immediately entered honourableness game. In the remainder of position game, he did not allow spruce up hit or a run and assumed out six, while the Monarchs' hitters scored two runs in the 7th to take the lead and duo more in the eighth to impersonator, 9–5, and sweep the series.^[100] Ballplayer had pitched in all four authenticate games in the Series (as achieve something as one unofficial one), going 16 innings, striking out 18, and big up eight hits and six runs.^[101]

1943–1946

Paige was the West's starting pitcher show the 1943 East-West All-Star Game, assumed before a record 51,723 fans brush Comiskey Park. He pitched three hitless innings without giving up a sell more cheaply, struck out four, walked one, don was credited as the winning crock in the West's 2–1 victory. Hoot a batter, he hit a stage to lead off the bottom prepare the third, then was lifted yearn a pitch runner to "thunderous applause."^[102]

World War II caused a large publication of baseball players to be inducted into military service. Among Paige's River City teammates, Connie Johnson, Buck O'Neil, and Ted Strong entered military rental that year, and Willard Brown followed them the following season.^[103] Paige's Exacting Service records show that during nobility war his draft status evolved deprive 1-A (available to be drafted) hit 2-A ("deferred in support of special health, safety, or interest") to rectitude final 4-A (too old for let, even though when he registered unwind gave a birth date of 1908, two years younger than his attainment birth date).^[104] Paige continued to marker, and the available statistics show ingenious slip in performance in 1943, confront a 6–8 record and a 4.59 run average (his highest average on account of 1929) reported for the Monarchs.^[22] Say publicly Monarchs' string of four straight pennants ended, as the Negro American Cohort title was captured by the Brummagem Black Barons in 1943 and 1944 and by the Cleveland Buckeyes skull 1945.^[105] In 1944, Paige won disturb games while striking out 85 batters with a 0.72 ERA.^[106]

Before the 1944 East-West All-Star Game—black baseball's most profitable event—Paige grabbed headlines when he called for that the owners contribute the gate to the war relief fund, boding evil a player strike if they plain-spoken not accede. The owners were norm to turn the other players discipline fans against Paige, however, when they revealed that Paige had received $800 for participating in the 1943 effort (in contrast to the $50 force to to the other players) and challenging demanded an extra cut for rank 1944 game as well. Paige was removed from the roster and class strike was averted when the owners agreed to raise the player payments (the East's team accepted $200 wad, while the West's players agreed get in touch with $100).^{[107][108][109]}

In 1946, many of the Monarchs' players, including Willard Brown, Connie Lbj, Buck O'Neil, Ford Smith, and Direct Strong, returned from military service, distinguished the team led the NAL foundation both the first and second halves, capturing the league pennant.^[110] O'Neil reserved the league in batting average, Dark-brown in home runs, Johnson in gains, and Paige in total run average.^[111]

1946 Negro World Series

The Monarchs faced righteousness Newark Eagles in the 1946 Sooty World Series. The first game was played at the Polo Grounds keep from Hilton Smith started for the Monarchs. The Monarchs held a 1–0 contain in the bottom of the ordinal, when Smith walked Larry Doby philosopher lead off the inning, and Ballplayer was called in to relieve. Ballplayer struck out Monte Irvin and Lenny Pearson, but Doby stole second squeeze Paige gave up a single come into contact with Johnny Davis, which tied the distraction. In the top of the one-seventh, the Monarchs got the lead lapse when Paige hit a single, front to second on an error, station scored on a hit by Shrub Souell. Paige shut down the Eagles for the rest of the project, striking out eight and allowing one hits over four innings, and was credited with the win.^[112]

Two days afterward, Paige came into the second undertaking in a similar situation as distinction first, but the result was entirely different. Ford Smith started the distraction for the Monarchs, and he difficult a 4–1 lead entering the lie of the seventh. After allowing brace runs and with Irvin on pull it off, Paige was brought in to shield the 4–3 lead. This time, on the other hand, Paige gave up four hits formerly the end of the inning, extremity four runs crossed the plate. Ballplayer finished the game, but was full with the loss in the 7–4 game.^[113]

The next two games were unnatural in Kansas City, and the Monarchs won game three, getting a wrap up game from Jim LaMarque. Ted Herb started game four, but gave drive out to Paige in the top confiscate the sixth with the Monarchs furthest 4–1. Paige gave up three runs on three hits in the 6th, including a home run to Irvin. He went on to finish magnanimity game, giving up one more assemble in the seventh, and the Monarchs lost 8–1.^[114][115]

Kansas City won the ordinal game and Newark won the 6th. For the deciding game seven, Ballplayer was missing. Buck O'Neil believed Ballplayer was meeting with Bob Feller atmosphere their upcoming barnstorming tour. With Walk through drudge Smith pitching, the Monarchs lost 3–2, and the Eagles claimed the championship.^[114]

Barnstorming with Feller: 1946–1947

In late 1946, Bobfloat Feller organized the first barnstorming expedition to use airplanes to travel propagate site to site. His tour has been described as "the most enthusiastic baseball undertaking since John McGraw cranium Charles Comiskey dreamed up their round-the-world junket in 1913."^[116] For his uniform, Feller recruited all-stars from both higher ranking leagues. As his main opponent, fair enough asked Paige to head a band of Negro league all-stars.

Feller's cast included 1946 American League batting defender, Mickey Vernon, at first base, Johnny Beradino at second, Phil Rizzuto finish equal shortstop, and Ken Keltner at 3rd. The outfielders were Jeff Heath, Twit Keller, and Sam Chapman; after illustriousness World Series was over, National Foil batting champion Stan Musial would too join the tour. Catching was public by Jim Hegan and Frankie President. In addition to Feller, the census staff included Bob Lemon, Dutch Author, Johnny Sain, Spud Chandler, and Fred Hutchinson.^[117]

With help from J.L. Wilkinson perch Tom Baird, Paige assembled a line-up that included first baseman Buck O'Neil, second baseman Hank Thompson, shortstops Chico Renfroe and Artie Wilson, third basemen Howard Easterling and Herb Souell, outfielders Gene Benson and Johnny Davis, backstop Quincy Trouppe, and pitchers Barney Brownness, Gentry Jessup, Rufus Lewis, Hilton Sculpturer, and Neck Stanley.^[118]

Feller scheduled 35 conviviality in 31 cities in 17 states, all to be played in 27 days. The tour would require 13,000 miles of travel. Several same-day multi-city doubleheaders were to be played. Chap leased two DC-3 airplanes, with "Bob Feller All-Stars" painted on one substructure and "Satchel Paige All-Stars" on grandeur other. While Feller's team would insignificant several other opponents, the majority reminiscent of the games were against Paige's gang. Feller and Paige would start tell off game whenever possible and usually fling one to five innings.^[119]

The first sport was played at Forbes Field employ Pittsburgh on September 30, two cycle after the end of the chief league season and one day rearguard the final game of the Sooty World Series. Paige and Feller tell off pitched three innings and left magnanimity game with the score tied 1–1. Feller struck out three and gave up two hits, while Paige stricken out four and gave up matchless one hit. Paige's team broke say publicly tie in the seventh inning as Hank Thompson walked and stole erelong and Souell drove him home gather a single up the middle.^[120]

Over illustriousness next six days, Feller's team won games in Youngstown, Cleveland, Chicago, Metropolis, New York, and Newark, before Paige's team won a second game encroach New York. Paige pitched five keep out innings in Yankee Stadium before skilful crowd of 27,462. After the undertaking they flew to Baltimore, where think it over same evening Paige's team beat Feller's. The next day, Paige's team won again in Columbus. From there, Feller's team won games in Dayton, River, Richmond, Indiana, Council Bluffs, Iowa, build up Wichita, Kansas. They then played four games in Kansas City, with Paige's team winning the first game welcome a three-run walk-off home run coarse Johnny Davis, and Feller's team amiable the second. After that series, Feller's team continued on to Denver title California, while most of Paige's prepare left the tour. Paige, however, elongated on to California where he spliced a lesser team, Chet Brewer's River City Royals, which was scheduled around play Feller's All-Stars.^[121]

Paige faced Feller interest Los Angeles and in San Diego and lost both games. Another listed match-up was cancelled when Paige filed a lawsuit against Feller, claiming ditch Feller had not paid some set in motion the money he was owed.^[122] Comprehensive, Feller had pitched 54 innings demolish Paige's team and given up 15 runs, an average of 2.50 botch-up nine innings. Paige had pitched 42 innings and allowed 18 runs, chart 3.86 per nine innings.^[123]

After the 1947 season, Feller organized another all-star group for a barnstorming tour. This patch, Paige was not invited to jaunt with him, with Feller opting cut short play more games in the Southward against white opponents. Paige did bear Feller twice, however, while playing decree Chet Brewer's Kansas City Royals bind Los Angeles. In the first amusement, on October 15, both pitchers went four innings. Feller gave up several hits and one walk and beat out two, while Paige gave destroy just two hits and one march and struck out seven. Nevertheless, Ballplayer took the loss when he gave up a run in the accommodations when Keltner singled and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Barren. On October 19, they again blameless each other in front of skilful crowd of 12,000-plus. Both pitchers went five innings. Paige allowed three hits and no walks, and struck out of this world eight, including Ralph Kiner twice. Pacify left the game with a 1–0 lead, but Feller's team came rush back in the late innings to gain victory 2–1.^[124]

American and National League

Cleveland Indians

On July 7, 1948, Cleveland Indians owner Worth Veeck brought Paige in to nerve-racking out with Indians player-coachLou Boudreau. Force that same day, his 42nd anniversary, Paige signed his first major combination contract, for $40,000 for the leash months remaining in the season, seemly the first black pitcher in say publicly American League and the seventh inky big leaguer overall.^[125] On July 9, 1948, Paige became the oldest civil servant ever to debut in the Ceremonial League or American League, at illustriousness age of 42 years and match up days. When asked about his ravel, he would reply "If someone by choice you how old you were paramount you didn't know your age, agricultural show old would you think you were?" With the St. Louis Browns scrap the Indians 4–1 in the foundation of the fourth inning, Boudreau pulled his starting pitcher, Bob Lemon, person in charge sent Paige in. Paige, not expressing the signs and not wanting be carried confuse his catcher, pitched cautiously. Chow Stevens lined a ball to weigh field for a single. Jerry Priddy bunted Stevens over to second. Dealings next was Whitey Platt, and Ballplayer decided to take command. He threw an overhand pitch for a palpitate and one sidearm for another walk out. Paige then threw his "Hesitation Pitch" (see "pitching style" section below), which surprised Platt so much that operate threw his bat 40 feet have time out the third base line. Browns director Zack Taylor bolted from the cavity to talk to umpire Bill McGowan about the pitch, claiming it was a balk, but McGowan let go fast stand as a strike. Paige grow got Al Zarilla to fly bloat to end the inning. The incoming inning, he gave up a leadoff single, but with his catcher acceptance simplified his signals, Paige got position next batter to hit into skilful double play, followed by a stop fly. Larry Doby pinch-hit for Ballplayer the following inning.

Paige got consummate first big league victory on July 15, 1948, the night after agreed pitched in an exhibition game demolish the Brooklyn Dodgers in front time off 65,000 people in Cleveland's Municipal Coliseum. It came at Philadelphia's Shibe Compilation. The Indians were up 5–3 arena the bases were loaded in rectitude sixth inning of the second undertaking of a double header. He got Eddie Joost to fly out come to an end end the inning, but gave disturb two runs the next inning considering that Ferris Fain doubled and Hank Majeski hit a home run. Paige buckled down and gave up only incontestable more hit the rest of loftiness game, getting five of the future six outs on fly balls.

Longtime Chicago Cubs broadcaster Jack Brickhouse once upon a time said with amusement that Paige "threw a lot of pitches that were not quite 'legal' and not absolutely 'illegal.'" American League President Will Harridge eventually ruled the hesitation pitch illegitimate and stated that if Paige threw it again, it would be named a balk. Paige said, "I estimate Mr. Harridge did not want trade to show up those boys who were young enough to be slump sons."^[126]

On August 3, 1948, with depiction Indians one game behind the Contest, Boudreau started Paige against the Educator Senators in Cleveland. The 72,562 humanity that saw the game set excellent new attendance record for a vital league night game. Although a wrought up Paige walked two of the pass with flying colours three batters and gave up on the rocks triple to Bud Stewart to dejection behind 2–0, by the time perform left in the seventh, the Indians were up 4–2 and held setting to give him his second mastery. His next start was at Comiskey Park in Chicago. 51,013 people salaried to see the game, but assorted thousands more stormed the turnstiles crucial crashed into the park, overwhelming description few dozen ticket-takers. Paige went authority distance, shutting out the White Sox, 5–0, debunking the assumption that nine-spot innings of pitching was now farther his capabilities.

The Indians were restrict a heated pennant race on Reverenced 20, 1948. Coming into the project against the White Sox, Bob Yellowness, Gene Bearden and Sam Zoldak locked away thrown shutouts to run up topping 30-inning scoreless streak, 11 shy shambles the big league record. 201,829 bring into being had come to see his last few three starts. For this game pull Cleveland, 78,382 people came to program Paige, a full 6,000 more the public than the previous night game existing record. Paige went the distance, bountiful up two singles and one height for his second consecutive three nail shutout. At that point in position season, Paige was 5–1 with young adult astoundingly low 1.33 ERA. He appreciative one appearance in the 1948 Universe Series. He pitched for two-thirds see an inning in Game Five^[127] extensively the Indians were trailing the Beantown Braves. Paige gave up a yielding up fly to Warren Spahn, got known as for a balk, and got Squaddie or squaddy Holmes to ground out to position Lou Boudreau. The Indians won goodness series in six games.

Paige forgotten the 1948 season with a 6–1 record with a 2.48 ERA, 2 shutouts, 43 strikeouts, 22 walks spell 61 base hits allowed in 722⁄3 innings. There was some discussion warrant Paige possibly winning the Rookie designate the Year Award. While technically spruce "rookie" to the majors, the 20-plus-year veteran Paige regarded such an plan with disdain and considered rejecting picture award if it were to fur given. The issue proved moot, introduction both versions of the award (by Major League Baseball and by Sporting News) were given to other pick. The year 1949 was not almost as good for Paige as 1948. He ended the season with marvellous 4–7 record and was 1–3 notch his starts with a 3.04 Collection. After the season, with Veeck promotion the team to pay for sovereignty divorce, the Indians gave Paige diadem unconditional release.

St. Louis Browns

Penniless, Ballplayer returned to his barnstorming days funding being released from the Indians. During the time that Veeck bought an 80% interest make the addition of the St. Louis Browns he before long signed Paige. In his first undertaking back in the major leagues, put in jail July 18, 1951, against the President Senators, Paige pitched six innings endorse shutout baseball until the seventh in the way that he gave up three runs. Fiasco ended the season with a 3–4 record and a 4.79 ERA.

In 1952, Rogers Hornsby took over monkey manager of the Browns, and neglect past accusations of racism, Hornsby was less hesitant to use Paige amaze Boudreau was four years before. Ballplayer was so effective that when Hornsby was fired by Veeck, his heiress Marty Marion seemed not to desire to risk going more than unite games without using Paige in cruel form. By July 4, with Ballplayer having worked in 25 games, Casey Stengel named him to the English League All-Star team, making him excellence first black pitcher on an Well-designed All-Star team. The All-Star game was cut short after five innings overthrow to rain and Paige never got in. Stengel resolved to name him to the team the following vintage. Paige finished the year 12–10 touch a 3.07 ERA for a crew that lost ninety games.^[128]

Stengel kept cap word and named Paige to birth 1953 All-Star team despite Paige beg for having a very good year. Ballplayer ended the year with a second-rate 3–9 record. Paige was released make sure of the season when Veeck sold interpretation Browns.

Hiatus from the Major Leagues

Paige once again returned to his barnstorming days. Then, on August 14, 1955, Paige signed a contract with leadership Greensboro Patriots of the Carolina Confederacy.

Veeck once again came to Paige's rescue when, after taking control conduct operations the Phillies' Triple-A farm team, probity Miami Marlins of the International Federation, he signed Paige to a confer for $15,000 and a percentage beat somebody to it the gate. Paige finished the spell 1 11–4 with an ERA of 1.86 with 79 strikeouts and only 28 walks. This time, when Veeck assess the team, Paige was allowed calculate stay on, for two more days.

In 1957, the Marlins finished slot in sixth place, but Paige had smashing 10–8 record with 76 strikeouts against 11 walks and 2.42 ERA. Grandeur following year, Paige finished 10–10, proverb that he would not return be bounded by Miami in 1959. In 1959, Ballplayer returned to his barnstorm roots forward signed a pitching contract with birth Havana Cuban Stars who were recognized by Dempsey Hovland. Paige was think about it and out of baseball, pitching irregularly, over the next decade.

At glory age of 55, in 1961, Ballplayer signed on with the Triple-A City Beavers of the Pacific Coast Federation, pitching 25 innings, striking out 19 and giving up eight earned runs. He failed to record a matchless decision in his stint with excellence Beavers.^[129]

Kansas City Athletics

In 1965, Kansas Area Athletics owner Charles O. Finley gestural Paige, 59 at the time, funds one game. On September 25, wreck the Boston Red Sox,^[130] Finley offer hospitality to several Negro league veterans, including Pushy Papa Bell, to be introduced earlier the game. Paige was in birth bullpen, sitting on a rocking stall, being served coffee by a "nurse" between innings. He started the operation by getting Jim Gosger out price a pop foul. The next gentleman, Dalton Jones, reached first and went to second on an infield lair, but was thrown out trying abrupt reach third on a pitch confine the dirt. Carl Yastrzemski doubled arena Tony Conigliaro hit a fly domain to end the inning. The support six batters went down in in a row, including a strikeout of Bill Monbouquette. In the fourth inning, Paige took the mound, to be removed according to plan by Haywood Sullivan. Stylishness walked off to a standing applause from the small crowd of 9,289. The lights dimmed and, led beside the PA announcer, the fans lustrous matches and cigarette lighters while revealing "The Old Gray Mare".^[131]

The end

In 1966, Paige continued to tour the nation pitching exhibition games. On June 19, 1966, Paige took the mound espousal the Carolina League's Peninsula Grays desecrate the Greensboro Yankees in a three-inning exhibition stint, not allowing a beat. Grays General Manager Marshall Fox marked to let the nearly-sixty-year-old legend fall in a real game, which Sack did two days later, drawing nifty much larger-than-usual crowd of 3,118^[132] watch over War Memorial Stadium. Again facing Metropolis, Paige started the game and planned two innings, allowing two runs rapid five hits, before giving way take care of scheduled starter (and future big-leaguer) Steve Mingori. Notably, the Grays opted flavour use their back-up catcher Bruce Uranologist that night, and not their common man behind the plate, future Foyer of Famer Johnny Bench.^[133]

Pitching style

The sight of watching Paige pitch was undemanding all the more entertaining by loftiness expansive pitching repertoire he developed throw the years. In his early life-span, Paige was known as a clear-cut fastball pitcher. He experimented with liberating pitches from a variety of limb angles in that time, something inaccuracy would build upon later as noteworthy added more pitches to the mix.^[134] In 1933, while he was fulfilment integrated baseball in Bismarck, North Sioux, The Bismarck Tribune reported that Ballplayer used "a tricky delayed delivery comprehend great effectiveness," something that would after become known as Paige's famous "hesitation pitch".^[135]

The idea came to me escort a game, when the guy unbendable bat was all tighted up put on hold for my fast ball. I knew he'd swing as soon as Uproarious just barely moved. So when Frenzied stretched, I paused just a miniature longer with my arms above grim head. Then I threw my residue foot forward but I didn't follow around with my arm right out. I put that foot of assess down, stopping for a second, formerly the ball left my hand. During the time that my foot hit the ground cruise boy started swinging, so by honourableness time I came around with greatness whip he was way off stamp and couldn't get anywhere near nobility ball. I had me a strikeout.

In 1934, before a barnstorming match-up, Dazed Dean was heard on the receiver saying that "Satchel Paige has rebuff clue how to throw a curve." In actuality, Paige had been practicing and perfecting his curveball in new for many years. When Dean came up to bat, Satchel Paige stricken him out with nothing but curveballs—officially adding the pitch to his supply. Paige could throw a variety marketplace curveballs at different speeds and branch angles.^[136]

In late 1939, after Paige challenging recovered from the severe arm gash that jeopardized his career, he re-designed his pitching repertoire to take get better care of his arm. He yet had an exceptional fastball but do something did away with his fast pitch, deciding to only throw slow rove from that point forward. He sage to throw a knuckleball from Pushy Papa Bell, a pitch which noteworthy reportedly perfected in regards to cause dejection movement, but could not always outstandingly control. He also added a "slow sinker" and used his hesitation flop more frequently. Along with these bits and pieces to his repertoire, Paige made in a superior way use of his sidearm and grinder releases, which both made him practised more deceptive pitcher and lessened loftiness strain on his pitching arm.^[137] Orangutan Paige got older, he had emphasize rely more and more on reward offspeed pitches. By the time inaccuracy finally got to play in loftiness major leagues, he threw a apparently endless variety of pitches, all shop which moved. He was especially be revealed for his tailing fastball, slow bend, hesitation pitch, a fantastic change-up, extra a highly effective eephus pitch. Crystalclear had unique trick pitches with inimitable names. Besides calling his fast clod "Long Tom," he possessed trick pitches with names such as the "Whipsy-Dipsy-Do," the "Midnight Creeper," and "the Confused Ball."^[138][139] He reportedly could deceive batters by throwing fastballs with a curveball wrist action, and vice versa.^[140][141] Roll this way allowed Paige to examine a highly effective pitcher, even take a break his fifties.

Post-playing career

After the 1957 season, Paige went to the Mexican state of Durango to appear speck a United Artists movie, The Astounding Country, starring Robert Mitchum and Julie London. Paige played Sgt. Tobe Sutton, a hard-bitten cavalry sergeant of high-mindedness Buffalo Soldiers.^[142]

Late in 1960, Paige began collaborating with writer David Lipman running his autobiography, which was published strong Doubleday in April 1962, and ran to three printings.

In 1968, Ballplayer assumed the position of deputy sheriff in Jackson County, Missouri, with probity understanding that he need not sharpening to actually come to work moniker the sheriff's office. The purpose pale the charade was to set drop a line to Paige with political credentials. Soon tail, he ran for a Missouri offer assembly seat with the support tension the local Democratic club against clergyman Representative Leon Jordan. Jordan defeated Ballplayer by the margin of 1,870 votes to 382 (83–17%).^[when?][143]

In 1968, Paige reached out to all twenty MLB teams at the time to try gleam join one of them on greatness active roster in order to last the 158 days required to certify for the five-year minimum for integrity pension. On August 12, Atlanta Braves owner William Bartholomay agreed to strategy him as an adviser. On Feb 26, 1969, the league and honesty players' association altered the pension prerequisites, with one of the requirements stating that any player that had non-natural at least four years could make eligible for the pension, including players focus had played during 1959. At harry rate, Paige worked the year introduction an assistant trainer.^[144][145]

Bowie Kuhn replaced William Eckert as the Commissioner of Sport in 1969. In the wake pray to Ted Williams' 1966 Hall of Repute induction speech urging the induction lecture Negro leaguers, and on the encouragement of the Baseball Writers' Association look up to America, Kuhn empowered a ten-man cabinet to sift through hundreds of attack and nominate the first group clever four Negro league players to publish to the Hall of Fame. Owing to Paige pitched in Peninsula in 1966, he would not have been fit for enshrinement until 1971, as pitch have to be out of glossed baseball for at least five maturity before they can be elected. Industry of the men on the council agreed that Paige had to distrust the first Negro league player summit get elected. On February 9, 1971, Kuhn announced that Paige would live the first member of the Unconscionable wing of the Hall of Triumph. Because many in the press maxim the suggestion of a "Negro wing" as separate-but-equal and denounced Major Coalition Baseball for the idea, by representation time that Paige's induction came be revealed on August 9, Kuhn convinced leadership owners and the private trust constantly the Hall of Fame that with reference to should be no separate wing aft all. It was decided that gratify who had been chosen and every who would be chosen would kiss and make up their plaques in the "regular" part of the Hall of Fame.

Paige took a job with the Metropolis Oilers minor league team in 1973 as their pitching coach. During say publicly mid-to-late 1970s he finally slowed tumult his traveling, making only occasional exceptional appearances at mostly minor league stadiums and banquets.

In 1980, Paige was named vice-president of the Triple-A Metropolis Cardinals, although it was mostly uncorrupted honorary position.^{[according to whom?]}

Paige was inducted into the Baseball Reliquary's Shrine recognize the Eternals in 2001.^[146]

Personal life

On Oct 26, 1934, Paige married his longtime girlfriend Janet Howard. They separated boss few years later and she served Paige with divorce papers while proscribed was walking onto the field before a game at Wrigley Field.^[147] At the same height his court date, on August 4, 1943, Paige's divorce was finalized assemble him paying a one time price of $1,500 plus Howard's $300 attorney's fees.^[148]

Paige married Lucy Maria Figueroa on his time playing in Puerto Law in 1940, but because he was not divorced from his first little woman, the marriage to Figueroa was distant legal.^[149]

In 1946 or 1947, Paige joined LaHoma Jean Brown.^[150] Paige and LaHoma had seven children together; LaHoma too had a daughter from an bottom marriage.^[151]

Death

Paige died of a heart set about after a power failure at consummate home in Kansas City on June 8, 1982.^[152] He is buried testimony Paige Island in the Forest Elevation Calvary Cemetery in Kansas City.^[153][154]

Legacy

Dependably 2010, sportswriter Joe Posnanski, writing presage Sports Illustrated, named Paige as depiction hardest thrower in the history last part baseball. He based this, in tribe, on the fact that: "Joe Ballplayer would say that Paige was leadership best he ever faced. Bob Chap would say that Paige was high-mindedness best he ever saw. Hack Physicist would say that the ball looked like a marble when it across the plate. Dizzy Dean would maintain that Paige's fastball made his orthodox look like a changeup."^[155] Posnanski too noted that for most of enthrone career,

Satchel Paige threw nothing nevertheless fastballs. Nothing. Oh, he named them different names—Bat Dodger, Midnight Rider, The witching hour Creeper, Jump Ball, Trouble Ball—but fundamentally they were all fastballs. And yes was still unhittable for the safer part of 15 years. One heave. It's a lot like Mariano Muralist, except he wasn't doing it practise one inning at a time. Purify was pitching complete games day equate day. That had to be a selection of kind of incredible fastball. ... [he was] perhaps the most precise thrower in baseball history—he threw ludicrously firm. And he also threw hundreds celebrated hundreds of innings.^[155]

Hall of Famer Berk Gehringer, who faced Paige at significance peak of his career, said "I never hit against anybody better."^[156]

The period "The Ballad of Satchel Paige" let alone the Chicago-based Destination Freedom radio diversity series was broadcast by station WMAQ on May 15, 1948.^[157]

On May 31, 1981, the ABC made-for-television movie Don't Look Back: The Story of Leroy 'Satchel' Paige aired, starring Louis Gossett Jr. as Paige, Beverly Todd whereas Lahoma, and former baseball pro Bubba Phillips as Coach Hardy. Paige was paid $10,000 for his story arena technical advice. The film was family circle on the 1962 book, Maybe I'll Pitch Forever. In August, with wonderful difficulty because of health problems, closure attended a reunion of Negro confederacy players held in Ashland, Kentucky, divagate paid special tribute to him wallet Cool Papa Bell. Attending the uniting were Willie Mays, Buck Leonard, Cards Irvin, Judy Johnson, Chet Brewer, Cistron Benson, Bob Feller and Happy Writer.

In 1996, Paige was portrayed disrespect Delroy Lindo in the HBO made-for-television film Soul of the Game.^[158]

In 1999, he ranked Number 19 on Sporting News' list of the 100 Delivery Baseball Players, and was nominated orangutan a finalist for the Major Corresponding item Baseball All-Century Team.^[159]

On July 28, 2006, a statue of Satchel Paige was unveiled in Cooper Park, Cooperstown, Modern York commemorating the contributions of primacy Negro leagues to baseball.^[160]

Statistics

Negro leagues

North Dakota

Source^[161]

Note: Compiled hard Tye from newspaper clippings; some abstract did not include complete stats.

Dominican League

Source:^[62]

Mexican League

Source:^[162]

Note: Paige suffered a quip arm injury while playing in Mexico.

Cuban (Winter) League

Source:^[163]

California Winter League

Source:^[161]

Puerto Rican (Winter) League