“Satchel†Paige, tribute to an African American baseball player
Leroy Robert “Satchel†Paige was born in Mobile Alabama on July 7, 1906.
He was a phenomenal pitcher. Starting at the age of 17 with his home town Mobile Tigers in 1924 and ending with
Major League baseball’s Kansas City Athletics in 1965 at the age of 59, pitching 3 scoreless innings.
During his career Satchel pitched with the Negro League’s Chattanooga Black Lookouts, the Birmingham Black Barons,
the Pittsburgh Crawfords, and the Kansas City Monarchs to name a few. He also pitched in many semi-professional exhibition games between all-black and all-white teams. At the age of 48, he made his Major League baseball debut on July 9, 1948 with the Cleveland Indians. He played for the St. Louis Browns from 1951 through 1953.
Regardless of where he pitched or who he pitched for, Paige was considered one of the best pitchers in the history of baseball. He often won exhibition games against all-white teams, once beating Dizzy Dean 1-0. He won hundreds of games and thrilled fans, both black and white,with his “hesitation†pitch, the “jump ball†the “trouble ball†and other styles of the curve ball and fast ball. Leroy Robert Paige, born in Mobile Alabama July 7 1906 was the second african american baseball player in history. He started his career in his home town, at a team called the Mobile Tigers back in 1924. He played with the Kansas City Athletics in Major League baseball. He also ended his career with the same team back in 1965 after pitching 3 scoreless innings. He was 59 when he retired. In his career he also played for the Cattanooga black Lookouts,
a Negro League Baseball team. He pitched to many semi-profesional exhibition games between all-white and all-black teams. His Major League baseball debut was on 9 july, 1948 with the Cleveland Indians.He played for the St. Louis Browns from 1951 to 1953. Leroy Robert was considerd one of the best pitchers in the history of baseball no mattere where or who he pitched for. He also defeted Dizzy Dean ( 1 - 0 ) once. He thrilled a lot of fans both black and white,with his famous pitches like the “jump ballâ€, the “trouble ball†and my favourite among the styles of curve and fast ball his famous “hesitation†pitch.
Below is a list of names that Satchel was called while he played. This names reflected the way he played as you can see below
- Hesitation Pitch
- Bat Dodger
- Hurry-Up Ball
- Midnight Rider
- Four-Day Creeper
- Nothin’
- Bee Ball
- Jump Ball
- Trouble Ball
- The Two-Hump Blooper
- Long Tom
- The Barber
- Little Tom
And of course his so called “Rules For Staying Young†or “Rules of his success†which he released in June 13 1953 Collier’s.
- “Avoid fried meats which angry up the bloodâ€.
- “If your stomach disputes you, lie down and pacify it with cool thoughtsâ€.
- “Keep the juices flowing by jangling around gently as you moveâ€.
- “Go very light on the vices, such as carrying on in society the social ramble ain’t restfulâ€
- “Avoid running at all timesâ€.
- “And don’t look back something might be gaining on youâ€.
