October 24, 1972 Jack Roosevelt “Jackie” Robinson, the first African American Major League Baseball player of the modern era, died. Robinson was born January 31, 1919 in Cairo, Georgia. After graduating from Pasadena Junior College in 1939, Robinson transferred to UCLA where he became the school’s first athlete to win varsity letters in four sports, […]
"Baseball"
October 15th in African American History – Ernest C. Withers
October 15, 2007 Ernest C. Withers, photojournalist, died. Withers was born August 7, 1922 in Memphis, Tennessee. He worked as a photographer in the United States Army during World War II and opened a studio in Memphis when he returned. He also worked for three years as one of the first African American police officers […]
October 14th in African American History – Oscar McKinley Charleston
October 14, 1896 Oscar McKinley Charleston, Negro League baseball player and manager, was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. Charleston joined the U. S. Army at the age of 15 and served in the Philippines. He began his professional baseball career in 1915 with the Indianapolis ABC’s and over his career he had a .348 batting average […]
October 5th in African American History – Oscar McKinley Charleston
October 5, 1954 Oscar McKinley Charleston, Negro League baseball player and manager, died. Charleston was born October 14, 1896 in Indianapolis, Indiana. He joined the U. S. Army at the age of 15 and served in the Philippines. He began his professional baseball career in 1915 with the Indianapolis ABC’s and over his career he […]
October 1st in African American History – Joseph Black
October 1, 1952 Joseph Black became the first Black pitcher to win a World Series game when he pitched the Brooklyn Dodgers to a 4 to 2 victory over the New York Yankees. Black was born February 8, 1924 in Plainfield, New Jersey and won a baseball scholarship to Morgan State University where he graduated […]
September 19th in African American History – Joe Leonard Morgan
September 19, 1943 Joe Leonard Morgan, hall of fame baseball player, was born in Bonham, Texas and raised in Oakland, California. Morgan was signed by the Houston Colt .45’s as an amateur free agent in 1962 and made his Major League debut with them in September, 1963. Morgan was traded to the Cincinnati Reds in […]
September 17th in African American History – Orlando Manuel Cepeda
September 17, 1937 Orlando Manuel Cepeda, hall of fame baseball player, was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Cepeda began playing Major League baseball in 1958 with the San Francisco Giants and in his first season was named National League Rookie of the Year. Over his 16 season career, he was selected to seven All-Star teams […]