[DTF955]

Patrick O'Farrell looked at the picture of his grandfather - the colonel - in his locker. The Sox were still up 2 games to 1, and he really wanted to go out on top. It didn't really matter now; the Bucs had their own great Negro player, Buck Leonard, and the Sox, why the Sox had 3 Negro stars! Smith's performance in the previous year's Series in that extra inning thriller had established that Negro stars could perform just as well in the clutch as whites. He smiled at the Colonel...

"Hey, uh...Pat," Judy Johnson said hesitaantly as he approached him. Patrick turned to glance at his double play partner. "I just wondered, well...I guess I don't like to look a gift horse in the mouth or nothin', so I never asked before. But, since you're retiring and all...what made you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Well, you and Hitt pushing for integration, you offering to room with me. I mean, you're not the kind of guy to go out making speeches like a politician, you're just the quiet sort of leader we all respect. And yet, you go out...not that I'm not grateful, I am, but..."

Pat smiled, and pointed at the picture of his dearly departed grandfather. Judy said he remembered Pat talking about how he'd served in the Civil War. "Well, Judy, seems there's more to it than thaat. Something the other guys who respected Negro players, like Wagner, McGraw, and the like, didn't have."

"What's that?"

"My grandpa was in a fierce battle, with some Negro soldiers fighting alongside him. He'd never thought much about equality, just about freeing the slaves. But yet, there was something about these men that was so incredible, they were so brave and courageous; better than most of his white soldiers, in fact."

He got wistful as he remembered Colonel O'Farrell relating the story many times during his lifetime. "Seems the colonel had his life saved by one of them. It was only thanks to the heroic efforts of a few Negro soldiers thta he was evacuated from the field, and they somehow got the fragments out of him. And, he made a vow to the men that day, that he wouldn't stop at just freeing the slaves; he would work to make sure the Negro had a good life, a much better life than the South seemed to offer."

"Must have been hard once he was out of the service, though," Johnson commented.

"It was. He realized the country just wasn't ready then for equality, and even Bolston was tough. But he always told my dad, and then me, that if we ever hd the chance to do some good, if we could somehow help improve their plight, to do it.

"He and Dad were probably the only white attorneys in town who'd handle black clients - did it pro bono, in fact, no charge, quite a bit. But, that was only helping to make sure one person wasn't shafted in some case. When I got to the majors, though, I knew it would take time, but yet by 1920, out on that barnstorming tour, I knew, I was a big enough star," he said with a great deal of humility, yet knowing that that had been the key. "Well, between Hitt and I, I knew that was my opportunity. To just honor that wish my grandpa had, that promise he made years ago. I know bringing up the best Negro League players, offering to room with you, those might not have done a whole lot right away in bringing about equality. But, we've got people thinking now, seeing us on the national staage and working side by side. And, I'm going to keep working to keep the doors open.

"It might take a while before there's real change, real integrtion in society. But, I feel like I've done my part."

Judy sensed that it was hard for him to talk about - his voice was cracking some both because of Pat's humility and because of the memory of his now departed grandfather. So, he simply said a very gracious "thank you," and left Pat alone with his thoughts.

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There. Hope you don't mind that. It tends to add a little more realism as to why he did it - as well as when. If you don't care for it, just consider it fanfiction and non-caanon, but I think it makes sense. And, it just shows tht Pat isn't going to be pushing for more than is possible at the time; but he will keep working, but by bit, in the small area he can - just like his dad and grandpa probably did. (I did notice there was nothing said by his family about the Negro players or his rooming with one on the road, so that's another sign something like this could be behind it.)

Thanks again for an awesome thread.