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MorganMiller1926 · 07-31-2019, 12:47 PM

The Philadelphia Phillies were the last team in the National League to integrate racially. Through the end of 1958 they had used only five players of color in regular season games. April 1957 would see black Cuban shortstop, Chico Fernandez make the team along with American-born, infielder, John Kennedy, a veteran of the Negro Leagues. Later that year utilityman Chuck Harmon would be obtained from the Cincinnati Reds. The Phillies opened the 1958 season with the addition of Cuban-born, first baseman, Francisco Pancho Herrera, a Negro Leagues star, who had played on the same Kansas City Monarchs infield with a young budding star at shortstop, Ernie Banks and both Banks and Herrera would be chosen to play in the two Negro Leagues East Vs. West all-star games in August of 1953.
Finally, in September 1958, a fifth black player was added to the Phillies player roster. Righthander, Henry 'Hank' Mason, became the Phillies' first black pitcher. (pictured beloe in his 1958 Topps and 1960 Leaf baseball cards.)
Integrration remained slow, but in 1959 pitchers Ruben Gomez and Humberto Robinson were added to the team as were catcher Valmy Thomas and infielder, Solly Drake.
1960 saw the Phillies acquire second baseman Tony Taylor from the Cubs and Taylor became the Phillies first all-star, playing in both MLB all-star games that summer. Tony Gonazlez, was acquired in a trade with the Reds, and he'd become the Phillies' everyday Center Fielder for almost a decade. OF-Tony Curry, a Bahamian, also arrived in 1960.
In September 1963 third baseman, Richie 'Dick' Allen would arrive from the minors and he would become the 1964 National League Rookie Of the Year. From the start he was a real impact player. He hit 29 home runs and drove in more than 110 runs in '64 and he'd hit 40 home runs in 1966. He'd also be part of the Phillies 1976 NL East division champions, the first Phillies team to finish in first-place since
Henry Mason is the 125th oldest living major league baseball player according to the Wikipedia List. He turned 88 in June.
"The Whiz Kids" of 1950. Allen is largely recognized as the Phillies first black superstar.

07-31-2019, 12:47 PM	#1200
MorganMiller1926 Minors (Double A) Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 157	First Phillies black pitcher, Henry Mason and the slow integraion of the Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies were the last team in the National League to integrate racially. Through the end of 1958 they had used only five players of color in regular season games. April 1957 would see black Cuban shortstop, Chico Fernandez make the team along with American-born, infielder, John Kennedy, a veteran of the Negro Leagues. Later that year utilityman Chuck Harmon would be obtained from the Cincinnati Reds. The Phillies opened the 1958 season with the addition of Cuban-born, first baseman, Francisco Pancho Herrera, a Negro Leagues star, who had played on the same Kansas City Monarchs infield with a young budding star at shortstop, Ernie Banks and both Banks and Herrera would be chosen to play in the two Negro Leagues East Vs. West all-star games in August of 1953. Finally, in September 1958, a fifth black player was added to the Phillies player roster. Righthander, Henry 'Hank' Mason, became the Phillies' first black pitcher. (pictured beloe in his 1958 Topps and 1960 Leaf baseball cards.) Integrration remained slow, but in 1959 pitchers Ruben Gomez and Humberto Robinson were added to the team as were catcher Valmy Thomas and infielder, Solly Drake. 1960 saw the Phillies acquire second baseman Tony Taylor from the Cubs and Taylor became the Phillies first all-star, playing in both MLB all-star games that summer. Tony Gonazlez, was acquired in a trade with the Reds, and he'd become the Phillies' everyday Center Fielder for almost a decade. OF-Tony Curry, a Bahamian, also arrived in 1960. In September 1963 third baseman, Richie 'Dick' Allen would arrive from the minors and he would become the 1964 National League Rookie Of the Year. From the start he was a real impact player. He hit 29 home runs and drove in more than 110 runs in '64 and he'd hit 40 home runs in 1966. He'd also be part of the Phillies 1976 NL East division champions, the first Phillies team to finish in first-place since Henry Mason is the 125th oldest living major league baseball player according to the Wikipedia List. He turned 88 in June. "The Whiz Kids" of 1950. Allen is largely recognized as the Phillies first black superstar. Attached Images Last edited by MorganMiller1926; 07-31-2019 at 12:50 PM.