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Old 05-08-2018, 08:37 PM   #76
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JaBurns View Post
Interesting that Robinson started with the Phillies. After all the trouble the Dodgers had with Phillies early in his career with their manager.
Yes it is ironic how that worked out. Robinson was one of 5 players purchased by Major League teams from the Negro League on the initial day after the color barrier was dropped in the game: September 26, 1947. A few more would follow that winter but in addition to Robinson the other four signed on the first day were Willie Mays to the St Louis Browns, Roy Campanella to the Athletics, Bus Clarkson to Cincinnati and Dave Pope to Detroit.

It would be just under a week later when the Brooklyn Dodgers signed Don Newcombe to be the first Negro League player welcomed to their organization. The Dodgers would sign another pitcher that off-season, by the name of Alex Newkirk.

Looking at box scores I believe Roy Campanella was the first to break the color barrier. He played the second game of an opening day doubleheader on April 1,1948 in my sim. Campanella, replaced starter Yogi Berra behind the plate for the A's and went 0-for-4 with a strikeout in an 8-3 loss to Boston.

Campanella would go on to play a decade with the Athletics, be an 8-time all-star and the 1952 American League MVP. You know all about Jackie Robinson in this replay and you will hear plenty about Mays as the story progresses but here is a quick word on the other 3 players mentioned above.

Bus Clarkson did very little in his Negro League career so it is no surprise he did not amount to much in the major leagues. A third baseman, Clarkson played in 259 career MLB games with the Giants and Braves but started just 4 and finished with a .236 career average.

Dave Pope was a 25 year old outfielder with just 1 season of Negro League play under his belt when Detroit signed him. He spent a few years in AAA and was up and down to Detroit over the next decade but had just 288 major league plate appearances in his career and was a .276 hitter.

Newkirk was 18-25 over two seasons with the New York Black Yankees before he was signed along with Newcombe by Brooklyn. Newkirk never made the majors but did bounce around the minor leagues for nearly a decade with several organizations.

Here are the remaining signings of Negro League players in the fall of 1947.

Clev - Lino Donoso
CHA - Willard Brown
NYY - Buck Leonard
NYG - Al E Smith
BSN - Monte Irvin
StL - Alonso Perry
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