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Jackie Robinson
Brooklyn Dodgers, NL
Jack Roosevelt "Jackie" Robinson (January 31, 1919 – October 24, 1972) was an American baseball player who became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) in the modern era.Robinson broke the baseball color line when the Brooklyn Dodgers started him at first base on April 15, 1947. As the first major league team to play a black man since the 1880s, the Dodgers ended racial segregation that had relegated black players to the Negro leagues for six deca -
Larry Doby
Cleaveland Indians, AL
Lawrence Eugene "Larry" Doby (December 13, 1923 – June 18, 2003) was an American professional baseball player in the Negro leagues and Major League Baseball (MLB). A native of Camden, South Carolina and three-sport all-state athlete while in high school in Paterson, New Jersey, Doby accepted a basketball scholarship from Long Island University. At 17 years of age, he became the Newark Eagles' second basemen.Doby returned to baseball in 1946, and helped win the negro world -
Hank Thompson
St. Louis Browns, AL
Henry Curtis Thompson (December 8, 1925 – September 30, 1969), best known as Hank Thompson, was an American player in the Negro leagues and Major League Baseball who played primarily as a third baseman. A left-handed batter, he played with the Kansas City Monarchs (1943, 1946–48), St. Louis Browns (1947) and New York Giants (1949–56). He possessed a powerful throwing arm, covered the outfield with grace, and was well liked by his teammates and the Giants' fans. -
Monte Irvin
New York Giants, NL
Monford Merrill "Monte" Irvin (born February 25, 1919) is a former left fielder and right-handed batter in the Negro leagues and Major League Baseball who played with the Newark Eagles (1938–42, 46-48), New York Giants (1949–55) and Chicago Cubs (1956). -
Sam Jethroe
Boston Braves, NL Samuel Jethroe, nicknamed "The Jet" (January 20, 1918 – June 18, 2001), was an American center fielder in Negro League and Major League Baseball. With the Cincinnati & Cleveland Buckeyes he won a pair of batting titles, hit .340 over seven seasons from 1942 to 1948, and helped the team to two pennants and the 1945 Negro League World Series title. He was named the National League's Rookie of the Year in 1950 with the Boston Braves, and led the NL in stolen bases in his first two -
Minnie Minoso
Chicago White Sox, AL. Saturnino Orestes Armas "Minnie" Miñoso Arrieta; born November 29, 1925 in Havana, Cuba is a Cuban retired Major League Baseball (MLB) player. A left fielder and third baseman, he played for 17 seasons beginning in 1949 and ending in 1980. He received The Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award (American League) for 1951. He also received one of the original Rawlings Gold Glove Awards in 1957. -
Bob Trice
Philadelphia Athletics, AL.Robert Lee Trice (August 28, 1926 – September 16, 1988) was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Philadelphia Athletics (1953–1954) and Kansas City Athletics (1955). A native of Newton, Georgia, the right-hander stood 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) and weighed 190 lbs.Trice was brought to Philadelphia in 1953 after winning 21 games for the Ottawa A's of the International League. When he made his major league debut (September 13, 1953 at Connie Mack Stadium), -
Ernie Banks
Chicago Cubs, NL. Ernest "Ernie" Banks (born January 31, 1931), nicknamed "Mr. Cub". is a retired professional baseball player. He played as a shortstop and first baseman in Major League Baseball (MLB) for 19 seasons on the National League's (NL) Chicago Cubs team, from 1953 through 1971. Banks was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977 and the Major League Baseball All-Century Team, in 1999. -
Tom Alston
St Louis Cardinals, NL homas Edison Alston (January 31, 1926 – December 30, 1993) was a Major League Baseball first baseman who played for the St. Louis Cardinals from 1954 to 1957.Alston was acquired by St. Louis via a trade with the San Diego Padres of the Pacific Coast League on January 26, 1954. When he made his Major League debut (April 13, 1954 at Sportsman's Park), he became the first black player in St. Louis Cardinals history.He played in 66 games during his rookie season, batting .246 -
Curt Roberts
Pittsburgh Pirates, NL. Curtis "Curt" Benjamin Roberts (August 16, 1929 – November 14, 1969) was an American baseball second baseman who played three seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates in Major League Baseball from 1954 to 1956. He was signed by the Boston Braves as an amateur free agent before the 1951 season, and obtained by Pittsburgh a year later. After two seasons in the Pirates farm system, Roberts was the first black Major League player for the Pirates. After becoming the starting second -
Nino Escalera
Cincinnati Reds, NL. Saturnino (Cuadrado) Escalera (born December 1, 1929) is a former outfielder and first baseman in Major League Baseball who played for the Cincinnati Redlegs in the 1954 season. He played in 73 games during his only big league season, often as a pinch hitter. Season and career totals include a .159 batting average (11-for-69), 3 runs batted in, 15 runs scored, and an on base percentage of .234. He committed just one error in 49 total chances at OF/1B for a fielding percentag -
Chuck Harmon
Cincinnati Reds, NL. harles Byron Harmon (born April 23, 1924) is retired American professional baseball player, a former utility player in Major League Baseball who played for the Cincinnati Redlegs (1954–1956), St. Louis Cardinals (1956–1957) and Philadelphia Phillies (1957). He batted and threw right-handed. a four-season major league career, Harmon was a .238 hitter with seven home runs and 59 RBI in 289 games played. After his Major League career ended, he played four seasons in the minors -
Jay Heard
Baltimore Oriores. Jehosie "Jay" Heard (January 17, 1920 – November 18, 1999) was an American professional baseball player. During his career in the Negro Leagues, he pitched for the Birmingham Black Barons, Memphis Red Sox, Houston Eagles and New Orleans Eagles. In 1952, at age 32, he joined the organized minor leagues, winning 20 games for the Victoria Tyees of the Class A Western International League. -
Carlos Paula
Washington Senators, AL. Carlos Paula Conill (November 28, 1927 – April 25, 1983) was a Major League Baseball right fielder who played for the Washington Senators from 1954 to 1956. Career totals for 157 games include a .271 batting average (124-for-457), 9 HR, 60 RBI, 44 runs scored, and a slugging percentage of .416. In his 111 appearances in the outfield, he handled 211 out of 222 total chances successfully for a fielding percentage of .950, well below the league average during his era. -
Elston Howard
New York Yankees, AL. Elston Gene Howard (February 23, 1929 – December 14, 1980) was an American Negro League and Major League Baseball catcher, left fielder and coach. During a 14-year baseball career, he played from 1955–1968, primarily for the New York Yankees. The first African American player on the Yankees roster,[1][2] he was named the American League's Most Valuable Player for the 1963 pennant winners after finishing third in the league in slugging average and fifth in home runs, becomin -
John Kennedy
Philadelphia Phillies, NL. John Irvin Kennedy (October 12, 1926 – April 27, 1998) was a Major League Baseball shortstop. When Kennedy made his major league debut (April 22, 1957 at Roosevelt Stadium), he became the first black player in Philadelphia Phillies history. He got into a total of just five games, the last one on May 3, 1957. At the plate he was 0-for-2, including one strikeout. In his two appearances at shortstop he had one assist, one error, and participated in one double play. -
Ozzie Virgil, Sr
Detroit Tigers, AL. Osvaldo José (Pichardo) Virgil (born May 17, 1932 in Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic) broke the color barrier for Detroit in 1958. In a nine-season major league career, Virgil posted a .231 batting average with 14 home runs and 73 RBI in 324 games played. He also played for the minor league Rochester Red Wings in the International League -
Pumpsie Green
Boston Red Sox, AL. Elijah Jerry "Pumpsie" Green (born October 27, 1933) is a former Major League Baseball backup infielder who played with the Boston Red Sox (1959–62) and New York Mets (1963). He was a switch-hitter who threw right-handed. Green had the distinction of being the first black player to play for the Red Sox, the last pre-expansion major-league club to integrate. -
Julio Becquer
Los Angeles Angels. Julio Bécquer Villegas (born December 20, 1931, in Havana, Cuba) is a retired professional baseball player who played 7 seasons for the Washington Senators, Los Angeles Angels, and Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball. On July 4, 1961, he hit a pinch-hit walk-off grand slam on a 1–1 count with 2 outs in the bottom of the 9th, an honorable mention for an ultimate grand slam despite happening with the home team down by only 2. Still lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. -
Charlie Neal
New York Mets. Charles Lenard Neal (January 30, 1931 – November 18, 1996) was an American second baseman in Major League Baseball. He was signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers as an amateur free agent in 1950, and won the 1959 World Series after the team moved to Los Angeles. He hit two home runs in Game 2 of the Series, at Chicago's Comiskey Park. Born in Longview, Texas, he died in Dallas, Texas.
