Efra Manley and Baseball: A true history lesson
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by user DRE-LO
On Sunday, 17 Negro Leaguers as well as Bruce Sutter will enter into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Many baseball purists and historians recognize players such as Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente as the main trailblazers and pioneers. These 17 inductees represent the history of baseball as much as anyone else. It's really a shame that it took until 2006 for them to be recognized as pioneers of the game.
I read up on the careers on all of the inductees in the Thursday edition of the New York Times. Shock and awe crossed my face reading of Andy Cooper pitching 17 innings at the age of 39 against the Chicago American Giants in a game that would end in a 2-2 tie. Or about how Frank Grant played six seasons in the minors before blacks were originally banned from organized baseball. He had to be called the "Spaniard" to be accepted during a time period of anti-black sentiment. But the real lesson hit home when reading about Efra Manley. She'll make history by being the first woman in the Baseball Hall of Fame even though she made history long before now.
She was the co-owner and business manager of the Newark Eagles. She was conceived from an affair that her white mother had with a white man even though she was originally married to a black man. Nevertheless, she was a champion for civil rights and her franchise helped promote civil rights causes. She even held an anti-lynching day in one of their home games. When the major leagues began signing players from the Negro Leagues, she fought for the Negro League club owners to gain compensation from the majors. Her franchise won the black world series in 1946.
Now that's a true pioneer. I'm still having a hard time putting my jaw back into place.
Her impact on the game as well as the world rivaled the contributions of Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente. Part of me could write a strongly worded rant about why the National Baseball Hall of Fame refused to recognize players and execs from the Negro Leagues unti now. The Negro Leagues were part of baseball and it's good that the HOF came to their senses.
Now along with Bruce Sutter, they will be honored properly.
16 men and 1 extraordinary woman.
Date
Fri 07/28/06, 9:41 pm EST
