Sports, Twenties, Goats. Paige finally broke through to the Majors as a 42-year-old rookie, and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971. Satchel Paige was a true baseball legend and his life has been documented in his autobiographies. Of course, with Paige involved, there was plenty of trash talk behind that heat. Many say that he would bring in his fielders and tell them to sit down before he struck out the side. Satchel Paigestruggled to help his family in earning money by working in certain odd jobs. The legendary Satchel Paige is considered by baseball fans as the greatest Negro Leagues pitcher, and a pitching legend period for the feats he achieved while playing in the Major League Baseball league. Finley devised one last gimmick and called it “Satchel Paige Appreciation Night.” But this would not be a run-of-the-mill old timer’s celebration: No bobbleheads, truck rides or ceremonial first pitch. First, he might have been the hardest-working pitcher in history, pitching not only in the Negro Leagues, but accepting barnstorming offers far and wide -- from small-town sandlots to Major League exhibitions, and for teams ranging from Bismark, N.D., to Canada to the Caribbean -- across more than 40 years. To help celebrate this centennial, MLB.com will be looking back at some Negro Leagues legends throughout the month. 3 Copy quote. According to some accounts, Paige compiled 31 wins against just four losses in 1933, and also accumulated streaks of 64 consecutive scoreless innings and 21 straight victories. “Bob Feller seldom had an especially generous word to say about people who might have been considered as good as him,” said biographer Larry Tye. After his star rose with the Birmingham Black Barons, Baltimore Black Sox, Cleveland Cubs and Homestead Grays, Paige made his biggest Negro Leagues contributions with the Pittsburgh Crawfords and Kansas City Monarchs. He was the 7th born in a family of 12 siblings. Professional Baseball Career. View Player Bio from the SABR BioProject. Matt Kelly @mattkellyMLB. About 100 mph. With a very deliberate and neat appearance, his autograph was penned with great care, from his playing career throughout his life. • Again, it’s impossible to follow up on any of Paige’s own record keeping. • Official Negro Leagues statistics are unfortunately incomplete (and exhibition/barnstorming contests even less so), but Paige kept his own tallies as he began dominating the competition. He was among the first five players inducted into the sport's Hall of Fame. The ballgame was over.”. “And he showed me how to swing my arm around so it looked like I let go of the ball when my hand was right in the batter’s face.”, Added Paige, “I traded five years of freedom to learn how to pitch.”. Satchel Paige was a legendary African-American baseball player. But the fuzzy details that surround the lanky right-hander from Mobile, Ala., only served to enhance his legend. He was born on July 7, 1906 in Alabama, the 7th of 12 children in his family. Black or white, there was a time when nearly every American baseball fan knew of the name Satchel Paige. Story of Leroy "Satchel" Paige, star pitcher in the Negro Leagues, and later in the major leagues. More bio, uniform, draft, salary info During the game he set a record, becoming the oldest man to pitch in a major league game, for Satchel was 59 years-old. He was born Leroy Robert Page on July 7 th, 1906, in Mobile, Alabama, to John Page, a gardener and Lula Page, a domestic employee. Satchel Paige was born Leroy Robert Page circa July 7, 1906, in Mobile, Alabama. Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige, one of the game's true natural talents, was an African-American man living during the height of the Jim Crow days in a South where the color-barrier was thick and seemingly insurmountable.Yet in spite of the odds, Paige transcended place, time, and sport, and became one of the greatest players baseball has ever … Statements of opinion often contain words that make judgments, such as interesting or beautiful. Satchel Paige possesses a great talent for creativity and self expression, typical of many accomplished writers, poets, actors and musicians. After a few seasons, Paige left Chattanooga and signed a contract with the Birmingham Black Barons, who had offered Satchel more money and most importantly to him, more playing time. Satchel Paige Leroy Robert Paige (better known as Satchel Paige) was an American baseball player who played for the Negro Leagues as well as MLB (Major League Baseball) teams. “The kinds of things that he told me in an interview that I expected to last 10 minutes and went on for two hours; the things that he told me made me think that if Bob Feller thinks [Paige] might have been the greatest ever, who am I to disagree with him?”. Leroy Robert Paige (better known as Satchel Paige) was an American baseball player who played for the Negro Leagues as well as MLB (Major League Baseball) teams. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter.". Between contracts, Paige built quite a following through barnstorming tours, which consisted of exhibition games against other professionals and regional talent that provided extra money. started a game for the Kansas City Athletics. With the big league color barrier broken by Jackie Robinson and the Cleveland Indians in need of extra pitching, owner Bill Veeck gave the veteran Negro League star a tryout. One downside to all this travel and team-jumping was a lack of statistics, since even in official Negro League games, there could be a dearth of statisticians or record keepers. Paige later said, "You might say I traded five years of freedom to learn how to pitch.". During his playing career, only a handful of cards were issued, but all of them carry meaningful weight. While they are impossible to verify (and Paige was known for being his own greatest spokesman from time to time), his estimated numbers are mind-boggling: More than 2,500 games pitched and roughly 2,000 victories, 250 or so shutouts, a personal-best of 22 strikeouts in a game, 50 no-hitters, a 21-game winning streak, a 62-inning scoreless streak, a day in which he notched three separate victories and a year in which he appeared in more than 150 games. Satchel Paige, at the age of 42, was one of those players. Byrd taught Paige to pull back, kick his foot high in the air and, as he came down, bring his arm from way behind and thrust his hand forward as he released the ball, giving it maximum power as it hurtled forward. With African American players barred from the Major Leagues, Paige began his professional career in 1926 in the Negro Southern League. I don't know how old I am because a goat ate the Bible that had my birth certificate in it. Leroy Robert Paige (better known as Satchel Paige) was an American baseball player who played for the Negro Leagues as well as MLB (Major League Baseball) teams. He was born on July 7, 1906 in Mobile, AL. Leroy Robert Satchel Paige (July 7, 1906 – June 8, 1982) was an American Negro league baseball and Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher who became a legend in his own lifetime by being known as perhaps the best pitcher in baseball history, by his longevity in the game, and by attracting record crowds wherever he pitched. Satchel Paige was an outstanding U.S. baseball player. In this section Probable pitchers Prospect Rankings Injury report Transactions Starting Lineups Hall of Fame Longform Awards MLB Draft All-Star Game. Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige (July 7, 1906 – June 8, 1982) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played in Negro league baseball and Major League Baseball (MLB). Williams got his wish five years later, when Paige was elected to the Hall. Josh didn’t move the bat. Drawing huge crowds when he pitched, Paige went 6-1 with an outstanding 2.48 ERA in half of a season, helping the Indians win the World Series. “I hope that some day the names of Satchel Paige and Josh Gibson in some way could be added,” said Williams, “as a symbol of the great Negro [Leagues] players that are not here only because they were not given the chance.”. Paige wrote a couple of autobiographies, including Maybe I'll Pitch Forever: A Great Baseball Player Tells the Hilarious Story Behind the Legend, in which he secretly lamented not being the first Black player in the Major Leagues instead of Robinson, but he bore it with equanimity. Paige is optimistic and masters the resilience to overcome many setbacks. Leroy Robert Paige AKA Satchel Paigewas born on July 7th, 1906. Satchel Paige was an American baseball player in both the Negro league and the Major Leagues, famous for being the oldest rookie in MLB history and for being inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Interesting Facts *** * Satchel Paige began his career in 1926 with the Chattanooga Black Lookouts. Branch Rickey was a baseball executive known for his groundbreaking 1945 decision to bring Jackie Robinson into the major leagues, thereby breaking the color barrier. Hall of Fame owner Bill Veeck said Paige threw four of his five pitches directly over a cigarette when he auditioned for the Cleveland Indians. Tips to elevate your hybrid or virtual sales strategy 1906-1982. View Satchel Paige's Page at the Baseball Hall of Fame (plaque, photos, videos). The great Satchel Paige certainly fits that description, but his golden right arm and outsized personality helped him break past the Negro Leagues’ boundaries and into the national consciousness -- perhaps more than any other African-American ballplayer before Jackie Robinson. More bio, uniform, draft, salary info Satchel Paige is best known as a Baseball Player. He debuted in the Negro Leagues with the Chattanooga Black Lookouts in 1926. Biography. Directed by Richard A. Colla. American baseball player. View Player Bio from the SABR BioProject. Name Satchel Paige Comprehension 73 Fact and Opinion • A statement of fact can be proved true or false. ), American professional baseball pitcher whose prowess became legendary during his many years in the Negro league s; he finally was allowed to enter the major leagues in 1948 after the unwritten rule against black players was abolished. His career spanned five decades and culminated with his induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.. A right-handed pitcher, Paige first played for the semi-professional Mobile Tigers from 1924 to 1926. • A statement of opinion is what someone thinks or feels. • Those aren’t the only tall tales attached to Paige. Satchel Paige struck out 288 batters during his career. Satchel Paige Facts. Satchel Paige is a MLB baseball player. Satchel Paige is the greatest pitcher the Negro Leagues ever had and is definitely the most hyped. Featured Pipeline Play Ball Trivia & Quizzes MLB Photos Offbeat Glossary Rare … In 1948, Paige's dream came true. Video conference trends for 2021; March 12, 2021. One of baseball's most famous players of any color, Paige lived the sort of life in which myth became difficult to separate from reality. Paige became the first African-American to pitch in the World Series, coming out of the bullpen in Game 5, and the Tribe won the championship in six games. 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