Althea Gibson versus Jackie Robinson

Is there a reason MLB ignores Larry Doby?

 

The Indians are having a tribute to a great man, Mr. Doby, this month.

 

Thanks for straightening me up on the date. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Doby. He was an outstanding player who could've easily been the first player to break the color line. Also remember that Jackie Robinson wasn't the first to play in the major leagues. That honor goes to John "Bud" Fowler followed by Moses Fleetwood Walker and his brother Welday Walker.

 

Nobody named John or "Bud" Fowler ever played in the major leagues, boots.

It was actually William Edward White who was the first.

Jackie, of course, was the first to break the color barrier, the 59-year-old unspoken "gentlemen's agreement" that was enacted in 1888.

 

I agree. They should retire her number.

 

This is why they call it HIS STORY.



In 1867, just two years after the end of the Civil War, organized baseball made its first attempt to ban blacks. The National Association of Baseball Players refused to allow an all black team from Philadelphia join the league.

During the next twenty-five years, more than 50 blacks managed to play on white teams and Bud Fowler was the first when he joined a white professional team in New Castle, Pennsylvania in 1878.

Look it up if you don't believe me.

 

Here's a link to the man and team Boots is referring to when talking about the 1867 team. It's also a part of The State's current series on race. It's a profile of the man who founded the team:

http://www.thestate.com/479/story/106812.html

Here's the link to the entire series to date. They're only halfway through with it and it's already 15 stories deep:

http://www.thestate.com/479

 

I actually like what I've read/seen of Ms. Hill's previous work. But this is one seriously wrong statement. The teams he played against while winning the '47 Rookie of the Year and '49 MVP would surely disagree.

Just because there were better black players who weren't the first to break the barrier doesn't mean Robinson wasn't a great player.

 

Jamele is an interesting talent who doesn't let facts get in the way of a good story.

 

I hope Jemele realizes Gibson actually crossed tennis' color line in 1950 with the U.S. Open. Just sayin'

 

It's fair to say Gibson probably doesn't get the recognition she deserves, but there's no point in turning it into a competition between her and Robinson or anybody else, for that matter. That diminishes the true significance of the accomplishments of each. They'd all graciously compliment each other and say all of their contributions were extraordinarily meaningful, I'm certain.

 

You said first in the major leagues, boots. The National Association was not "the major leagues" after 1875, because all the best professional players left the NA to form the National League at that time. Look it up if you don't believe me.

Bud Fowler did not play in the major leagues. He played for "a white professional team in New Castle, Pennsylvania."