RIP Monte Irvin

[Steak Snabler]

Oldest living former Negro Leaguer and second-oldest living Hall of Famer:

Former Negro league star, Baseball Hall of Famer Monte Irvin dies at 96

 

[Baron Scicluna]

An excellent player who also was an early mentor of Willie Mays.

RIP

 

[cyclingwriter2]

RIP

 

[LongTimeListener]

Very nice obit on MLB.com.

Monte Irvin, Giants Hall of Famer, dies

In the 1940s, Negro League owners had recommended to Branch Rickey, then the Dodgers' president and general manager, that Irvin would be a perfect candidate to break Major League Baseball's color line, which Jackie Robinson did in 1947. Looking back on the subject years later, Irvin simply didn't believe he would have been ready after having just served three years in the Army.