Bud Fowler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bud Fowler |
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| P / C / IF / OF / Manager | |||
| Born: March 16, 1858 Fort Plain, New York |
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| Died: February 26, 1913 (aged 54) Frankfort, New York |
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| debut | |||
| 1895, for the Page Fence Giants | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| 1898, for the Cuban Giants | |||
 Baseball Hall of Fame |
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| Induction | 2022 | ||
| Vote | 75% | ||
| Election Method | Early Baseball Era Committee | ||
Bud Fowler (born John W. Jackson on March 16, 1858 – died February 26, 1913) was an amazing American baseball player, manager, and team organizer. He was the very first African-American player known to play professional baseball. He was voted into the famous Baseball Hall of Fame in 2022.
Early Life of a Baseball Pioneer
Bud Fowler was born John W. Jackson. His father had escaped from slavery and moved to New York. In 1859, when Bud was very young, his family moved to Cooperstown. This is where he learned to play baseball. He got the nickname "Bud" because he often called other players by that name.
Bud Fowler's Baseball Career
Starting Professional Baseball
Bud Fowler began playing for a professional baseball team in 1872. He was only 14 years old! This team was made up of all white players. He played for another professional team in 1877.
In 1878, he was a pitcher for the Picked Nine team. They beat the Boston Red Caps, who were champions of the National League. After that, he played for teams in Chelsea and Worcester.
For the next four years, Bud played baseball in New England and Canada. He also worked as a barber to support himself. Then, he moved to the Midwest. He played for teams in Niles, Ohio in 1883 and Stillwater, Minnesota in 1884.
Playing for Keokuk
In 1885, a new professional baseball team started in Keokuk, Iowa. Bud Fowler was hired to play for them. The team was called the Keokuk Hawkeyes.
Bud quickly became the most popular player on the team. The local newspaper said he was "a good ball player" and "a genius on the ball field." It also said he was "intelligent" and "gentlemanly."
During this time, Bud talked about something called the "reserve clause." This was a rule that allowed teams to keep players for their entire careers. Bud felt it gave teams too much power over players. The Western League, which Keokuk played in, later stopped due to money problems. This meant Bud was released from the team.
Later Teams and Challenges
After Keokuk, Bud played for many other teams. In 1886, he played for a team in Topeka, Kansas. His team won the championship that year! Bud was a great hitter, with a .309 batting average. He also led the league in triples.
In 1887, Bud moved to Binghamton, New York. Sadly, he faced racial problems there. His teammates refused to keep playing with him because he was Black.
Despite these challenges, Bud kept playing. He played for the Crawfordsville Hoosiers in 1888. In 1890, he played for teams like the Sterling Blue Coats and Burlington Hawkeyes. He also played for the Kearney, Nebraska team in 1892 and the Findlay Sluggers in 1893 and 1894.
Forming the Page Fence Giants
In 1894, Bud Fowler and another player, Home Run Johnson, helped create a new team. They teamed up with three white businessmen to form the Page Fence Giants in Adrian, Michigan. Bud played second base for this team.
He later moved to right field when another great player, Sol White, joined the team. Bud played for the Page Fence Giants for about a month before moving on. He then played for the Adrian Demons and the Lansing Senators.
From 1894 to 1904, Bud Fowler played for and even managed several important Black baseball teams. These included the Page Fence Giants, Cuban Giants, Smoky City Giants, All-American Black Tourists, and Kansas City Stars.
A baseball historian named James A. Riley said that Bud Fowler played 10 seasons of organized baseball. This was a record for an African-American player until Jackie Robinson played his last season with the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Bud Fowler's Legacy
Bud Fowler passed away on February 26, 1913, in Frankfort, New York. In his final years, he faced difficulties. For a long time, his grave did not even have a headstone.
In 1987, a group called the Society for American Baseball Research placed a memorial on his grave. This was to honor him as the first professional African-American baseball player.
On April 20, 2013, Cooperstown, New York, celebrated "Bud Fowler Day." They put up a special plaque and opened an exhibit about him at Doubleday Field. The street leading to the field was even named "Fowler Way."
In 2020, the Society for American Baseball Research named Bud Fowler their "Overlooked 19th Century Base Ball Legend." This helped bring more attention to his amazing career.
Finally, on December 5, 2021, Bud Fowler was chosen for the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. He was officially welcomed into the Hall of Fame on July 24, 2022. This was a huge honor for a true baseball pioneer!
See also
