Satchel Paige facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Satchel Paige |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Paige c. 1948
|
|||
| Pitcher | |||
| Born: July 7, 1906 Mobile, Alabama, U.S. |
|||
| Died: June 8, 1982 (aged 75) Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
|||
|
|||
| Professional debut | |||
| NgL: 1927, for the Birmingham Black Barons | |||
| AL/NL: July 9, 1948, for the Cleveland Indians | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| September 25, 1965, for the Kansas City Athletics | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Win–loss record | 118–80 | ||
| Earned run average | 2.70 | ||
| Strikeouts | 1,438 | ||
| Teams | |||
|
|||
| Career highlights and awards | |||
|
|||
 Baseball Hall of Fame |
|||
| Induction | 1971 | ||
| Election Method | Negro League Committee | ||
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). His amazing career lasted for five decades. He was eventually inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
Satchel Paige was a right-handed pitcher. He started playing for the semi-professional Mobile Tigers from 1924 to 1926. In 1926, he began his professional career with the Chattanooga Black Lookouts. He quickly became one of the most famous and successful players in the Negro leagues. When he toured across the United States, Paige would sometimes make his infielders sit down behind him. Then, he would easily strike out all the batters.
In 1948, at age 42, Paige joined the Cleveland Indians. This made him the oldest player to ever debut in the National League or American League. He also played his last major league game when he was 59 years old, which is another record that still stands. Paige was the first black pitcher to play in the American League. He was also the seventh black player to play in Major League Baseball. In 1948, Paige became the first player from the Negro leagues to pitch in the World Series. The Indians won the Series that year. He later played with the St. Louis Browns from 1951 to 1953. He was chosen for the All-Star Game in 1952 and 1953. In 1971, Paige became the first player chosen by the Negro League Committee to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Contents
- Satchel Paige's Early Life
- Playing in the Negro Leagues
- Starting with Chattanooga and Birmingham: 1926–1929
- Playing in Cuba, Baltimore, and Cleveland: 1929–1931
- Playing in Pittsburgh, California, and North Dakota: 1931–1936
- Playing in the Dominican Republic: 1937
- Playing in Mexico: 1938
- Coming Back with the Kansas City Travelers: 1939
- Playing in Puerto Rico: 1939–40
- Joining the Kansas City Monarchs: 1940–1947
- Playing in Major League Baseball
- Satchel Paige's Pitching Style
- After His Playing Career
- Personal Life
- Death
- Legacy
- Images for kids
- See also
Satchel Paige's Early Life
Satchel Paige was born Leroy Robert Page in Mobile, Alabama. His father, John Page, was a gardener, and his mother, Lula Page, was a domestic worker. In the mid-1920s, his family changed their last name from Page to Paige. Lula thought "Page" looked too much like a book page. Satchel said they added the "i" to sound "more high-tone."
Paige said his nickname "Satchel" came from his childhood job. He used to carry bags at the train station. He wasn't making enough money, so he built a special tool with a pole and rope. This allowed him to carry up to four bags at once. Another kid supposedly yelled, "You look like a walking satchel tree!" A friend, Wilber Hines, had a different story. He said he gave Paige the nickname after he was caught trying to steal a bag. When he was 10, Paige loved playing "top ball." This was a kids' game that used sticks and bottle caps instead of baseballs and bats. His mother, Lula, often said that Paige would rather "play baseball than eat."
When he was almost 12, Paige was sent to the Alabama Reform School for Juvenile Negro Law-Breakers. This was because he often skipped school and sometimes took things that didn't belong to him. At the reform school, Reverend Moses Davis taught Paige how to pitch. Davis spent many hours coaching the boys in baseball. Paige was released in December 1923, just before his 18th birthday. He later said, "I traded five years of freedom to learn how to pitch. It made a real man out of me."
After leaving the reform school, Paige played for several semi-pro teams in Mobile. He joined the Mobile Tigers, where his brother Wilson was already a pitcher. He also played for the "Down the Bay Boys." He once recalled a game where his teammates made three errors in the ninth inning. This loaded the bases for the other team. Paige got angry and stomped around the mound. The fans started booing him. So, he called his outfielders into the infield and told them to sit down. With everyone watching, Paige struck out the last batter, winning the game!
Playing in the Negro Leagues
Starting with Chattanooga and Birmingham: 1926–1929
In 1926, a friend named Alex Herman offered Paige a contract to play for the Chattanooga Black Lookouts. Paige would earn $250 a month, with most of it going to his mother. Local newspapers quickly noticed how special Paige was. In 1927, Paige's contract was sold to the Birmingham Black Barons. This team was part of the major Negro National League (NNL).
When he first pitched for the Black Barons, Paige threw very hard but was sometimes wild. In one of his first big games, he accidentally hit a catcher with his fastball, causing a fight. Paige improved a lot with help from his teammates and manager. He finished the 1927 season with 7 wins and 1 loss. Over the next two seasons, he had many strikeouts. In 1929, he struck out 17 batters in one game, and then 18 in another! Because he was so good, the Barons' owner would "rent" Paige out to other teams for a game or two. This helped draw big crowds, and both Paige and the owner earned extra money.
Playing in Cuba, Baltimore, and Cleveland: 1929–1931
In 1929, Paige went to Cuba to play winter baseball. He earned $100 per game. He didn't like the food or the language barrier. He left Cuba early, with many different stories about why. One story says he accidentally told a mayor he had lost a game on purpose, and then had to run away!
When he returned to the U.S., he continued to be "rented out" to different teams. In 1930, he played for the Baltimore Black Sox. He found it hard to fit in with the team. By 1931, the Great Depression made it hard for many Negro league teams to stay open. Paige joined the Cleveland Cubs. He remembered playing in the shadow of the Cleveland Indians' stadium, League Park. He felt it "burned" him to play there, but it didn't stop his pitching.
Playing in Pittsburgh, California, and North Dakota: 1931–1936
In 1931, Paige joined the Pittsburgh Crawfords. This team was owned by Gus Greenlee. Paige quickly became a star for them. In September, he joined an all-star team to play in the California Winter League. This was the first of many winters he spent playing against both black and white professional players. He finished that winter with a perfect 6-0 record.
In 1932, Greenlee brought in other great players like Josh Gibson and Oscar Charleston. The Crawfords became one of the best baseball teams ever. They even had their own stadium, Greenlee Field, which was the first black-owned stadium in the country. Paige threw his first Negro league no-hitter that year.
In 1933, Paige sometimes played for other teams, even though he was with the Crawfords. He went to North Dakota to play for the Bismarcks, an integrated semi-pro team. He earned $400 a month and a car! This was his first time playing with white teammates in the U.S.
The 1934 season was one of Paige's best. He had 14 wins and only 2 losses. On July 4, he threw his second no-hitter. He struck out 17 batters! Later that year, Paige played in a special tournament in Denver. He pitched shutouts in his first two games. In the final game, he faced the Kansas City Monarchs and won 2-1, striking out 12. This tournament was important because it was the first time many white reporters saw Paige play.
Paige was chosen for his first East–West All-Star Game in 1934. He came into the game in the sixth inning and helped his team win. That fall, Paige played in exhibition games against famous major league pitcher Dizzy Dean. In one game in Los Angeles, Paige's team beat Dean's team 1-0 in 13 innings. Many years later, Bill Veeck, who would own the Cleveland Indians, called it "the greatest pitchers' battle I have ever seen."
In 1935, Paige returned to Bismarck for another great season. He had an amazing record of 29 wins and only 2 losses! He also struck out 321 batters. He helped Bismarck win the National Baseball Congress tournament, striking out 60 batters, a record that lasted for 74 years.
In 1936, Paige went back to Pittsburgh. He signed a contract for $600 a month, which was the highest in the Negro leagues. He continued to play well and helped a Negro league all-star team win the Denver Post tournament. He even faced a young Bob Feller, who would become a major league star.
Playing in the Dominican Republic: 1937
In 1937, Paige was hired by a leader in the Dominican Republic to recruit other Negro league players. He was given $30,000 to bring in as many talented players as he could. Paige recruited five of his Crawfords teammates, including Cool Papa Bell and Josh Gibson. The American players were watched by armed guards, which made them a little nervous. Paige's team, the Dragones, won the league championship. Paige had a great season, leading the league with 8 wins and 2 losses.
After returning from the Dominican Republic, Paige and the other players faced a ban from the Negro leagues. So, they formed a barnstorming team called "Trujillo's All-Stars," which later became the "Satchel Paige All-Stars." They played against other teams, including the House of David.
Playing in Mexico: 1938
In 1938, Paige went to play in the Mexican League. He was offered $2,000 a month. While playing in Venezuela before Mexico, Paige felt pain in his right shoulder. When he got to Mexico, the pain got worse. This was his first serious injury. He tried to pitch through it, but his arm was very sore. Doctors told him he might never pitch again.
Coming Back with the Kansas City Travelers: 1939
With his arm injured, Paige couldn't find work. But J. L. Wilkinson, owner of the Kansas City Monarchs, gave him a chance. Paige played for a smaller team called the Travelers, which was renamed the Satchel Paige All-Stars. Paige would pitch when he could and play first base when he couldn't.
At first, Paige had to rely on slower pitches because of his arm. But slowly, his famous fastball returned! His catcher, Frazier "Slow" Robinson, remembered Paige telling him, "You better be ready because I'm ready today." Then, Paige threw the ball so hard it knocked the mitt off his hand! Modern doctors think Paige had a partially torn rotator cuff, which is a common baseball injury. He recovered with the help of the Monarchs' trainer, Frank "Jewbaby" Floyd, who used massages and other treatments.
By the end of 1939, Paige was pitching well again. Buck O'Neil, a teammate, said Paige's speed was a little less, but his pitches were even more tricky. "He was the best and, actually, he was so deceptive!" O'Neil said.
Playing in Puerto Rico: 1939–40
Paige arrived in Puerto Rico in late 1939 and joined the Guayama Witch Doctors. In a legendary game, Paige once walked off the mound because he thought he saw a ghost! On November 5, he pitched a shutout against a rival team. He ended the season with an amazing 19 wins and 3 losses, and 208 strikeouts in 205 innings. Both the 19 wins and 208 strikeouts set league records that have never been broken. Paige helped his team win the league championship.
Joining the Kansas City Monarchs: 1940–1947
In 1940, Paige was promoted to the Kansas City Monarchs. Because of his popularity, other teams often paid to have Paige pitch for them in single games. The Monarchs' owner, Wilkinson, even bought an airplane just to fly Paige to these games! By the early 1940s, Paige was earning about $40,000 a year, which was a lot of money back then.
In 1941, Paige pitched for the New York Black Yankees at Yankee Stadium. He won the game and got a lot of attention from newspapers and Life magazine. Paige became the main pitcher for the Monarchs. He often started games and pitched for a few innings, then another pitcher would finish. In 1941, the Monarchs won their third straight Negro American League championship.
During World War II, many baseball players joined the military. Paige continued to play. In 1944, he had 6 wins and a very low 0.72 ERA (Earned Run Average). Before the 1944 East-West All-Star Game, Paige asked that the money from the game go to war relief. There was a disagreement about player payments, and Paige was removed from the roster.
In 1946, many Monarchs players returned from military service. The team won the league pennant again.
1942 Negro World Series
The Monarchs won the Negro American League pennant in 1942. They faced the Washington/Homestead Grays in the 1942 Negro World Series. Paige started Game 1 and pitched five shutout innings. The Monarchs won 8-0.
In Game 2, Paige came in to pitch and had a famous moment against Josh Gibson. With the bases loaded, Paige struck out Gibson. The Monarchs won Game 2. Paige also pitched in Game 3, which the Monarchs won, giving them a 3-0 lead in the series. The Monarchs went on to win the series, sweeping the Grays. Paige pitched in all four official games, showing his amazing skill and endurance.
Barnstorming with Feller: 1946–1947
In late 1946, Bob Feller, a famous white major league pitcher, organized a special tour. It was the first time baseball teams traveled by airplane! Feller put together a team of all-stars from the major leagues. He asked Paige to lead a team of Negro league all-stars to play against them.
Feller's team included famous players like Stan Musial. Paige's team included Buck O'Neil and Hank Thompson. They planned 35 games in 31 cities across 17 states in just 27 days! Feller leased two airplanes, one for each team. Feller and Paige would usually start each game and pitch a few innings.
The first game was in Pittsburgh. Paige and Feller each pitched three innings, and the score was tied 1-1 when they left the game. Paige's team won the game. Over the next few days, they played many games. Paige's team beat Feller's team in New York and Baltimore. They flew all over the country, playing exciting games for huge crowds.
Later, Paige and Feller faced each other in Los Angeles and San Diego. They had many close games, showing how talented both pitchers were.
Playing in Major League Baseball
Cleveland Indians
On July 7, 1948, his 42nd birthday, Satchel Paige signed his first major league contract with the Cleveland Indians. He became the first black pitcher in the American League. On July 9, 1948, Paige became the oldest player to ever debut in the National League or American League. When asked about his age, he would joke, "If someone asked you how old you were and you didn't know your age, how old would you think you were?"
In his first game, Paige came in as a relief pitcher. He used his famous "Hesitation Pitch," which surprised the batter so much that he threw his bat! The opposing manager argued that the pitch was illegal, but the umpire allowed it. Later, the American League President ruled the hesitation pitch illegal. Paige joked, "I guess Mr. Harridge did not want me to show up those boys who were young enough to be my sons."
Paige got his first major league win on July 15, 1948. On August 3, 1948, Paige started a game against the Washington Senators. Over 72,000 people came to watch, setting a new record for a night game! His next start in Chicago drew over 51,000 fans. Paige pitched a complete game shutout, proving he could still pitch nine innings. On August 20, 1948, another record crowd of over 78,000 people came to see Paige. He pitched his second straight three-hit shutout!
Paige made one appearance in the 1948 World Series. The Indians won the series in six games. Paige finished the 1948 season with a great record of 6 wins and 1 loss, and a low 2.48 ERA. Some people even thought he might win the Rookie of the Year Award, even though he was a veteran player. In 1949, Paige's performance wasn't as strong, and he was released by the Indians.
St. Louis Browns
After leaving the Indians, Paige went back to barnstorming. But then, the same owner who signed him to the Indians, Bill Veeck, bought the St. Louis Browns and signed Paige again! In his first game back on July 18, 1951, Paige pitched six shutout innings. He finished the season with 3 wins and 4 losses.
In 1952, Paige was very effective. He was named to the American League All-Star team, becoming the first black pitcher on an AL All-Star team. He finished the year with 12 wins and 10 losses for a team that lost many games. He was also named to the 1953 All-Star team. After the 1953 season, Paige was released again when Veeck sold the Browns.
Later Years in Baseball
Paige continued to play baseball in various leagues. In 1955, he signed with the Greensboro Patriots. Then, Bill Veeck signed him again for the Triple-A Miami Marlins. Paige had a great season, with 11 wins and 4 losses and a very low 1.86 ERA. He stayed with the Marlins for two more years.
In 1961, at the age of 55, Paige signed with the Triple-A Portland Beavers. He pitched 25 innings and continued to show his skill.
Kansas City Athletics
In 1965, Charles O. Finley, owner of the Kansas City Athletics, signed Paige for one game. On September 25, against the Boston Red Sox, Paige, who was 59 years old, started the game. He sat in a rocking chair in the bullpen, being served coffee! He pitched three innings, getting batters out and even striking out one. When he left the mound, the lights dimmed, and fans lit matches and lighters while singing "The Old Gray Mare" to honor him. It was a memorable farewell.
Satchel Paige's Pitching Style
Paige was known for his amazing pitching style. In his early years, he was famous for his incredibly fast fastball. He also experimented with throwing pitches from different arm angles. In 1933, he developed his famous "hesitation pitch." He described it like this: "The idea came to me in a game, when the guy at bat was all tighted up waiting for my fast ball. I knew he'd swing as soon as I just barely moved. So when I stretched, I paused just a little longer with my arms above my head. Then I threw my left foot forward but I didn't come around with my arm right away. I put that foot of mine down, stopping for a second, before the ball left my hand. When my foot hit the ground that boy started swinging, so by the time I came around with the whip he was way off stride and couldn't get anywhere near the ball. I had me a strikeout."
In 1934, Dizzy Dean said Paige didn't know how to throw a curveball. But Paige had been secretly practicing his curveball for years. When Dean came to bat, Paige struck him out using only curveballs!
After a serious arm injury in 1938, Paige changed his pitching style to protect his arm. He still had a great fastball, but he started throwing slower curveballs. He also learned to throw a knuckleball from Cool Papa Bell. He added a "slow sinker" and used his hesitation pitch more often. He also used sidearm and submarine (underhand) throws, which made him harder to hit and put less strain on his arm.
As Paige got older, he relied more on his slower pitches. When he finally played in the major leagues, he had many different pitches. He was known for his tailing fastball, slow curve, hesitation pitch, a fantastic change-up, and a very effective eephus pitch (a very slow, high-arcing pitch). He could even make fastballs look like curveballs and vice versa! This allowed Paige to be a great pitcher even into his fifties.
After His Playing Career
After the 1957 season, Paige appeared in a movie called The Wonderful Country, starring Robert Mitchum. Paige played a cavalry sergeant.
In 1962, Paige's autobiography, Maybe I'll Pitch Forever, was published.
In 1969, Bowie Kuhn became the Commissioner of Baseball. He created a committee to choose Negro league players for the Hall of Fame. Everyone on the committee agreed that Satchel Paige should be the first Negro league player chosen. On February 9, 1971, Kuhn announced that Paige would be inducted. At first, there was talk of a separate "Negro wing" in the Hall of Fame, but this idea was changed. It was decided that all players, regardless of league, would have their plaques in the main Hall of Fame.
In 1973, Paige worked as a pitching coach for the Tulsa Oilers minor league team. In the late 1970s, he slowed down his traveling but still made occasional appearances at baseball events.
Personal Life
On October 26, 1934, Paige married his longtime girlfriend, Janet Howard. They later separated and divorced in 1943. While playing in Puerto Rico in 1940, Paige married Lucy Maria Figueroa, but this marriage was not legal because he was not yet divorced from his first wife.
In 1946 or 1947, Paige married LaHoma Jean Brown. They had seven children together.
Death
Satchel Paige died of a heart attack on June 8, 1982, in Kansas City, Missouri. He is buried in the Forest Hill Calvary Cemetery in Kansas City.
Legacy
In 2010, sportswriter Joe Posnanski called Paige the hardest thrower in baseball history. He noted that Joe DiMaggio said Paige was the best pitcher he ever faced. Bob Feller said Paige was the best he ever saw. Dizzy Dean even said Paige's fastball made his own look slow!
Posnanski also pointed out that for most of his career, Satchel Paige threw mostly fastballs. He gave them different names like "Bat Dodger" and "Midnight Rider," but they were all fastballs. And he was still incredibly hard to hit for about 15 years! He pitched complete games day after day with just one main pitch.
Hall of Famer Charlie Gehringer said, "I never hit against anybody better."
In 1999, Paige was ranked Number 19 on Sporting News' list of the 100 Greatest Baseball Players. He was also nominated for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team.
On July 28, 2006, a statue of Satchel Paige was unveiled in Cooper Park, Cooperstown, New York. It honors his contributions to baseball, especially from the Negro leagues.
Images for kids
-
Paige (left) and Jackie Robinson in the uniform of the Kansas City Monarchs, 1945
See also
In Spanish: Satchel Paige para niños
- List of Negro league baseball players who played in Major League Baseball
- List of athletes who came out of retirement
