William Clarence Matthews facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Clarence Matthews
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| Born | January 7, 1877 Selma, Alabama, United States
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| Died | April 9, 1928 (aged 51) Washington, D.C., United States
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| Alma mater | Tuskegee Institute Phillips Academy Harvard University Boston University School of Law |
| Known for | American baseball player, lawyer, and civil rights activist |
William Clarence Matthews (born January 7, 1877 – died April 9, 1928) was an amazing African-American pioneer. He made a big difference in sports, politics, and law in the early 1900s.
Born in Selma, Alabama, William went to the Tuskegee Institute. With help from Booker T. Washington, he later studied at Phillips Academy and Harvard University. At Harvard, he became a star baseball player. He led the team in hitting for three years in a row, from 1903 to 1905.
William came from a poor background and had no living parents. He worked many jobs to pay for his education. Even so, he graduated from Harvard in 1905 and got into Boston University School of Law. In the summer of 1905, he joined a professional baseball team in Vermont. This made him the only African-American player in a white professional baseball league at that time. There were even rumors he might join a major league team, but the "color line" in baseball stopped it. This was a rule that kept Black players out of white leagues.
After law school, William became a lawyer in 1908. He was one of the first African-American Assistant District Attorneys in the country. He also worked with important leaders like Marcus Garvey. Later, he became active in the Republican Party. He helped Calvin Coolidge become President in 1924. William died in 1928 while working as a U.S. Assistant Attorney General in Washington, D.C.. Many people see him as the "Jackie Robinson of his day" because he bravely challenged the color line in baseball.
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Early Life and Education
William Clarence Matthews was born in Selma, Alabama, on January 7, 1877. He was the third child of William and Elizabeth Matthews. His father was a tailor. After his father passed away, his family moved to Montgomery, Alabama.
William attended the Tuskegee Institute from 1893 to 1897. He was a top student and a great athlete. He helped start the first football team and was the captain of the baseball team. He also became a student of the famous leader Booker T. Washington. Mr. Washington helped William continue his studies up north. First, he went to the Phillips Andover Academy. He was the only African-American student in his class there. Then, in 1901, he started at Harvard University.
Harvard Baseball Star
William was already a well-known baseball player from Tuskegee and Phillips Andover. So, he easily joined the Harvard varsity baseball team as a freshman. Over 140 students tried out for only 12 spots, and William was one of the first chosen.
His joining the team caused some problems. There were very few African-American baseball players in colleges back then. Sometimes, he couldn't play in games because other teams protested. During his second year, the team even canceled a trip through the southern states because of this issue.
The Harvard baseball team was one of the best in the country. Famous players like Cy Young and Willie Keeler even coached them in 1902. William was the star shortstop for the team. He earned a varsity letter all four years he played, from 1902 to 1905. In his first season, he scored the winning run in a big game against Yale. This happened in front of 9,000 fans in New York City.
William led the team in hitting during his last three years. In his senior year, he hit an amazing .400 and stole 25 bases. With him on the team, Harvard won 78 games and lost only 18. He played alongside future professional baseball players like Eddie Grant and Walter Clarkson. One local newspaper even called William the "greatest big league prospect" on the Harvard team. The Boston Post newspaper called him "no doubt the greatest colored athlete of all time." They also said he was "the best infielder Harvard ever had."
William also played football at Harvard, just like he did at Tuskegee and Andover. He was the starting quarterback for the first games of his freshman year. After an injury, he became a backup. He played for Harvard for three more years, mostly as a left end. In 1904, people even thought he might be named an All-American. While at Harvard, his mentor was William Henry Lewis. Lewis was the Harvard football coach and the first African-American Assistant United States Attorney in the country.
Breaking Barriers in Baseball
On July 4, 1905, William became the starting second baseman for the Burlington, Vermont team. This team was part of the Northern League. When he stepped onto the field that day, he became the only African-American playing in white professional baseball leagues. He played great in his first game, getting three hits and fielding very well. He played well all season, helping the Burlington team finish in second place.
In the middle of 1905, a newspaper reported a rumor. It said that the coach of the Boston National League team wanted to sign William. The team's second baseman was not playing well, and they needed a replacement. When asked about the rumor, William reportedly said that "Negroes should not be shut out because their skin is black."
However, the rumor quickly disappeared. Some people said that the southern teams in the National League threatened to leave if William played. Others believed that the league president stopped the signing.
While playing in the Northern League, William faced unfair treatment from fans and other players. One player refused to play against him. Sometimes, he was moved to the outfield to protect him from opponents. They would try to injure him with their metal cleats when sliding.
This was William's only year in professional baseball. In the fall of 1905, he started law school at Boston University School of Law.
Law and Politics
William passed his bar exam and became a lawyer in 1908. He married Pamela Belle Lloyd. To help pay for law school, he coached high school baseball teams in Boston for a few years.
Eventually, William took over from his mentor, William Henry Lewis. He became the Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Boston area. From 1920 to 1923, William was the main lawyer for the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League. This group was started by Marcus Garvey.
During the 1924 Presidential election, William became a very important supporter of the Republican Party and Calvin Coolidge. William became the Head of the Colored Division of the Republican National Committee in 1924. This was the first time a major U.S. political party put an African-American in charge of organizing the African-American vote. William worked hard, and African-Americans in the North voted strongly for Coolidge.
After Coolidge won, William moved to Washington, D.C.. He became an Assistant Attorney General. He worked on important legal cases for the government.
Legacy
William Clarence Matthews passed away on April 9, 1928, at 51 years old. Many major newspapers across the country wrote about his death. The New York Times called him "one of the most prominent Negro members of the bar in America." Over 1,500 people attended his funeral in Boston.
In 1965, a writer named Harold Kaese said that William was "the Jackie Robinson of his age." This means he was a trailblazer who broke barriers, just like Jackie Robinson did later in baseball. Since 2006, the Ivy League baseball team that wins the conference title receives the William Clarence Matthews Trophy. This trophy honors his amazing contributions to sports and society.
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