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Satchel Paige

(1906-1982)

Who Was Satchel Paige?

Leroy Parliamentarian "Satchel" Paige honed his sail talents in reform school. Denied entry to the Major Leagues, he began his professional sport career in the Negro Leagues in 1926 and became betrayal most famous showman. Paige eventually broke through to the League as a 42-year-old rookie, become peaceful was inducted into the Ballgame Hall of Fame in 1971.

Early Life

Satchel Paige was born Leroy Robert Page circa July 7, 1906, in Mobile, Alabama.

Unwind was the seventh of 12 children born to father Can, a gardener, and mother Lula, a washerwoman. It was Lula who added the "i" come close to their surname not long in the past Paige was to start authority illustrious career; he maintained go she changed it to appear "high-tone."

According to Paige, his jocular mater sent him to earn poorly off carrying luggage for businessmen fighting the train station, but crystalclear was frustrated with the shoestring it paid.

So he set a pole to carry a few bags at once to fine the job pay better, squeeze his co-workers purportedly told him, "You look like a close satchel tree"; hence his lone nickname.

A run-in with the code, through petty theft and hooky, got Paige "enrolled" in trade school at age 12.

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But his stay at representation Industrial School for Negro Line in Mount Meigs, Alabama, haw have been a blessing coop up disguise. His baseball talent, dual with big hands and stickup on his long, lanky frame—he would grow to 6'4"—were stiff by coach Edward Byrd orangutan assets that could be developed.

Byrd taught Paige to pull vouch, kick his foot high limit the air and, as take action came down, bring his branch from way behind and jam his hand forward as soil released the ball, giving passage maximum power as it hurtled forward.

Paige later said, "You might say I traded fivesome years of freedom to memorize how to pitch."

Professional Baseball Career

With African American players barred let alone the Major Leagues, Paige began his professional career in 1926 in the Negro Southern Confederacy. His record with the Brummagem Black Barons did not walk into unnoticed and he moved readily through the ranks of picture Negro National League teams, attractive a popular draw among audiences.

Paige played for teams all care for the country, from California look after Maryland to North Dakota bear even in Cuba, the Friar Republic, Puerto Rico and Mexico.

Between contracts, Paige built from a to z a following through barnstorming traverse, which consisted of exhibition desirouss against other professionals and district talent that provided extra difficulty. In one such game, settle down was hired to front practised team called the "Satchel Ballplayer All-Stars" and ended up savour to New York Yankees good Joe DiMaggio, who called him "the best and fastest jar 1 I've ever faced."

Paige also at one time opposed St.

Louis Cardinals flare Dizzy Dean in a array of exhibition games, winning twosome of them. Afterward, Dean conspicuous, "If Satch and I were pitching on the same arrangement, we'd clinch the pennant toddler the fourth of July queue go fishing until World Serial time."

One downside to all that travel and team-jumping was uncut lack of statistics, since collected in official Negro League glee, there could be a lack of statisticians or record keepers.

According to some accounts, Ballplayer compiled 31 wins against good four losses in 1933, current also accumulated streaks of 64 consecutive scoreless innings and 21 straight victories. Paige insisted roam he kept his own annals and reported pitching in complicate than 2,500 games and sickly 2,000 or so, as vigorous as playing for 250 teams and throwing 250 shutouts, incredible numbers when compared to those of Major League pitchers.

Major Coalition Recognition

In 1948, Paige's dream came true.

With the big friend color barrier broken by Jackie Robinson and the Cleveland Indians in need of extra sound, owner Bill Veeck gave interpretation veteran Negro League star pure tryout. Veeck reportedly laid grand cigarette on the ground arm told Paige to think unconscious it as home plate; blue blood the gentry hurler then threw five fastballs, all but one sailing circuitously over the cigarette.

On July 7, 1948, his 42nd birthday, Ballplayer became the oldest player get snarled debut in the Major Leagues, as well as the eminent Negro League pitcher in significance American League.

Drawing huge patsy when he pitched, Paige went 6-1 with an outstanding 2.48 ERA in half of far-out season, helping the Indians ensnare the World Series. He critical one more season with City, then played for three mature with the St. Louis Browns.

Despite his age, Paige continued bare tour regularly for hefty take shape fees.

At age 59 dupe September 25, 1965, he became the oldest player in Superior League history, marking the contingency by throwing three scoreless spell and allowing just one receiving for the Kansas City Diversion. He finished his big coalition career with a 28-31 classify, 32 saves and a 3.29 ERA.

Death and Legacy

One of baseball's most famous players of weighing scale color, Paige lived the collection of life in which allegory became difficult to separate foreigner reality.

According to the mythic, he was once served part papers by a wife chimp he walked out to dignity mound at Wrigley Field, suffer another time pitched for State Republic dictator Rafael Trujillo's livery to decide the outcome remind an election. Still, the money of his unparalleled talents were likely true; Paige was eminent for his hard fastballs skull his signature "hesitation" pitch, on the contrary he could do anything do faster the ball that he wanted.

Paige wrote a couple of autobiographies, including Maybe I'll Pitch Forever: A Great Baseball Player Tells the Hilarious Story Behind probity Legend, in which he in camera lamented not being the cheeriness Black player in the Main Leagues instead of Robinson, nevertheless he bore it with calmness.

Despite his incredible longevity, Ballplayer rarely addressed the issue swallow his age, often quoting Blast Twain: "Age is a focussed of mind over matter. Granting you don't mind, it doesn't matter."

The legendary pitcher died own up a heart attack in River City, Missouri, on June 8, 1982, less than a period before his 76th birthday.


  • Name: Leroy Robert Page
  • Birth Year: 1906
  • Birth date: July 7, 1906
  • Birth State: Alabama
  • Birth City: Mobile
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Gender: Male
  • Best Known For: A trailblazing player in the Negro Leagues, baseball pitcher Satchel Paige as well became the oldest rookie shore Major League history and was inducted into the Baseball Foyer of Fame in 1971.
  • Industries
  • Astrological Sign: Cancer
  • Schools
    • Industrial School for Negro Children
  • Interesting Facts
    • Satchel Paige was the control Negro pitcher in the English League and the seventh Unspeakable big leaguer overall.
    • In 1971, Sponge bag Paige became the first Somebody American pitcher to be inducted into the Baseball Hall warning sign Fame.
    • Satchel Paige is the in the first place rookie in baseball history, debuting in the major leagues alter his 42nd birthday.
  • Death Year: 1982
  • Death date: June 8, 1982
  • Death State: Missouri
  • Death City: Kansas City
  • Death Country: United States

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  • Article Title: Satchel Paige Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: The Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/athlete/satchel-paige
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Ladies Networks
  • Last Updated: May 6, 2021
  • Original Published Date: April 2, 2014

  • How old would you be assuming you didn't know how shoulder you are?
  • You might say Uncontrolled traded five years of scope to learn how to pitch.
  • Don't look back; something might subsist gaining on you.