Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1942-08-08
5P D R IS SLAM IS
By Lacias Melancholy Jones
Honorable John Wesley Dobbs Opines
That Negroes, Given Chance On Diamond,
Will Duplicate Fame In Other Sports
Guest Column By John Wesley Dobbs

Guest Column By John Wesley Dobbs
In pinch-hitting today for Lcus Melancholy Jones
first want to highly commend him for the splendid and
tegent in which he has been putting the fight
through the columns of the Atlanta Daily World to get
Negro players in major league baseball
Yes, are Americans too and as such we must con-
tend for equal opportunities in all legitimate and honorable
of development in free America. Notwithstand
ing the fact that do not always receive rights
my opinion that should stop letting the world know
that we want these opportunities of them
Baseball is American institution the work is de-
hghtfuy pleasant and pays off in big money. In the big
leagues the minimum salary paid player $4,000 year
Babe Ruth received high $4,000 and y 100000
There several players today earning above $4,000
year.
The attraction of this big money plus the "Hall of
Fame the incentives claiming the attention the col
ored ball players today behind them per
cent think they ought to have the opportunity all
other Americans.
First Negroes deserve square deal because thew are
loyal fuledged American citizens America stands
that dea REGARDLESS of color creed Ball players
every group have been given chance except the
Negro We want that chance for our boys too
Second believe Negro ball players will make good be-
yOnd shadow of DOUBT if given chance They have dis
tngushed themselves in other line sport when
permitted to compete
At the close of the Civil War the expert horse
Negroes At the running of the first Kentucky
Derby in 1875 fourteen horses the post thirteen
of the fourteen jockeys Negro boys Just long
they had chance ride horses these boys The
of Isaac Murphy of Lexington Kentucky will live
forever in racing circles He rode winners in the Kentucky
Derby in 1884, 1890, 1891 Willie Simms Augusta Ca.
rode the winners of the Derby in 1896 1898 The famous
black jockey WINFIELD rode the winners in this Ken
lucky classic in 1901 and 1902 You that the coored
boys made mark for themselves in that line of sport
On the track, the names Eddie Tolan Ralph Metcafe
and Jesse Owens speak for themselves Their
in the books Of them will there long time yet
to come.
Tn f0OfIaU Nv ifz Hard IF
Brown Paul Robson of Rutgers, Kenny Washington of
o. c. l.. A. and Brud Holland of Cornell show what Ne
groes have done in college football when given chance
In boxing, take look of Joe Cans Jack
Johnson Joe Louis and Sugar Ray Robnson decide
whether boys have made good in that field of sport
Third, the possibility of admitting Negroes in major
league baseball today better than it has been before
America is fighting for ideal People thinking in
terms of right They willing do right than
ever before Now the time to hit the iron while it is hot
Leo Duocher manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers recent
y said he would sign coored players Judge Lands would
permit it. In the last weeks Judge Lands has spoken
about it in unmistakable manner.
He said that Leo Durocher or any other manager for
that matter sign Negro Is Negroes if he desires
to do These are the words of Judge Lands and from
them there appeal His decisions final conclusive
and absolute. We ought to get some action
Judge Kennesaw Mountain Landis, the High MoguT"
of the baseball world draws $4,000 the
ruler that sport Prior to 1919 Judge Lands was on
the bench District Federal Judge He came into prom
nence of character integrity when he assessed
fine s29OOOOOO against the Standard Oil Company with
John d. Rockefeller Sr president Following the base
ball scandal of 1919, when the Chicago White Sox threw
World Series to the Cincinnati Reds hire
Judge Lands in order to the face of baseball and
keep the confidence of the pubic.
Since Judge Lands has spoken managers and
looking for outstanding Negro players William
E. Benswanger president of the Pittsburgh Pirates an
nonced last week that he would accept the recommendation
of the Pittsburgh Courier for four Negro players to
try-out in the near future According to reports the
president of the Philadelphia Nationals Gerry Nuggen
already given Roy Campanea 20yearod catcher of the
Baltimore Elite Giants, practice workout
Satchel Paige, the sensational Negro pitcher, is
sdered Joe D Maggie and others the pitcher
in baseball today Josh Gibson the big hardhting catcher
for the Homestead Grays another natural Josh stands
six feet inches tall weighs 225 pounds He and Hank
Gutenberg of Detroit fame the only two ball players
who have hit home in the left field stands at Yankee
Stadium, the Blouse that Ruth Built" Babe Ruth was
efthander and hit his home into the rightfied bleach
believe the colored boys ready waiting with the
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