The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1942-12-26
OWNER OF The.
CHICAGO CUBS.
MAKES PLEDGE
Chewing G u m Magnate
Wants To See r ace
Players In Loop

SAliSApOs Aii' NpPSN'A4I
Negroes will be in the big
ieagues-and soon. That is a
certainty"
Philip K. Wrigley, chewing
gum magnate and owner of
the Chicago Cubs bias 'ball
team. made that pledge this week in
a revealing interview with the
Citizens Committee foe> Negroes in
the Big Leagues Seated in his
luxurious office high in the Wrlg-
ley Building overlooking the Lsop
and Lake Michigan. the millionaire
Cub owner told William L. Pat
terson. representing the committee;
II would like 10 see Negroes in
the big leagues. | know its got to
come. But | don't think the time
Is now. There hasn't been enough
publicity yet. What has TO be done
is lay ,he groundwork for this by
educating the public What must
be done is 10 get ?eople talking. II
there was sufficient public demand !
at this time. would put Negro |
on my team now"
More Question
Patterson, speaking for the com.
mittee of prominent South Siders. |
pointed out that the question was
not one Of moral obligation but
rather OF buoying up the morale Of
the Negro people during wartime
Wrigley agreed and said:
81 look at the matter from the |
point Of unity in our country.
recognize what the war demands
but not everybody else does, The
public must be prepared to accept
Negro players.
IF Negroes are taken into the big
leagues without proper public sup
port. I'm afraid some fights will
take place if a Negro player rides
high into a white. What I'm afraid
Of is a riot" Wrigley continued.
Patterson pointed out that there |
Is more body contact in football and |
basketball than baseball and no dis
turbances have occurred.
Changes To Come
Wrigley conceded ths' but said:
-The temper of peonle in baseball |
Is very high" s-
Members Of the committee which .
Patterson represented include
Bishop Bernard ] She'll OF the
Catholic church. Wilsam Harrison,
Judge Patrick Prescott. Alderman
Earl B. Dickerson. C. Francis STRAIT
ford. Alderman Benjamin Grant
ana Frank Young OF the Chicago |
Defender.
Wrigley, who spent almost an
hour talking to Patterson, declared: /
Changes have to come. have all /
kinds Of people working for me. |
have taken thousand Negro .
workers into my plant | have Ne
groes in the towards department |
OF all my ships on the West Coast.
81 sell gum for five cents and ] /.
sell it for one cent The man on the
corner store is as important 10 me
as the chain store magnste"
To See CLIO
Wrigley. who is scheduled TO see
CLIO committee on the question
Of Negroes in big leagues, said he
would welcome the chance to talk
70 the unionists.
when the CLIO came to talk TO
Judge Lands at the meeting Of the
big leagues. went down to talk to
the committee and invited them 10
see me. I'm an honorary member OF
the clio. When they attempted 10
organize all the stewards on my
ships, | paid the initiation fee for
all the men"
The chewing gum mogul urged
that the drive for Negroes in the
big leagues be extended.
There are men in high places
who don't want it," he said.
They used to ay that l wouldn't
allow Negro teams on my, field but
last year Satchel Psige's All-Stars
played there twice. My ball play
, ers on the West Coast play regu-
larly with Negroes. Almost every
year they have mixed games out
there"
Wrigley concluded the interview
with an invitation 10 all commit
tees interested in the question OF
Negroes in big leagues TO visit him
my door is open" he said.