The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1945-05-19
BY Fred Byrd

can't fool all of the people all of the time would like
n say that this adage has been considered when
few individuals take upon themselves to heorze a. 10
he wisdom of the Negro endeavorng make the major
ioc,,es baseball teams but instead offer some weak h
stitue based the most faicous reasoning possible
The truth of the matter that they don't any of the
people this time
Il difficult to visualize that people who have not
grown up with the game but only in the last years
nave turned their attention to it should be selected TO
give their views rather than men like J. b Martin, ST.,
~ Gus Grcenlee who have been connected with the game
for over decade and are familiar with all aspects the
pastime.
The observation made by certain individuals that
me Negro receiving the salaries the top Minor
caguers If this is true it things Either
Inc Negro baseball player is not capable league
performances and should only minor league sal
arv they as good but should work for smaller
salary than their white brothers in the major leagues
There is little doubt but that the first assumption is in
correct. There many players capable OF PLAYING salts
factory ball in the majors The second there
fore seems be what the gentlemen have in mind Why
~ thew think that our leaders along with liberal whites
81, fighting through unions. FEPo. and other
CARNATIONS for upgrading and equal for the mi
norty groups Let's not add to the already op-heaN,
Isl Of inequalities Then in the breath they point
out Satchel Paige receiving over twice the salary
ne would have received in the Majors My friends when
yo discuss salary. don't mean the laiqes, Fosters
DIMaggos, Ruths Gehrigs and Deans hut you mean
The average player They will constitute the largest per
tentage by far This is postuatory The fact hat Paige
lad something the ordinary pitcher accounted for
H. alleged huge income from the national past time
with Ruth Dean and Gehrig.
Another fallacy as see it is the allegation that Ne
roeS arr Al
agnos possible plane Let's not KID ourselves i TAXES
tenty OF legal tender send team of players to Spre
iranag condition them, outfit them and put them on thc
Held to play baseball. 1t tried by the American Grants
IN hcago who had their own ball PARK on 9th and
WenN orth production plant occupies the area
nov currently white parks being leased whenever
possible for Sunday Holidays way advance 50 that
the adj, ertsng campaign get under way There are
few Negroes sinking substantial capital into the ventures
Branch Hickey Brooklyns owner made the remark ma
current day Negro baseball chaotic and uno gan@ed
How YOU make money that way
SIN another error may be found in remark that
Negro baseball outdrawing White baseball because on
one sunday the second Division Chicago White SoN were
PLAYING another team with pehant possibilities ana
had very meager crowd. 1t was feared that the So%
would be unable to pay their players if they continued TO
compete with the Negro games Tommy ROY ioW can
team playing once twice week (and Negro baseball
as it exists now strictly sunday baseball outdraw or
gained playing daily? Such an occurrence Wouiu
be the exception rather than the rule
Last but not least, is maintained that the Negro
stye Ike Duke Elington musical style. separate and
distinct IN itself The differences made to Paige call
the oufeld in and Gibson taking time out TO zen lusl
whore he intended to hit the ball and the unofthouoN
basernning of Martinez Let's look at some OF the out
standing white PLAYERS Of the past decade VINO was any
more of a clown than the great Jerome "DlzZy Dean
Didn't he time and again angh at ms opponent az" r ~
signs from his manager? he one and ohN ue"if F5
Herman Babe Ruth pointed his bat to the fSh l'lu
stands and hit the next pitch in the upper desk Tor NOM
The ST Louis Cardinals won two world series WI
daring base-runninp fielding and unorhodox PLAYING
from both the Detroit Tigers and New ork anheeS WIN
Pepper Martin making his worldamous reputation our
inc The World Series and being labeled The Wild Horse
Of the Usage" Remember that when the style IS gnl ON
err try 70 COW it. Numerous white bands copy Duke Fling
tons style but if the Negro baseball PLAYERS are SNS
why aren't they being copied? don't think lhey are sts
ss but play the same pye Of baseball that Their "he
brothers play and any ingenuity used : merely d. an
audience appeal and money making device
In conclusion may state that any good pan payel'
andwe have many of them. play under any conpe'em
coach or manager and will play under them they arc
adequately compensated Ii we're going to nave Jln ~"
baseball why not have jim Grow schools boxing Dash s
ball. theatres etc? No advancement IS maze os -
when each keeps its ingenuity to itself. IL our an
had not written preserved in some other aSho
what they learned in their era we would be cen'ues os
hind as far as scientific and economic advancement
ccned Progress made through the pooling OF al oul ~
sources and putting them to work simultaneously WIN n
zes vigor and ceasless energy. sincerely nope lna
can nrond, noipt IN the fact that boys are PLAYING
working and fighting side by side with All races an" "a
tionalies as United States citizcns