The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1954-05-22

the Red SOx management
stands mute and cOmplaCent
about cOIored players"
= Monroe Mason.
RED SOX color bar criticism
levelled by Monroe Mason last
week was both timely and ably
presented. Mr.. Mason is dean of
Bay State journalists of color.
Moreover, he is a World War
veteran and Legionaire fully
qualified to challenge Mr.. Yaw-
key Cor any other citizen) on
the violations of the democracy
he personally fought for.
More power to him!
THE BOSTON drum beating to
fill Fenway Park and the Yam
kee urging to pack the Stadium,
will lack the sound of sincerity
during 1854 to all. Americans
who believe in real democracy.
Here are two of the wealthiest
clubs in baseball, fully able to
invest in American principles as
well as remnants. Yet both have
upheld the un-American color
bar while posing as great sports
symbols of fair opportunity for
every American youth.
BOB QUINN, the plain spoken
and late preXy of the now
tranSplanted Braves took the
time during the 193O's to grant
me my first interview. Mr..
Quinn told me it was a bust
ness policy of many clubs, to
include various nationalities on
a roster to attract all segments
of the paying public. 1t was
obvious then, as it is now, that
some clubs, like the Sox and
in the Yankees, were Short
changing" colored patrons.
PHIL TROY, the former DEM
ocratic plain speaking Travel
ing Secretary of the Red Sox,
also discussed the color ban
with me during the 1905 at
Fenway Park. Phil told me as
far as he was concerned the
Red Sox could have used colored
players even then. Troy adj
mitted he had seen many good
prospects. Among them had
been the famous Jackman-White
battery. At that time there were
many brilliant sepia semi pro
players nation wide.
JACK ROBINSON, Sam Jeth-
70, and Marvin Williams, all in
f1elders, were finally worked"
into insincere workout with the
Boston Red SOx on April Is,
1945 at Fenway Park. The SOx
didn't want it. The try-Out was
rider to a Sunday baseball bill
and was pushed by sports
writer's, notably Pittsburgh Wen
dell Smith and Boston Dave
Egan. The SOx kept the color
ban. Four months later, Aug. 20.
1945, Hickey signed Jackie to
the DOdger crew.
THE LYNN Red Sox farm of
the Hub varsity, soon felt the
reverberations of the expert"
Sox judgement on colored play
ers. The Dodger farm club at
Nashua (of the then class B
New England League) blasted
the Red Sox talent crop right
on the map. Everybody adj
mitted-the new found power at
Nashua came from two colored
players, pitcher Don Newcombe
and catcher Roy Campanella.
most famous Sepia battery
since Jackman and White.
THE SCOUTS Of major league
baseball have been watching
good brown baseball talent since
the days of Rube Foster and
John McGraw. l knew a former
college infielder who was once
secuted by the Yankees until
they found he was cOlored.
There are similar stories about
Sheriff Blake and others. Josh
Gibson, Satch Paige, Turkey
Stearns, Mule SuttleS, MarcelIe,
and many more could have
been Signed. 1t is hypOcracy
to deny the fact.
BABE RUTH (who will always
be claimed by colored fans as
one of their own was the man
who helped put N. Y, Yankees
on the top for which he was
ungraciously denied a chance of
manager, a deep wound to the
end). Ruth was foolishly sold
by the Red Sox who later had a
star sluggng land well liked
outfielder, Bing Milled, who,
sometimes called "Colored
Folks, was frequently tagged
as being colored, but never got
excited over it.
Most things come out all
right In the end, a poor salts