Growing up, the NL always beat the AL in the All-Star game. It was something that started before me and continued on for many years. The announcers always brought up the record; they just never said the reason why. And it was because the NL embraced integration both quicker and better than the AL did. Let’s look at the starting lineup for both teams in the 1965 game. The NL had Mays, Aaron, Stargell, Allen, Banks and Wills. The AL had Horton and Battey.
MLB celebrates Jackie Robinson, the man who broke the color line back in 1947, seven years before Brown v. Board of Education, the Supreme Court ruling which outlawed racial segregation in public schools. Robinson is someone worth celebrating. But here on Martin Luther King Day, let’s take it to another level.
Here is an extensive list of the U.S.-born black ballplayers in the history of the Mets. You can quibble with the decision to exclude dark-skinned Latin players. And it’s also a partial reason why this list is “extensive” and not complete. If you recognize someone not listed below who belongs, please include them in the comments section. My promise is that any omission is due to my ignorance and not with any malice whatsoever. As an example, should Mardie Cornejo, born in Wellington, KS, be here? Regardless, let’s remember the following players
Tommie Agee
Jermaine Allensworth
George Altman
Marlon Anderson
Derek Bell
Bobby Bonilla
Daryl Boston
Hubie Brooks
Keon Broxton
Damon Buford
Marlon Byrd
Mike Cameron
Robert Carson
Ed Charles
Joe Christopher
Donn Clendenon
Tony Clark
Choo-Choo Coleman
Vince Coleman
Tommy Davis
Sammy Drake
Damion Easley
Dock Ellis
Carl Everett
Cliff Floyd
George Foster
Leo Foster
Joe Foy
Bernard Gilkey
Jesse Gonder
Dwight Gooden
Curtis Granderson
Pumpsie Green
Scott Hairston
Tom Hall
Darryl Hamilton
Lenny Harris
Willie Harris
LaTroy Hawkins
Rickey Henderson
Steve Henderson
Butch Huskey
Al Jackson
Austin Jackson
Roy Lee Jackson
Lance Johnson
Cleon Jones
Matt Lawton
Johnny Lewis
James Loney
Elliott Maddox
Pat Mahomes
Gary Matthews Jr.
John Mayberry Jr.
Willie Mays
Brian McRae
Lastings Milledge
John Milner
Kevin Mitchell
Eddie Murray
Danny Napoleon
Charlie Neal
Dan Norman
Darren Oliver
Amos Otis
Robert Person
Tommy Pham
Tony Phillips
Lenny Randle
Willie Randolph
Tommie Reynolds
Gary Sheffield
Ken Singleton
Dominic Smith
Darryl Strawberry
Marcus Stroman
Tony Tarasco
Sammy Taylor
Garry Templeton
Ryan Thompson
Ellis Valentine
Mo Vaughn
Chico Walker
Taijuan Walker
Claudell Washington
Mookie Wilson
Anthony Young
Chris Young
Eric Young Jr.
I remember watching so many of those players over the years. In 1975, 27% percent of all MLB players were black. Last year that number was only 6.3%. The influx of Latin players on to MLB rosters now totals about 30% of players, many of who came from Caribbean and Latin America countries. Diversity on MLB rosters makes baseball the great sport that it is and helps to keep fans interest in the game. While it was not true in the days of Jackie Robinson, MLB is thankfully color blind.
As someone old enough to have lived through the civil rights movement, let’s remember that Dr. King lived and died espousing peace, brotherhood and equality. All good qualities to emulate.
Fabulous job Brian. Very thoughtful.
Thanks for the kind words!
I love that Otis-Agee-Jones photo
What a great list of players and, with it, memories. Thanks. Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go with regards to race, equality, and justice. Fortunately, sports, while far from perfect, provides a sliver of optimism and possibilities.