Leroy "Satchel" Paige
By Jeremy Root
A Brief Biography of Satchel Paige
Leroy “Satchel” Paige was born on July 7, 1906 in Mobile, AL. He was a luggage carrier as a child because his family needed money. To make more money, he tweaked a pole so more bags could be carried. His co-workers said that he looked like a “walking satchel tree”. This is where his nickname “Satchel” came from. When Satchel Paige was twelve, he was sent to reform school for theft. He was able to practice baseball every day, which is how he became such a good player. He played in the Negro Leagues to begin his long career because African Americans were not allowed to play in the Major Leagues at this time. The baseball leagues were segregated at this time, but Satchel Paige helped in breaking the color barrier. His Major League debut finally came when he was forty-two years old. The Cleveland Indians needed a fast-throwing pitcher, so they signed Satchel Paige. This made him the oldest player to make a Major League debut. Satchel Paige was the first Negro League pitcher to play in the American League. In his first Major League season, he helped lead the Indians to a World Series victory. At age fifty-nine, he was the oldest player to play in the Major Leagues as well. Satchel Paige also played for the St. Louis Browns and Kansas City Athletics. Some of his baseball statistics included the following: about 2,000 wins out of 2,500 total games, 250 teams played for, a 31-4 record in 1933, 64 consecutive scoreless innings, 21 consecutive wins, and 250 career shutouts in the Negro Leagues. Satchel Paige was one of the first African American baseball players to play in the Major Leagues. He gave all African Americans someone to look up to when segregation was an issue.
Cleveland Indians
Satchel Paige became the first Negro League pitcher to be on a Major League team. The Cleveland Indians signed him and helped break the color barrier.
Kansas City Athletics
At age fifty-nine, Satchel Paige signed a contract with the Kansas City Athletics to play one game. This made him the oldest player ever to play in the Major Leagues. He previously played for the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro League. This game proved how great Satchel Paige really was.
Major League Baseball
Satchel Paige, along with Jackie Robinson and others, helped break the color barrier of Major League Baseball. This made it so that African Americans did not have to play in a separate league.
Satchel Paige.
Movie Questions
How did Satchel Paige help the game of baseball?
How was Satchel Paige a sports hero?