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RIP Red Sox HOFer Elijah "Pumpsie" Green
TearsIn04
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Post by TearsIn04 on Jul 17, 2019 20:53:43 GMT -5
Pumpsie will always have a special place in RS history and we should never forget the courage it took to be the first African-Amiercan player for a team in a city with the racial climate of Boston and the record of bigotry the RS carried. The simple act of living while black was a struggle in his day, never mind trying to make it with an organization that was still pretty racist. It must have been lonely.
Hearing of his death reminds us of the team's sordid history on race relations. It also makes me recall the satisfaction I felt for years in seeing the JWH ownership group's determination to acknowledge that ugliness in an honest way and do better. I don't agree with everything they've done in this area and have been terribly disappointed lately, but that's a discussion for another day.
A Pumpsie vignette: I got his autograph at a signing event back in, I want to say, April or May of 2004. He signed my ball on the sweet spot but didn't quite center his sig perfectly. As he handed the ball back to me, he said something like, "I didn't do a great job with that autograph. I'm sorry." I just replied, "Nah, it's perfect." He came back with: "You're too kind."
I just recall how polite and gentle he seemed.
RIP, Pumpsie, and thanks for what you did for Boston and the Red Sox.
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Post by sarasoxer on Jul 17, 2019 21:28:07 GMT -5
I remember Pumpsie. He was a solid ballplayer, and if memory is correct, a switch hitter.
Shortly after Pumpsie we acquired Willie Tasby, another black player.
We also had a chance to sign Willie Mays in the early '50s and despite a great workout, the story goes, it was recommended the Sox not sign him.
Amazing how different that era was...
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Post by philsbosoxfan on Jul 17, 2019 22:16:18 GMT -5
I only remember a relatively solid player that smiled a lot. Black/white race pretty much wasn't an issue with our young small group of friends, small town with only one black family and Danny Fox was always an early pick when we divied up sides. We only knew they were an upgrade to the Italians.
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redsox04071318champs
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Jul 18, 2019 8:58:51 GMT -5
RIP Pumpsie Green, an important person in Red Sox history. It's too bad that he had to be the first African American player to play with the Red Sox, a full 12 years after integration.
The Sox passed on Jackie Robinson, scout Larry Woodall wanted no part of sticking around in bad weather to see Willie Mays play, and the Red Sox released an African American player from their minor league team in the early 50s, said they didn't have money to keep him on his payroll, which was ridiculous, also considering he was hitting very well. I wish I could remember this player's name. His name escapes me at the moment. Very shameful how he was treated.
Green was a classy guy and he's also remembered for almost going on a journey to Israel with Gene Conley (who also played for the Celtics, too). They both had too much to drink, were on the team bus and it was hot. They decided to get off the team bus and go to Israel. Green sobered up quickly and came to his senses. Conley never did go but he disappeared for a day or so if I can recall the story and then he returned to the team.
And of course, when he came to the Red Sox, which player made sure he played catch with Pumpsie Green to make him feel comfortable? Ted Williams, of course. And amazingly enough Green played for the bigoted Mike Pinky Higgins, which couldn't be easy for him.
RIP Pumpsie Green.
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Post by James Dunne on Jul 18, 2019 11:06:33 GMT -5
I remember Pumpsie. He was a solid ballplayer, and if memory is correct, a switch hitter. Shortly after Pumpsie we acquired Willie Tasby, another black player. We also had a chance to sign Willie Mays in the early '50s and despite a great workout, the story goes, it was recommended the Sox not sign him. Amazing how different that era was... George Digby recommended that they sign him and had worked out a deal with the Birmingham club to purchase his rights for $4,500. Yawkey and Cronin were not on board. The organization didn't make it easy for Green, even when he got there. For one thing, they made him secure his own lodging on the road. A lot of hotels were obviously segregated at the time, but other major league clubs would insist on the teams staying together. Part of Green's story was obviously the Red Sox shame that came before him, which has to be a lot for anyone to carry. By all accounts, he managed to do it gracefully. RIP. |
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redsox04071318champs
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Post by redsox04071318champs on Jul 18, 2019 12:31:40 GMT -5
It was Piper Davis I was thinking of. He hit like crazy for the minor league Red Sox affiliate and still was released. He could have been the first African American player for the Red Sox just like Jackie Robinson, Sam Jethroe, and others like Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Ernie Banks.
I know one thing. If the Red Sox weren't run by alcoholic bigoted racists there wouldn't have been an 86 year wait or any Curse of the Bambino books/nonsense.
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Post by sarasoxer on Jul 18, 2019 16:25:19 GMT -5
I remember Pumpsie. He was a solid ballplayer, and if memory is correct, a switch hitter. Shortly after Pumpsie we acquired Willie Tasby, another black player. We also had a chance to sign Willie Mays in the early '50s and despite a great workout, the story goes, it was recommended the Sox not sign him. Amazing how different that era was... George Digby recommended that they sign him and had worked out a deal with the Birmingham club to purchase his rights for $4,500. Yawkey and Cronin were not on board. The organization didn't make it easy for Green, even when he got there. For one thing, they made him secure his own lodging on the road. A lot of hotels were obviously segregated at the time, but other major league clubs would insist on the teams staying together. Part of Green's story was obviously the Red Sox shame that came before him, which has to be a lot for anyone to carry. By all accounts, he managed to do it gracefully. RIP. Ok not sure that you are talking about Pumpsie or Willie Mays in the first PP. Green was low key as a player. I don't remember the announcers making a big deal about his signing/playing..certainly not noting race from memory..altho as fans we were aware. I don't recall any fan antagonism...but then I was 12 or so. If anything my feeling was that black players were good and I was glad for such signings. |
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Post by jamesmcgillstatue on Jul 18, 2019 16:29:19 GMT -5
It's worth noting that, not only did the Braves become the fifth of the 16 MLB teams (and the third in the National League) to integrate their roster with Sam Jethroe (1950 NL ROTY), they also employed Afro-American or Afro-Latin players George Crowe, Luis Marquez and Buzz Clarkson before they left town in March 1953. Plus, in 1952 alone, they had a rookie infielder on their Class C Eau Claire Bears affiliate named Henry Aaron and other future major leaguers in their organization like Bill Bruton, Ed Charles, Felix Mantilla and Wes Covington.
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Post by James Dunne on Jul 18, 2019 17:34:07 GMT -5
George Digby recommended that they sign him and had worked out a deal with the Birmingham club to purchase his rights for $4,500. Yawkey and Cronin were not on board. The organization didn't make it easy for Green, even when he got there. For one thing, they made him secure his own lodging on the road. A lot of hotels were obviously segregated at the time, but other major league clubs would insist on the teams staying together. Part of Green's story was obviously the Red Sox shame that came before him, which has to be a lot for anyone to carry. By all accounts, he managed to do it gracefully. RIP. Ok not sure that you are talking about Pumpsie or Willie Mays in the first PP. Mays, apologies for the confusion. |
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Post by iakovos11 on Jul 18, 2019 18:41:35 GMT -5
It's worth noting that, not only did the Braves become the fifth of the 16 MLB teams (and the third in the National League) to integrate their roster with Sam Jethroe (1950 NL ROTY), they also employed Afro-American or Afro-Latin players George Crowe, Luis Marquez and Buzz Clarkson before they left town in March 1953. Plus, in 1952 alone, they had a rookie infielder on their Class C Eau Claire Bears affiliate named Henry Aaron and other future major leaguers in their organization like Bill Bruton, Ed Charles, Felix Mantilla and Wes Covington. The (Eau)Claire Bears? How cute. |
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gerry
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Post by gerry on Jul 18, 2019 19:07:08 GMT -5
It's worth noting that, not only did the Braves become the fifth of the 16 MLB teams (and the third in the National League) to integrate their roster with Sam Jethroe (1950 NL ROTY), they also employed Afro-American or Afro-Latin players George Crowe, Luis Marquez and Buzz Clarkson before they left town in March 1953. Plus, in 1952 alone, they had a rookie infielder on their Class C Eau Claire Bears affiliate named Henry Aaron and other future major leaguers in their organization like Bill Bruton, Ed Charles, Felix Mantilla and Wes Covington. The (Eau)Claire Bears? How cute. As long as pointing fingers is happening, If memories of the baseball discussions of my fairly well connected elders are correct, Joe Cronin had a big influence on the generally benign Yawkey, and was adamently against integrating the team. |
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Post by costpet on Jul 19, 2019 7:14:57 GMT -5
Something a little interesting: About 15 years ago I ran into Jerry Casale, a pitcher who played for the Red Sox in the late 50's. I was in an Atlantic City casino where he was sitting at a slot machine, but not playing. He looked kind of tired, so I started talking to him. He mentioned he used to play for the Red Sox. I asked him his name and, when he told me, I said I remembered him. He liked that. He said he owned a restaurant in NYC near the World Trade Center. When 9/11 happened, it also destroyed his restaurant business. So, he was kind of broke.
Anyway, we started talking about the players back then and I said that Pete Runnels played 1B and Pumpsie played 2B. He said, no, Runnels moved to 2B. What happened to Pumpsie? He said Pumpsie didn't give a damn, so they benched him. Wow. That never came out. Whether that's true or not, I have no idea. But, there it is.
By the way, Jerry died this past February. A really nice guy.
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