Opening the doors, finally

A year after Satchel Paige breaks Cooperstown’s color barrier for players who spend all or most of their careers in the Negro Leagues, Josh Gibson and Buck Leonard are elected to the Hall of Fame 53 years ago today.

With Gibson as their catcher and Leonard at first base, the Homestead Grays win nine straight championships from 1937-45.

The Hall then opens the previously shut door – at least for a few years – for players of the Negro Leagues of yore.

Following Paige, Gibson and Leonard to Cooperstown are Monte Irvin in 1973, Cool Papa Bell (1974), Judy Johnson (1975), Oscar Charleston (1976), and John Henry Lloyd and Martin Dihigo (both in 1977).

Inexplicably, the Hall then goes without adding another Negro League inductee until 2006, when a special committee elects 17 past players, managers and owners from once-again overlooked Negro Leagues and their predecessors.

The only others since then arrive with the Class of 2022 – 19th century star Bud Fowler, longtime outfielder Minnie Minoso and player-manager Buck O’Neil.

After leaving the Negro Leagues, O’Neil becomes the major leagues’ first Black coach as well as a long-time scout with the Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Royals.

Among the players O’Neil scouts include future Hall of Famers Ernie Banks, Lou Brock and Lee Smith.