In celebration of African Heritage Month for Profiles in Excellence, we honor the first Black man to play in the big leagues. That honor goes to Moses Fleetwood Walker. A man who was part of a pro baseball team over half a century before Jackie Robinson suited up. Walker played for a pro team from Newark, New Jersey, but it was hardly without incident.
In 1887 a Chicago team sent a collective letter to the management demanding that Walker not be allowed to play or a mob would attack him. The letter was signed by the white players. The manager denied the petition, Walker played right field, and the protest fizzled. But other events happened: he was mobbed while in Syracuse, and repelled them by pulling a pistol. Walker afterwards attended Oberlin College and wrote a booklet advocating Black immigration to Liberia. For Hard Knock Radio, this is Mumia Abu-Jamal.
These commentaries are recorded by Noel Hanrahan of Prison Radio.
