Buck O’Neil

Buck O'Neil
Birthdate 11/13/1911
Death Date 10/06/2006
Debut Year 1937
Year of Induction 2022
Teams Negro Leagues
Positions First Base, Manager, Scout

Former Negro American League batting champ Buck O’Neil played in four East-West All Star games and two Negro World Series.

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Buck O'Neil was the first African-American coach in big league history

Buck O'Neil was the first African-American coach in big league history

Buck O’Neil played, managed and scouted in the Negro Leagues. In 1990 he led an effort to establish the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City and served as its honorary chairman until his death in 2006. He became one of the first African American big league scouts in 1955 with the Cubs
O'Neil forged a relationship with Ichiro Suzuki

O'Neil forged a relationship with Ichiro Suzuki

Buck O’Neil has added his signature near the bottom of this biographical page dedicated to the Negro League great. O’Neil was among the foremost Negro League historians and advocates. Interestingly, O’Neil and all-star Ichiro Suzuki developed a strong relationship. When Ichiro’s Mariners played at Kansas City the outfielder visited

A Story about Buck O’Neil

Jackie Robinson inspired future MLB player Ed Charles

June 15th, 2016 Leave a comment

Jackie Robinson once said, “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.” By that measurement, Robinson’s life may be the most important the game of baseball has ever known. Though it’s easy to see the cultural impact of Robinson breaking baseball’s color barrier, the individual stories sometimes get lost in the bigger picture. For former Major Leaguer Ed Charles, Robinson emergence was a turning point, not only for the United States, but perhaps more importantly, for an entire segment of its population. “The emergence of Mr. Jackie Robinson as the first black to play modern day organized baseball had a monumental impact upon my life, and I’m sure, the lives of other Americans as well,” Charles wrote in a letter 1984. An eight-year big league veteran, Charles was aware of Robinson at an early age. Charles believed that Robinson’s impact was felt by the nation and its individuals. “Jackie represented to me, given the social climate of the nation at that time, hope, courage, and a new faith in a system that had been grossly neglectful of providing equal participation for its minority citizens,” Charles wrote. “His presence stirred me, as well as others, to redirect our goals […]

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2 responses to “Buck O’Neil”

  1. Perry Scott says:

    I could not see the reason that Buck was left out of the HOF.

  2. Tom says:

    He seemed like the nicest person ever – wish I could have had a long dinner with this man ….

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"Whoever wants to know the heart and mind of America had better learn baseball…"

~Jacques Barzun, 1954