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Don’t Look Back was the title of the book and movie about the life and times of Satchel Paige. In the collection is a contract Paige signed in agreement to be interviewed on ABC radio about the book and movie.

At the bottom of the contract, a brief introduction of Paige is written, “He was in the black leagues from 1926-1947 when blacks weren’t allowed in the Major Leagues.

He feels that the hitters of his era were better than the hitters of today because the ball was deader and the fences were farther back.”

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Satchel Paige signed with the Browns at age 45 and made two All Star teams in his three seasons with St. Louis. This sort of performance is what made Paige a legend.

For over 20 years he toiled away in the Negro Leagues, a victim of baseball’s color barrier. Even the great Mickey Mantle, one of the Majors’ best hitters of the day could not mistake Paige’s greatness, calling him, “The toughest pitcher I ever faced.”

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Hall of Fame voters recognized Satchel Paige as one of the greatest pitchers to play the game. The legendary Buck O’Neil also lists Paige as his right-handed pitcher on his All Time Negro League All Stars.

A quick glance down the list finds it peppered with other Hall of Fame players.

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Despite the color barrier, Negro Leaguers often faced off against their MLB counterparts. These contests took place in the off-season and helped augment the income of the players involved.

Shown here is a lineup of Negro League stars called the Philadelphia Royal Giants. They squared off against Dizzy Dean’s All Stars on October 31, 1935. Satchel Paige started the game against a star-studded lineup.

Hall of Famer Arky Vaugnan played shortstop while NL home run champion and four-time All Star Wally Berger hit  behind him in the cleanup spot. Dolph Camilli who won the 1941 NL Most Valuable Player Award played first and Cooperstown hurler Dean got the start on the hill.

Ole Diz faced a batting order that included three men who went on to get their Cooperstown plaques: Turkey Stearnes, Mule Suttles, and Biz Mackey. The Cardinals hurler went 7 innings, giving up five hits and a pair of runs.

Satchel struck out 7, allowed two runs on two hits, and left with a no-decision after four innings. The MLB crew pushed across three more runs off of Chet Brewer to gain a 5-4 victory.

Five men have adorned their signatures to the lineup including Paige, Vaughan, Camilli, Berger, and Tuck Stainback.

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In 1948, Satchel Paige moved from the Kansas City Monarchs to the Cleveland Indians. Making his debut in integrated baseball, Paige posted an impressive 6-1 record with one save, three complete games, two shutouts, and a 2.48 ERA.

His performance helped the Indians reach the World Series for the second time in franchise history. It was their first since 1920.

Making his only career World Series appearance at age 42, Paige came on against the Boston Braves in the 7th inning of Game 5. The showman dispatched both batters he faced, Warren Spahn and Tommy Holmes.

Shown here is a ticket to Game 4 of the 1948 World Series. It’s autographed by the ’48 AL MVP, Indians player/manager Lou Boudreau.

In this contest, Boudreau started the scoring in the bottom of the first with an RBI double that scored leadoff man Dale Mitchell. In the third inning Larry Doby a solo home run. That was all the offense the Indians needed as they downed the Braves 2-1.

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It was supposed to be a mere publicity stunt. Athletics owner Charlie Finley signed Satchel Paige to a one-day contract to take the mound on Satchel Paige night. Hoping to boost attendance, Finley was a true showman, bringing out a rocking chair for Pagie to sit in before the start of the game.

The visiting Red Sox must have been licking their chops at the prospects of facing the 59-year old Paige. But something happened on the way to the publicity stunt — Paige quieted the Boston bats for three innings, surrendering only one hit, by future Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzesmki.

The last batter to face Paige was Jim Gosger. In the collection is this questionnaire about that night. Gosger thoughtfully pens his recollections.

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Among the many accolades Satchel Paige earned was induction into the Birmingham Barons Hall of Fame in 2008.  He was one of four who earned the distinction that year. The others included Rubin E. Grant, and Cooperstown men Rollie Fingers, and Burleigh Grimes.

The Barons Hall describes ole Satch on its website,”Perhaps the most well-known Negro League player of all-time, Paige began his four-year stint in Birmingham in 1927 with an 8-3 mark. After a storied Negro League career, he became MLB’s oldest rookie of all-time (42) in 1948 and became the first Negro Leaguer inducted to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971.”

Shown here is a correspondence on ornate Birmingham letterhead. Dated July 6, 1950, it is signed by Eddie Glennon, Birmingham Barons Hall of Fame class of 2010. The letter is to George Trautman, the president of the National Association.

Glennon writes of the recall of Dick Littlefield for his big league debut. Littlefield is best remembered as the pitcher the Giants traded to the Dodgers for Jackie Robinson on December 13, 1956. Rather than report to his rival team, Robinson retired from the game.