Even before integrating major league baseball in 1947, Jackie Robinson was breaking down the wall of segregation. Listen to all of this story told by Buck O'Neill, Jackie's former Negro Leagues teammate. Robinson was raised in Southern California in an area where, while he encountered discrimination, was nothing like that seen by many Negro League players who grew up in the South or in highly segregated Northern cities. But what Robinson did encounter he refused to accept whether in civilian life or during his military service.
Buck O'Neill (1911-2006) is one of the most beloved figures in baseball history. A Negro Leagues ballplayer from 1937 to 1950, mostly with the Kansas City Monarchs, who he also managed from 1948 to 1955, Buck became the first black coach in MLB with the Chicago Cubs in 1962. Prior to that he'd been a scout for the Cubs, signing future Hall of Famer Lou Brock. O'Neill served on the Baseball Hall of Fame Veterans Committee from 1981 to 2000 and was instrumental in the establishment of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, which is well worth a visit.
The Kansas City Royals created a Buck O'Neill Legacy Seat at Kauffman Stadium and also have a legacy seat dedicated to Buck at their spring training park in Surprise AZ which I discovered when sitting in the row behind it in March 2020.
Buck O’Neil, who is a one of the most important figures in baseball history shares a tremendous story about #JackieRobinson - the ending still gives me goosebumps. I don’t think til this day we truly know how important of a person #Jackie42 was. #MustWatch @nlbmprez pic.twitter.com/HE4hfoG7vC
— BaseballHistoryNut (@nut_history) April 15, 2021
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