This Day in Black History: July 21, 1959
The Boston Red Sox were the last baseball team to integrate and Elijah Jerry "Pumpsie" Green became their first African-American player on July 21, 1959.
Almost 15 years prior, the Red Sox denied Jackie Robinson a position on their team.
As other teams integrated, the Red Sox began to do horribly through the 1950s losing to teams with Black players in their lineups.
On his draft, Green told the Boston Globe, "One day in July, I got a phone call and I was heading to Boston. Then the cameras came on."
Pumpsie Green had 246 hits by the end of his career.
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