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Sept. 1952. "St. Louis Browns pitcher Satchel Paige." Sporting Brownie the Elf. Kodachrome by Look magazine staff photographer Bob Lerner. View full size.
Had baseball not pre-existed Satch's birth, simple justice would demand that it be invented for him. Terms like "best ever" are always subject to dispute, but Paige's name is on the short list whenever such accolades are under consideration by those who ought to know.
1. People like Satchel Paige. 2.Flannel uniforms (that's the Brownies road uniform). 3. An American League team in St. Louis. 4. Chicago's Comiskey Park (the background).
Leroy (Satch) was THE oldest man to ever hurl in the majors, at age 59.
On July 9, 1948, with the Cleveland Indians, Paige became the oldest man ever to debut in the major leagues, at the age of 42 years and two days. He attracted record crowds wherever he pitched.
He was elected into the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971.
I was ten when this pic was taken. I remember he was a great pitcher in the Negro Leagues for many years before playing in the major leagues. He might have been the oldest player to ever pitch a game at the end of his career.
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